Power Plant install, help needed

So its been a pretty good weekend, on Friday I went to my dads shop and used the lift to install the Rancho 2" sport lift, along with the Evo Protek skid plate system. Nice to be inside and have the whole thing in the air, though we still resorted to jack stands and a jack a few times...

No pics yet, we went to grab dinner with my parents, and it rained all day Saturday. And I was lazy. :grayno:

So this afternoon I decide to get the winch on.

Warn Powerplant 9500
Warn quick connect wiring.


I have the Rough Country Hybrid Stubby bumper so I could get the winch on for our upcoming vacation. The winch is a bigger beast than I first anticipated, but after drilling a couple new mounting holes for the winch due to the frame horns being in the way, I got it all in place. Having already removed the steel cable, I grabbed the Warn line and went about the process of getting it wound. Realized I hadnt connected the +/- to the battery yet, I did that, and plugged in the winch power wires to the battery cables now hooked up. Was able to get about 10 wraps on the drum, then had to reverse a wrap that wasnt lining up like I wanted, and then when I switched back to pulling in, it stopped working.

My wife was out side, she says she saw a spark, but nothing else. I was still getting clicks of the solenoid (I assume) when I hit the winch in/out buttons, but nothing else.

I disconnect the winch, crawl back under the jeep and remove the 4 mounting bolts, and pull the winch out. Flip its on the front, remove the ground cable and clean the screw, tighten up the power cable connection, and plug it back in to the quick connect. Works just like its supposed to, so I wind the synthetic line, disconnect, and drop the winch back into the bumper, tighten it up, and then go to wind in the last 3ft or so, and it does not work again.

Only change is sitting on a portable work stand next to the jeep vs bolted into a steel bumper. Same wires, same plugs.

My past experience in car audio tells me there is probably a grounding issue, but it was dark, and I called it a night. I am not sure if I am missing something obvious, or if I should just buy some new (non quick-disconnect) wires, and start trying to problem solve from the middle of not knowing what the issue might be.

Anyone have any ideas or suggestions, or just a "hey dummy, its this!" to solve this?

Thanks much!

I can't think of anything other than maybe your quick connector or wires in general are possibly grounding out somewhere along the line.

Thats all I can figure out as well, but I am not able to come up with the "where" part. My first thought was the ground bolt on the bottom of the motor on the bumper, but its the ground bolt - who cares if it grounds out?

The + side is covered by a rubber boot thing, no where near the bumper. Back of the winch is not touching anything, including the grill.

Same wiring (no changes in routing) for the work table next to the jeep and when it is in the bumper, beyond the power wires running close to the winch when installed, vs stretched out when on the table (about 18" from the bumper).

I have the power wire running behind the headlight, along the fender, and to the battery, and up front between the headlight area and radiator, then zip tied to the "cross member" where the grill clips into place.

I am guessing on Friday when I have some time this will just involve removing each piece of the install one at a time and testing function at each step to figure it out, after I get the mowing done... Ahhh, trouble-shooting. I havent missed you at all...