Check out This DIY Motorized Winch Made from a Wiper Blade Motor

Got a spare car windscreen wiper? Then why not turn it into a DIY motorized winch?
Christopher McFadden

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Have a need for a motorized winch in your garage or workshop but don't want to buy one? Then why not consider making one to your very own design

Read on to find out how.

wiper winch finished
Source: Sek Austria/YouTube

Just like any project of this nature, you will need some tools and other bits and bobs. Here are some of the gear you will need: 

The very first thing to do is to grab your car windscreen wiper motor. Remove the wiper blade attachment as you won't need this part.

wiper winch motor
Source: Sek Austria/YouTube

Now, take a caliper and measure the width of the motor's axle -- in this case, it is 10mm (25/64 inch). You'll need to know this later.

Now, grab some flat steel plate. Cut down to size, as seen in the video, and mark out a 12mm (15/32 inch) radius circle from the center of the piece with a caliper wing compass.  

wiper winch plate
Source: Sek Austria/YouTube

This will form the main gear to run the bicycle chain from the motor blade later. Mark out six equally spaced points around the circumference of the circle. 

These mark the position of the gear teeth you will create later, as shown in the video. 

wiper winch circle
Source: Sek Austria/YouTube

Now, drill 8mm (5/16 inch) holes into the points you marked out. 

wiper winch drill
Source: Sek Austria/YouTube

With that stage complete, now drill the piece out using a 30mm (1 3/16 inch)  hole saw. This should cut through roughly half of the drill holes to leave a gear looking like the below image. 

wiper winch cog
Source: Sek Austria/YouTube

Attached to a bolt and insert into a motorized drill or angle grinder ready to sand off any barbs on the gear. You can do this by hand or by using a tool like a belt sand attachment for a drill. 

Once complete, check you work with a length of bicycle chain to ensure it engages properly with the chain. 

wiper winch chain
Source: Sek Austria/YouTube

Attached your gear to the shaft of the wiper motor and secure in place with a nut. Now grab some more steel plates. Mark out the center of both, and score a 90mm (3 and 35/64 inch) diameter circle on both plates as well. 

Grab your angle grinder again, and cut out the circles. You might want to secure the plate in a vice for this part. 

wiper winch plate 1
Source: Sek Austria/YouTube

Drill a 10mm (25/64 inch) hole in the center of each circular plate -- once cut out. Now, brag a length of 50mm (1 31/32 inch) steel tubing. 

Cut the desired length -- this will form the axle of the winch itself. Next, weld the steel tube and the previously prepared steel plates together to make the winch assembly.

Watch the video if you need help with this part. 

wiper winch weld
Source: Sek Austria/YouTube

Now, grab some wheel hubs from an old bicycle, or buy some replacement ones. Mount to the winch you previously built and add a ball bearing inside the hubs, as shown in the video.

Do this to both sides of the winch. 

wiper winch hubs
Source: Sek Austria/YouTube

Secure the hub pieces to the winch, and weld to the winch endplates as shown in the video. Next, grab the 24T sprocket and attach it to one of the bicycle hubs, as also shown in the video. 

Now, grab another piece of the steel plate and mark any mounting points to the wiper motor on the plate. Drill and cut holes through the metal plate as needed -- this will act as a mount for the wiper motor. 

wiper winch mount
Source: Sek Austria/YouTube

Mount the wiper motor to the plate. Now mock up the rest of the winch assembly, drill and cut holes as needed and also mount to the plate. 

You will also need to add a bicycle jockey roller too, as shown in the video. Once complete, assemble all the pieces as needed. 

wiper winch main assembly
Source: Sek Austria/YouTube

If desired, you can now disassemble the main winch assembly and cut off any excess metal from the mounting plate not required. 

You can also paint various pieces, like the winch, mounting plate, etc. With the unit disassembled, you will also need to drill some 3mm (1/8 inch) holes into one end plate of the winch.

These will be used to secure the winch wire in place later. 

wiper winch ceiling mounting
Source: Sek Austria/YouTube

In order to hang, or mount, the entire winch assembly from the ceiling or via brackets, you can also make some form of mounting assembly, as shown in the video. 

No details are provided regarding this step so you can use creativity in your own design. 

Now, take the 3mm (1/8 inch) wire rope and secure it to the winch as shown in the video. 

wiper winch wire
Source: Sek Austria/YouTube

Next, reassemble the entire winch. Watch the video if you need some tips here. Add the required length of some bicycle chain, and the winch is pretty much ready to go. 

Wire up the motor, rig up a pulley and hook at the end of the metal wire, hang the winch from the ceiling, and start lifting stuff to your heart's content. According to the creator, this setup should be good for at least 100kgs (220 lbs) but was only able to test 60kgs (132 lbs)