I had a similar issue with a SmittyBilt XRC8 that came on the LJ I purchased in June. I took the motor apart completely to fix it. It was a modified brass bolt. The head had a slot milled across it, and the stator bar went through the slot and the bolt head was swaged onto it. I bought a brass bolt from McMaster-Carr, cut a slot in it with a hacksaw and finished it with a file, then swaged it on with my shop press, but a good hit with a hammer would probably have worked. I then blasted all the winch parts, repainted them, and put it back together with some good grease and new decals. It now looks and works like new!