Winch mount opinions

[Sugar16]

Towards the end of this year I will be looking in to buying/making front and rear bumpers. My buddy has a new winch he is going to sell to me for relatively cheap and I'm wanting to get some opinions on mounting it. Instead of mounting it to the bumper I was thinking of mounting the winch to a plate with a receiver and make it to where i can put it in front or rear whenever its needed.

[fishsticks]

Several people have done that. I would never do it for these reasons:

Your approach angle will suffer greatly.
Inevitably, when you get stuck and need that winch, the receiver mount will be 6' in the air or under 2' of water. Lifting 100lbs of winch/receiver bracket on unstable ground SUCKS.


Just pick up some snatch blocks and tree saver straps. Winching backwards with a front mounted winch isn't terribly difficult. Will probably cost you less than properly wiring a front/rear electrical junction.

Keep that winch mounted in as tight as you can. I cut into the core support to get mine tucked in.

[Sugar16]

Ya that's pretty much what I was thinking. I was just looking for another opinion. Thanks a lot

[bartonmd]

I have to disagree with Donny about the approach angle, if the receiver height and winch mount are done right. Our radiator is really our approach angle killer, and while the receiver mounted winch does stick it out some, my personal approach angle killer is the radiator. Not only that, but the winch is high enough that I've only hit the fairlead once, and that was on something that I literally slid down on the sliders, and couldn't have possibly made it back up. It does affect Kyle's (Hardtrailz) angle a little bit, because he has a better angle on the radiator, because his tires are bigger and he sits higher, but again, it's so high up that I don't know that he's ever hit the thing on anything.

Having said that, there are times that the actual angle can be less of a problem than how far out something sticks, and that was the only time I've hit my winch mount. Winch mount protects the front and bottom of the winch, so it wasn't a big deal, though. Just rubbed on the bottom corner of the fairlead real quick, and was done.

Yes, whenever possible, it's good to have things as high and in toward the vehicle as possible. What I'm saying is that I haven't had a problem with it being out there, but it is nice to take the winch off when the vehicle is being otherwise used, and it's nice to not have to worry about the winch getting stolen when the thing sits at the airport for a week, and it's nice to be able to put the winch into the second receiver of my truck and winch cars up onto the trailer. It is a bitch moving a winch with steel cable around, but Kyle has synthetic on his, and it's really not a big deal at all to move around.

Mike

[Sugar16]

Thanks for your info mike. with my future plans down the road i think it'll probably be best to just have it mounted on my bumper. the one i will be getting would be a PITA to move around even though it would be nice to not have to drive around with it whenever i don't need it, i think i'll just sit on the idea until i am ready to get the bumpers and then make my final decision.

[Trail X]

I'll agree with Mike on it being nice not having to have it mounted all the time.

It's been close to getting in the way before, but so far so good.

When you're designing your winch plate, there are a few designs out there. Some mount the winch low, some higher. I chose the Curt plate (http://www.curtmfg.com/part/31010) because it mounts high and has a little skidplate built in so the tube can't dig in the ground.

[bartonmd]

The ones I've made for myself, Kyle, and Matt are made similar to the Curt model, in that they mount on top of the tube, and have the angled tube with the covered front. The difference is that I made mine the width of the whole winch, and had more of a guard on the front, to protect the winch from hitting things.

Mike

[bartonmd]

See this video:

[HARDTRAILZ]

I like mine. However I remove it far less than I thought I would.

[Sugar16]

Well at the end of july i'll be traveling up to michigan and maybe i need to make a pit stop around indy to take a look at what the options are

[v7guy]

winches are good

[Karo]

Mine is permanently mounted to the front. Never had to use it to pull the car back, but that has a reason. I´ll never drive alone and had a buddy with a car by my side, so he pulled the car with a strap back. Although i like the idea not to carry the winch on every day with the TB, there were reasons to have it mounted in that way. Using a winch plate with a curt is a good idea, but i don´t wan´t to carry it from the back to the front. Installation of the winch is not so easy, especially when you are stuck in mud. So you have to mount the winch BEFORE you got stuck! The weight of the winch in addition with the other stuff installed in the TB is not a big problem for me, although gas prices are rising. So you have to decide what is the mission and how "often" you will use it. I don´t have a metal bumper in the front or the rear (I wish i could do that Mike ) so I don´t have the weight of the other people who have them and that´s the way for me.
Karsten

[Sugar16]

i think that if i do make it removable i can leave it off unitl i go wheeling and before i go just put it in the front, that way i won't have to try and put it on when i get stuck

[v7guy]

If you make it through the video of my truck with it's pissed off steering pump and groaning brakes you'll see I hard mounted my winch. It hasn't posed any problems in day to day life and the clearance is good. Going down stuff, it's fine, and I can go up hills that are steep enough that I loose all oil pressure. It never touches on the approach to those hills. My winch is only 100lbs, but I wouldn't want to be lugging that thing around. You definitely would want to install it before a trip and leave it on for the duration. The idea of being able to mount it in the back sounds cool in your head, and I'm sure there are some very solid arguments you could make for it, but it many cases the previously mentioned snatch block and straps would do everything you need it too.




When you compare the two videos you can see that mine is tucked up a lot better. Mikes winch almost touches the ground there, where mine doesn't come close, I'm also a lot higher than mike so that comes into play too. But Mike didn't hit even with it hitch mounted and sticking out farther.
There are a lot of merits to not having it hitch mounted. But within the confines of what anyone has done with our trucks I don't see it really making a shits bit of a difference either way.

Personally I wouldn't take the winch off even if I could, it would be inconvenient to lug around and store and there's a lot more wiring to run. Like Donny said, when you're in a spot that you need it, one of the two ends of your truck is going to be well up in the air or under water.

[navigator]

I had to do some googling and youtube vids to figure out how to even winch yourself backwards with a front mounted winch. It just seems you are counting on having enough winch line and enough trees in close enough proximity to set everything up. I guess it is like most things. Each individual has to figure out on their own what will work best for them in most situations.

[Sugar16]

well i am leaning towards getting it mounted on my bumper, i will just have to get out and see what will work best for me but i have enough time to figure it

[bartonmd]

If you make it through the video of my truck with it's pissed off steering pump and groaning brakes you'll see I hard mounted my winch. It hasn't posed any problems in day to day life and the clearance is good. Going down stuff, it's fine, and I can go up hills that are steep enough that I loose all oil pressure. It never touches on the approach to those hills. My winch is only 100lbs, but I wouldn't want to be lugging that thing around. You definitely would want to install it before a trip and leave it on for the duration. The idea of being able to mount it in the back sounds cool in your head, and I'm sure there are some very solid arguments you could make for it, but it many cases the previously mentioned snatch block and straps would do everything you need it too.




When you compare the two videos you can see that mine is tucked up a lot better. Mikes winch almost touches the ground there, where mine doesn't come close, I'm also a lot higher than mike so that comes into play too. But Mike didn't hit even with it hitch mounted and sticking out farther.
There are a lot of merits to not having it hitch mounted. But within the confines of what anyone has done with our trucks I don't see it really making a shits bit of a difference either way.

Personally I wouldn't take the winch off even if I could, it would be inconvenient to lug around and store and there's a lot more wiring to run. Like Donny said, when you're in a spot that you need it, one of the two ends of your truck is going to be well up in the air or under water.

FWIW, you also took a much different line than I did, that had you at much less of an angle to the ground than I was.

Also, on a 3" body lift, it's possible to get the winch in much closer to the body. Without a body lift, and without the winch covering the whole front of the grille, you end up mounting the winch in front of the crossmember, not above the frame, and you end up with the same or less approach angle as the receiver mount. Actually, the winch bumper that I made for Zero (similar in size and location, but not mounting or width, to a KMA winch bumper) had less approach angle than my current setup.

Only time I've ever needed a winch is in the mud, and while walking with an 80# winch/mount setup in the mud isn't great, both front and rear have been accessible; and if you really don't have trees in front of you, or enough line to get to the trees in front and rear, and do the pulley system, it sure as hell beats walking out to get somebody to pull you out, and getting all your stuff stolen while you're gone, like happened to the guy in FL with his KMA bumper and his winch.

ETA: The wiring is a non-issue. Anderson Powerpole connectors, and it's disconnected from the front, and a 20' extension and it's connected in the rear. The 20' extension doubles as jumper cables with an attachment I made, so I can jump somebody on the trail, from behind them.

Mike

[v7guy]

Yeah, but like I said, who wants to run that wiring? I'm lazy, that a pretty serious issue. lol

[bartonmd]

Yeah, but like I said, who wants to run that wiring? I'm lazy, that a pretty serious issue. lol

It's just putting a connector into a wire you'd be running anyway, and putting a connector on each end of a 20' cable, rolling it up, and throwing it in the back in case you need it.

Mike

[v7guy]

If you make it through the video of my truck with it's pissed off steering pump and groaning brakes you'll see I hard mounted my winch. It hasn't posed any problems in day to day life and the clearance is good. Going down stuff, it's fine, and I can go up hills that are steep enough that I loose all oil pressure. It never touches on the approach to those hills. My winch is only 100lbs, but I wouldn't want to be lugging that thing around. You definitely would want to install it before a trip and leave it on for the duration. The idea of being able to mount it in the back sounds cool in your head, and I'm sure there are some very solid arguments you could make for it, but it many cases the previously mentioned snatch block and straps would do everything you need it too.




When you compare the two videos you can see that mine is tucked up a lot better. Mikes winch almost touches the ground there, where mine doesn't come close, I'm also a lot higher than mike so that comes into play too. But Mike didn't hit even with it hitch mounted and sticking out farther.
There are a lot of merits to not having it hitch mounted. But within the confines of what anyone has done with our trucks I don't see it really making a shits bit of a difference either way.

Personally I wouldn't take the winch off even if I could, it would be inconvenient to lug around and store and there's a lot more wiring to run. Like Donny said, when you're in a spot that you need it, one of the two ends of your truck is going to be well up in the air or under water.

FWIW, you also took a much different line than I did, that had you at much less of an angle to the ground than I was.

Also, on a 3" body lift, it's possible to get the winch in much closer to the body. Without a body lift, and without the winch covering the whole front of the grille, you end up mounting the winch in front of the crossmember, not above the frame, and you end up with the same or less approach angle as the receiver mount. Actually, the winch bumper that I made for Zero (similar in size and location, but not mounting or width, to a KMA winch bumper) had less approach angle than my current setup.

Only time I've ever needed a winch is in the mud, and while walking with an 80# winch/mount setup in the mud isn't great, both front and rear have been accessible; and if you really don't have trees in front of you, or enough line to get to the trees in front and rear, and do the pulley system, it sure as hell beats walking out to get somebody to pull you out, and getting all your stuff stolen while you're gone, like happened to the guy in FL with his KMA bumper and his winch.

ETA: The wiring is a non-issue. Anderson Powerpole connectors, and it's disconnected from the front, and a 20' extension and it's connected in the rear. The 20' extension doubles as jumper cables with an attachment I made, so I can jump somebody on the trail, from behind them.

Mike

ok, I'm feeling a little less lazy at the moment. I also think we're basically arguing the same point. I reread my post and I wasn't terribly clear.

I just watched the two videos side by side and paused when we took different amounts of time to come down the ledge. We took fairly similar lines from what I could tell. The camera angle changed a smidge in my video while the filming was going on, but our tire path seems very very close. Our approach angle did differ a bit and that's why my drivers side tire was higher up for longer on the rock. Most importantly, at the end, we both had both rear wheels on the top of the ledge and both front wheels on the bottom. I would think our angle to the ground was very similar.

But this kinda illustrates my point that a hitch mounted winch or a solid mounted winch really doesn't make a difference. You still never hit despite being a lot lower than I am and having a winch that sticks out farther. In most instances your setup still works just as well as my setup. Yeah, you can move it to the rear. But if I had the snatch blocks and more line I would be inclined to use that even if my winch was hitch mounted. Just cause I wouldn't have to lug around the winch. It's probably a little bit more light work and would take a little bit longer, but I'd rather carry around 25 lbs of stuff and run the blocks/cable/rope instead of moving the winch. I could see maybe wanting more cable/rope and snatch blocks since I can't move my winch, but I could also use a pull pal in many situations to alleviate all that, or just to add to my choices.
I've never ran into a situation where I wish my winch was hitch mounted, then you have yourself and Kyle who has never had an issue with your winch being hitch mounted. I know both Kyle and myself has lost oil pressure climbing hills. I just don't think it makes any difference as long as you are equipped to work with what you have.

It comes down to personal preference. What you want to do and what will work in the areas you are are predominately wheeling in. If you prepare for what you have built and are willing to deal with the compromises you're good to go. You just have to know what you have and what you are potentially going to have to work with.

I still think getting cable and attaching connectors seem like a lot of work, you underestimate the power of my lazy.