Winch mount-in progress

[MaddBaggins]

So I have finally purchased a winch and started to build a winch mount. Some of you may remember that 3+ years ago when I built my front bumper, I planned on putting in a receiver style winch on my rig. That day has come and here's a few pics of the project in progress.

Never mind the bug spatter, I drove thru Florence on Saturday. Bugs everywhere! Check out the splat under the drivers head light.

[Rocky_LC]

Let me know when you plan to go out for "winching practice". I've got a new (to me) Warn that I'd like to play around with.

Rocky

[MaddBaggins]

Great idea!
Hopefully I'll get this done this week. I still need to fab up the brackets for the fairlead, wire it up, and spool on the synth line I got for it.

[GeoRoss]

Looking good Alvin.


This way if I ever get around to buying a winch, my mount will be perfect.

[splitshot]

Cool, now I'll have someone to pull my junk out

Quite the bug splat, immagine catching that one in the face on a motorcycle

[ChaseTruck]

Alvin, would it be worthwhile bracing the bottom between the receiver tube and the mount plate? I'm thinking of a situation where the pull is mainly on one side of the drum.

[MaddBaggins]

Originally Posted by ChaseTruck

Alvin, would it be worthwhile bracing the bottom between the receiver tube and the mount plate? I'm thinking of a situation where the pull is mainly on one side of the drum.

Do you mean gusset from the plate to the tube? I did add one on each side at the rear of the plate and I'm thinking of adding another more toward the front of the plate.

[ChaseTruck]

Originally Posted by MaddBaggins

Do you mean gusset from the plate to the tube? I did add one on each side at the rear of the plate and I'm thinking of adding another more toward the front of the plate.

Now that you mention it, I can see it in the back. I thought about a gusset going all the way to the outside edge of the plate.

[brittan]

Nice work...I'd gusset front and rear on the winch platform. Brian has this setup with his 90 4 Runner and likes it. Will it fit in the rear receiver so you could pull from the rear?

[-Spike-]

I recently got a receiver winch, and Tools pointed out that some people have bent the receiver tube with side pulls. I'm gonna shim both ends of the mount so that if the tube starts to bend, it will hit the bumper right away. I'm thinking of some threaded rod at each end, so it can be adjusted for use on the rear or on someone else's truck. Clear as mud? I'm also thinking of running a piece of 1/4" plate inside the tube top and bottom to reinforce it a bit. Solid would be better, and if I ever make my own mount (this one is a Ramsey) I'll start with a solid 2"x2". Drilling that should be fun...

-Spike

[MaddBaggins]

Originally Posted by brittan

Nice work...I'd gusset front and rear on the winch platform. Brian has this setup with his 90 4 Runner and likes it. Will it fit in the rear receiver so you could pull from the rear?

With an extension it will fit in the rear bumper. I'll worry about that later. Front end first.

[MaddBaggins]

Originally Posted by -Spike-

I recently got a receiver winch, and Tools pointed out that some people have bent the receiver tube with side pulls. I'm gonna shim both ends of the mount so that if the tube starts to bend, it will hit the bumper right away. I'm thinking of some threaded rod at each end, so it can be adjusted for use on the rear or on someone else's truck. Clear as mud? I'm also thinking of running a piece of 1/4" plate inside the tube top and bottom to reinforce it a bit. Solid would be better, and if I ever make my own mount (this one is a Ramsey) I'll start with a solid 2"x2". Drilling that should be fun...

-Spike

Nice idea on the shims. My plate is within 1/4" of the bumper, I could easily add stops to it so it doesn't get side to side movement.

[-Spike-]

Glad you were able to understand that. Blame Kevin for the shim idea.

-Spike

[MaddBaggins]

Construction is finished. Now it just needs paint, wire it up and spool on the rope.

I added extra gussets underneath and some shims at the rear of the plate to limit side to side movement.
The fairlead brackets are welded at the bottom and bolt to the top of the winch at the top. They are shaped to fit the body of the winch.
The control box bracket is welded to the fairlead bracket.

I didn't mention before, but the main plate is 3/8" plate, the receiver tube is 1/4". The gussets and brackets are either 1/4" or 3/16" plate and L bracket.

Pics

[MaddBaggins]

some more

When the painting is done, I'll get some more pics of the finished project. Then the wiring and spooling on the rope and she's done.

[-Spike-]

Looking damn good.

-Spike

[MaddBaggins]

Here it is painted and mounted up. All thats left is wiring it and spooling on the rope.

Check out my reflection in the light cover. yes I washed the truck today, only the second time this year.

[ChaseTruck]

Originally Posted by -Spike-

Looking damn good.

-Spike

From what I heard about one of your latest adventures, I'd say ANY winch/winchmount is going to look good to you...

Alvin, careful where you're getting compliments from...

[-Spike-]

Originally Posted by MaddBaggins

I washed the truck today, only the second time this year.

Dude, it's only May. How many times you gonna wash that thing this year? Careful, you'll get a reputation for primping if you keep this up. Next, you'll be posing with Shotts (I haven't given him any crap for awhile, so this is a 2-fer post.)

-Spike

[TrAiLbUs1]

You did it!! very nice, didn't mess with your clearance much @ all

[splitshot]

What do you think it weighs with the winch and cable?

[Tools R Us]

Nice job, tucked up nicely!

When designing any winch mount the rule is to have it mount centered between the frame rails, close and low as possible. The further it sticks out and/or above the rails, the higher the leverage stresses on the frame. The trick to making receiver style work is having little or if possible no gap between the receiver tang and the mount plate, also having additional contact points on the edges of the plate helps greatly to prevent bending on side pulls.

[MaddBaggins]

So I finally got around to wiring it up and spooling on the rope.
Now I have to figure out why I bought a winch in the first place...

[brittan]

Pretty green color on the winch line...matches my nails...

Looks great...it's always good to have another winch on the tail.

[medtro]

Originally Posted by MaddBaggins

Now I have to figure out why I bought a winch in the first place...

Please PM me if you decided to scrap your winch project

[MaddBaggins]

Originally Posted by brittan

Pretty green color on the winch line...matches my nails...

Looks great...it's always good to have another winch on the tail.

Green is my favorite color, and when I found out I could get rope in green...

[MaddBaggins]

Originally Posted by medtro

Please PM me if you decided to scrap your winch project

I believe I'll be holding on to the winch, even though I haven't needed one.
Actually I did have one hooked up to my ass once when I tried to put the truck end-over.

[medtro]

Originally Posted by MaddBaggins

I believe I'll be holding on to the winch, even though I haven't needed one.
Actually I did have one hooked up to my ass once when I tried to put the truck end-over.

No problem. I am just looking for something for Ross to deliver to CM

[-Spike-]

Sounds like you're wheeling about as much as me. I've been 2wd for a month and a half- front DS toast and no motivation to get it fixed. In fact, I haven't wheeled since I got my winch, right after the 'Great White Elephant Rescue' of '08.

Looks good.

-Spike

[WojtekSz]

should n't you move the line guiding plate down so the line would not be touching it (hopefully) when pulling?