Thought I'd post up some pics of my winch install on my factory bumper. I ended up going the chinese route(Vortex brand, 12,000lb) with the winch since it was so inexpensive. $329 shipped. I used a universal winch channel mount from summit racing to mount it to($40). Install was pretty straight forward after looking at the other threads with factory bumper winch installs.
Punched a couple extra holes into the winch channel mount to line up with the tow hook bolt holes after making some measurements. Also chopped off the sides of the channel mount to sit flush between the frame rails.
It's a big winch but sits pretty nicely between the frame rail on the channel mount. The only trimming I had to do was to the rear of the electrical box on top and the clutch engagement/disengagement handle on the right side. The handle was hitting the transmission cooler before it was in the fully engaged position.
Here's a close up pic of it behind the stock bumper. When I need to use it, I remove the drivers side air hole fitting so I can get to the disengagement/engagement handle. Pull the line out and use the wireless remote while sitting in the cruiser.
As fate has it, the day after I got done installing it, the wife and I had a weekend trip planned that went over a couple mountain passes. One part of the pass was really rutted with semi's going incredibly slow. I decided to pass(the cruiser is invincible, right?) 3 semi's at once and when I merged back over into the right lane hit some huge ruts and knocked the back end out. We did a 180 into a 2ft snow bank and down into a 4 ft ditch. We were high centered with no grip, even with the lockers engaged. I hooked the winch onto a tree right in front of us and we were out in about 15 minutes. The cruise was undamaged too.
baggar11
Punched a couple extra holes into the winch channel mount to line up with the tow hook bolt holes after making some measurements. Also chopped off the sides of the channel mount to sit flush between the frame rails.
It's a big winch but sits pretty nicely between the frame rail on the channel mount. The only trimming I had to do was to the rear of the electrical box on top and the clutch engagement/disengagement handle on the right side. The handle was hitting the transmission cooler before it was in the fully engaged position.
Here's a close up pic of it behind the stock bumper. When I need to use it, I remove the drivers side air hole fitting so I can get to the disengagement/engagement handle. Pull the line out and use the wireless remote while sitting in the cruiser.
As fate has it, the day after I got done installing it, the wife and I had a weekend trip planned that went over a couple mountain passes. One part of the pass was really rutted with semi's going incredibly slow. I decided to pass(the cruiser is invincible, right?) 3 semi's at once and when I merged back over into the right lane hit some huge ruts and knocked the back end out. We did a 180 into a 2ft snow bank and down into a 4 ft ditch. We were high centered with no grip, even with the lockers engaged. I hooked the winch onto a tree right in front of us and we were out in about 15 minutes. The cruise was undamaged too.
baggar11
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