2015 T4R TEP Hidden Winch Mount Build (1 Viewer)

[Jetboy]

Built a hidden winch for my 4runner with my dad this weekend. Overall it's pretty straight forward on the 5th gens. Lots of room to work with inside the bumper. I left the solenoid pack on the winch but remoted the plug to a box near the drivers side firewall. Inside I set it up with a rocker on/off switch, a relay, and then the remote plug. I also bough a wireless controller, but it was DOA. HF junk. I'll test the components to see if it's fixable at home. Otherwise I've already cut it apart so I can't really return it.

Anyway here's how I did a hidden winch mount. Pretty similar to most of the aftermarket ones. The tabs on the bottom to fit all the bumper plastics and under bumper cover were a PITA to measure and replicate. The rest was pretty easy.

You can see the rope coming out from under the license plate. Fits Like a glove. I'll put a hinge on the plate I just didn't have one yet.

 

[titanpat57]

Nice clean job...

 

[smm3]

Looks great.

 

[blakewhisenant]

Did you weld directly on the 4Runner? I am nervous about grounding out the welder on the car its self. Do you do the battery or ECM?

 

[Itsky]

Awesome!

 

[Jacket]

THe picture is not 100% clear, but it looks like he bolted the winch plate to the ends of the frame.

 

[thzpcs]

That's a seriously cool build!

 

[CaptCanuck]

Nice work!

 

[Jetboy]

Did you weld directly on the 4Runner? I am nervous about grounding out the welder on the car its self. Do you do the battery or ECM?

Sorry for such a delayed response. I'm not on here very often. But if anyone is wanting to build one like this - send me a PM and I can probably find my drawings I did before I built it and send them to you.

It bolts on. It bolts to the front bumper flanges - there are 8 bolts there. I also attached it to the one of the larger 12mm bolt locations on the side of the frame rail about 6 inches back. I wasn't sure the bumper flange was strong enough alone. It should be easily more than 10k lbs tensile strength, but I added an extra brace just for some extra piece of mind.

The other available attachment point you could use - but I didn't - is the OEM tow hoops. That's where CURT adds an extra attachment for its front receiver hitches. I use those as part of my snow plow assembly bracket mount because that is based on a CURT front receiver hitch. It fits with the hidden winch mount and uses the winch as the up/down power like an ATV plow does.

 

[CreeperSleeper]

Nice work!