I’m looking for some input on if this makes sense from a safety standpoint and if it would even work.
I’ve started to take a 1 ton diesel to the mountains lately for hunting and camping while I’m other truck is a work in progress. The diesel isn’t really set up for off tossing so it’s nothing more than forest service roads that are somewhat maintained.
The truck in question is a 2002 F-350 CCLB that weights in at 8600 lbs with a ranch hand front bumper with 2x2 recover tube in it, the winches in question are an 8274 or a 9.5ti as I already have them and don’t want to spend the money on a third winch, if the truck is stuck it’ll be snatch blocked back to it to help with the weight of the truck.
Now onto the project, I have an old 8274 front bumper that was welded onto my 84 pickup, this thing has been through two wrecks and isn’t going back on. My plane is to cut everything off but the angled bracing and the winch mount area and add some 2” solid hitch bar. The hitch pins I use are rated for up to 30k, the bumper is bolted on with all grade 8 hardware. Does anyone see any potential issues with this setup? Will I need some gussets between the hitch bar and the flat plate it is on to add some structural stability during side loading?
I haven’t order anything yet so there isn’t a mock up, I didn’t want to order stuff and have the project be a flop.
Old front bumper
Hitch Bar
I’ve started to take a 1 ton diesel to the mountains lately for hunting and camping while I’m other truck is a work in progress. The diesel isn’t really set up for off tossing so it’s nothing more than forest service roads that are somewhat maintained.
The truck in question is a 2002 F-350 CCLB that weights in at 8600 lbs with a ranch hand front bumper with 2x2 recover tube in it, the winches in question are an 8274 or a 9.5ti as I already have them and don’t want to spend the money on a third winch, if the truck is stuck it’ll be snatch blocked back to it to help with the weight of the truck.
Now onto the project, I have an old 8274 front bumper that was welded onto my 84 pickup, this thing has been through two wrecks and isn’t going back on. My plane is to cut everything off but the angled bracing and the winch mount area and add some 2” solid hitch bar. The hitch pins I use are rated for up to 30k, the bumper is bolted on with all grade 8 hardware. Does anyone see any potential issues with this setup? Will I need some gussets between the hitch bar and the flat plate it is on to add some structural stability during side loading?
I haven’t order anything yet so there isn’t a mock up, I didn’t want to order stuff and have the project be a flop.
Old front bumper
Hitch Bar