Winch Mount top of frame rails

[kidglove13]

I have done a lot of searching and no luck.
Anyone here mount a winch on top of the frame rails?
I am really contimplating on putting it on top of the frame rails.
I do not care if I have to cut some of the metal below the grill.
What do you all think or know?

Thanks

 

[guzzla]

I think most people put it down low simply because there's more room and it also doesn't restrict as much air flow to the radiator. It also makes to location of the fairlead quite universal and suits pretty much every single factory and aftermarket bar.

Of course, putting it up top has its own benefits and they include keeping the winch just that little bit higher in deeper water or mud and thus making it easier to get to if you get stuck in same. If you're doing a custom bar at the same time, the decision is yours.

 

[kidglove13]

With the booger bumper I threw on there it sits on top of the frame now, I dont think the air flow restriction will be anymore than it is now
I will have to scrap the $50 bumper and build something around the winch a little nicer.

 

[specialk396]

There are a couple of guys in the FJ60 forums who have mounted theirs above the frame rails, with no specific cooling issues. Thats my plan when I get started on my bumpers.

 

[DiscoveredLC]

The problem I think youre going to run into is clearing whats behind the grill. If you move the winch up and cut into the grill, your going to have to mount it farther out in front of the truck to avoid the tranny cooler and the vertical support that it mounts too. So if you have no problem extending the bumper out, than thats fine. Its just may make your approach angle worse.

I built my bumper so the winch sits about half way up the frame rails. I also moved the tranny cooler up atleast and inch to get the winch farther back. Here's some pics...

Its hard to tell in the last pic since i took it so close, but the bumper sits pretty far back. If you want any other pictures for ideas let me know.

Matt

 

[kidglove13]

I did alittle measuring with a sheet of plywood to look at my current approach angle, which is pretty good, and if I were to put the winch on top, it would have to stick out further but it still would fall in line with my current approach angle according to my redneck plywood approach angle measuring device
I have the plate just waiting on the winch.
I am going to mock it up by the end of next week when I get my winch to see if it falls in line.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

I did alittle measuring with a sheet of plywood to look at my current approach angle, which is pretty good, and if I were to put the winch on top, it would have to stick out further but it still would fall in line with my current approach angle according to my redneck plywood approach angle measuring device
I have the plate just waiting on the winch.
I am going to mock it up by the end of next week when I get my winch to see if it falls in line.

Very nicely done
I would be interested in your final approach angle is.

 

[kidglove13]

Phil,Your avitar cracks me up.

 

[kidglove13]

Well I got the winch yesterday and played around with the plate on top of the rails and on the bottom.
Funny enough is that even though it sticks out about 1.5 to 2 further on top of the rails it still falls pretty close to being in line with the approach angle I originally had which was pretty much the bottom of the frame rails
I think that under the rails kills the approach angle more than on top.
The thing that kills it is the roller fairlead whether it is mounted on top or on the bottom, but on the top at least it is alittle more up out of the way
I mounted the winch on top of the frame rails and it worked out pretty well
I did have to cut the center section of the valance below the grill but that does not bother me.
I will also have to build a tube bumper around it in the future and also add some gussets below the winch plate
But it is good for now
I used a smitty bilt universal plate and a warn M8000 winch, the winch is nice and compact and worked out well.
Later on down the line I will remote mount the solanoid box under the hood some where and move the controls to the cab.
All in all I think it worked out well.
I am a little spent from messing with that thing all day.
That sucker is heavy
I will post pics in the morning.

 

[AMMO]

I have my powerplant mounted on top of the frame. But that was only because the powerplant does not face mount, only under mount. I've had no issues and have pulled several hard pulls on her. I thought about dropping it down between the frame rails but then the top of the spool would not line up with the lead.

-A

 

[Nay]

Cool - interested to see the pics. I will be going top of the rails, but with synthetic to get rid of the big fairlead. Probably a Warn 9.0Rc or Superwinch Talon 98.

 

[Nay]

The problem I think youre going to run into is clearing whats behind the grill. If you move the winch up and cut into the grill, your going to have to mount it farther out in front of the truck to avoid the tranny cooler and the vertical support that it mounts too. So if you have no problem extending the bumper out, than thats fine. Its just may make your approach angle worse.

I built my bumper so the winch sits about half way up the frame rails. I also moved the tranny cooler up atleast and inch to get the winch farther back. Here's some pics...

Its hard to tell in the last pic since i took it so close, but the bumper sits pretty far back. If you want any other pictures for ideas let me know.

Matt

That is really well done. Nice work

 

[Adam R]

With a 1.5 inch BL and an Warn M8000, my setup works great. The winch sits on top of the frame rails.

And yes, an M8000 is a fine winch for an 6000 lb vehicle for the type of wheeling that I do.

Now I just need to finish the rest of the bumper.

Adam

 

[kidglove13]

Cool - interested to see the pics. I will be going top of the rails, but with synthetic to get rid of the big fairlead. Probably a Warn 9.0Rc or Superwinch Talon 98.

Nay I think you will like how it turned out and the approach angle turned out better than I thought it would once I had the winch and plate in hand and could mess around with it.
The big fairlead is the killer but not as bad as I thoutht it would be if it were mounted under the rails I would not be happy it really kills the approach angle when it is that low
Synthetic and the small fairlead would make the approach angle right on the money being on top of the rails.
To bad synthetic is not in the budget right now that stuff is expensive

 

[Adam R]

Two more with the winch installed.

 

[DiscoveredLC]

Well I got the winch yesterday and played around with the plate on top of the rails and on the bottom.
Funny enough is that even though it sticks out about 1.5 to 2 further on top of the rails it still falls pretty close to being in line with the approach angle I originally had which was pretty much the bottom of the frame rails
I think that under the rails kills the approach angle more than on top.
The thing that kills it is the roller fairlead whether it is mounted on top or on the bottom, but on the top at least it is alittle more up out of the way
I mounted the winch on top of the frame rails and it worked out pretty well
I did have to cut the center section of the valance below the grill but that does not bother me.
I will also have to build a tube bumper around it in the future and also add some gussets below the winch plate
But it is good for now
I used a smitty bilt universal plate and a warn M8000 winch, the winch is nice and compact and worked out well.
Later on down the line I will remote mount the solanoid box under the hood some where and move the controls to the cab.
All in all I think it worked out well.
I am a little spent from messing with that thing all day.
That sucker is heavy
I will post pics in the morning.

Looking forward to the pics. The M8000 is a great winch and has plenty of power in my opinion. I had one on my Rover for the last 6-7 years and the only reason why I dont have it on the Cruiser is because its now on my dads Rubicon. Proper gear and recovery techniques and that winch will do great.

Ive always used cable myself, and I recently went to Synthetic (Master Pull Superline XD) and the stuff looks awesome. Super light weight too. Its only been on the truck for a month, so I havent used it, but others that Ive been around using synthetic love it. Not to mention the piece of mind it gives you on how much safer it is than cable.

That is really well done. Nice work

Thanks Nay!

 

[ginericLC]

Adam is the second picture on Rusty Nail at No Left Turn?

 

[kidglove13]

Here are some pics
As you can see with the plywood where my approach angle would be if I switched to sythetic rope and the small fairlead
The large fairlead does take away some approach angle but not that much and would be much worse if it were mounted under the rails
I do wish I did a cleaner job of cutting the valance below the grill but oh well $hit happens and I dont care to much any way
I think that the approach angle turned out better than I expected and I am happy with the result.
The control box is just zip tied to the grill for now until I get around to remote mounting it under the hood
Also now I need to make me a new tube bumper to go around it all.
I wish I had the funds for the synthetic rope but it will have to wait for now

 

[kidglove13]

more pics

 

[Bossman]

Here are a couple of pics of one I just built for a rolled 80 that's getting tubed out. I think it's about as tight in there as you can get without modifications to the grill supports, ps, etc. I would recommend you find a cast hawse fairlead like this one designed for wire rope. They don't stick out near as far as the roller type.