Winch recommendation needed for hidden winch mount

[CharlieS]

No matter what winch you get make sure that you coat the terminals inside the switchbox with grease on install. Inside the switchbox there will be your wireless module and solonoid switches with heavy leads going to the motor. The solonoid switches will likely have threaded copper studs that your winch motor leads attach to. If your wire end terminals are copper and your nuts are copper as well no real issue. If you have steel leads or steel nuts(even stainless) you are likely to have serious corrosion within 18 months if any moisture gets past the rubber seal on the control box. This can effect/stop your winch from working and it will happen when you need it. Happened to me. With "your hidden winch" setup (behind the bumper?) doesn't sound like something you can repair while stuck in a mudhole in the dark out in the middle of nowhere... I greased my connections inside the "waterproof box" thouroughly with waterproof grease to prevent this happening again.......................If you get a more expensive winch that is a better design all these things may be internal to the winch and more water resistant/durable.

Not my thread, but good to know. I didn't think of this, I'll do this as preventative maintenance this weekend.

 

[kwelhand]

@CharlieS - excellent point! Based on 1.5X ratio. 12K is definitely what I need and not 10K as I originally thought about getting. Potential failure point scares me and I’ve heard someone actually passed away recently due to the broken hitch mount hitting the driver.


@highfructose - that’s pretty impressive price point! I might try it on my less heavy pickup truck. Thanks for sharing!

@robmobile73 - excellent advice! Didn’t really think about the proper setup and maintenance of winch.
I will follow your advice and will take care of my new winch the right way. Thanks!

 

[CharlieS]

I think you'll be happy with it. I have the same winch on my 200 and it has been great. Two considerations - you will need to relocate the solenoid box (I made a simple bracket to mount it in front of the radiator - this also makes the box more accessible to plug in your winch), and you'll want to think about how you access the clutch lever (I cut out some of the plastic grid in the lower grille). I'll say my least favorite downside of the HWM is access and visibility into the spool, but that isn't the winch's fault, it is a tradeoff of keeping the stock bumper. When I had the HWM I used the 1.5" F55 hawse fairlead - it helps the fairlead clear the bumper - the one that comes with it isn't deep enough (you you could sandwich other spacers, but see prior comments about safety).

 

[kwelhand]

that's a great deal, do you mind sharing the site you ordered it from?

Amazon has them for $799.
WARN website rebate has $50 rebate form.

 

[kwelhand]

I think you'll be happy with it. I have the same winch on my 200 and it has been great. Two considerations - you will need to relocate the solenoid box (I made a simple bracket to mount it in front of the radiator - this also makes the box more accessible to plug in your winch), and you'll want to think about how you access the clutch lever (I cut out some of the plastic grid in the lower grille). I'll say my least favorite downside of the HWM is access and visibility into the spool, but that isn't the winch's fault, it is a tradeoff of keeping the stock bumper. When I had the HWM I used the 1.5" F55 hawse fairlead - it helps the fairlead clear the bumper - the one that comes with it isn't deep enough (you you could sandwich other spacers, but see prior comments about safety).

Excellent advice.
Any close up pictures to share?
Thanks in advance!

 

[CharlieS]

Excellent advice.
Any close up pictures to share?
Thanks in advance!

I've posted them on this site. I did a full write up with photos on the HWM install and posted pictures of the bracket.

Yet Another Hidden Winch Mount Install (2016 Land Cruiser)

Jump right to the bracket:

Yet Another Hidden Winch Mount Install (2016 Land Cruiser)

This has been posted before, but I thought I'd try to add to the collective. This is a Trail Tailor Hidden Winch Mount (HWM) for '16+ Land Cruiser. Trail Tailor calls this 2nd gen. I debated about which winch to use, and ended up getting a Warn VR Evo 12-S. Mostly for warranty, reputation...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[kwelhand]

I've posted them on this site. I did a full write up with photos on the HWM install and posted pictures of the bracket.

Yet Another Hidden Winch Mount Install (2016 Land Cruiser)

Jump right to the bracket:

Yet Another Hidden Winch Mount Install (2016 Land Cruiser)

This has been posted before, but I thought I'd try to add to the collective. This is a Trail Tailor Hidden Winch Mount (HWM) for '16+ Land Cruiser. Trail Tailor calls this 2nd gen. I debated about which winch to use, and ended up getting a Warn VR Evo 12-S. Mostly for warranty, reputation...

forum.ih8mud.com

Wow! I thought I searched all related thread about hidden winch installation… I was wrong.
Thanks for sharing… exactly what I was looking for!!

 

[TheGrrrrr]

Been very happy with my Smittybuilt X20 12k. I was feeling a little cheap buying it for my hidden winch mount, but I've been happy enough with it that it will be moving to the new Dissent bumper. That said, because I'm prone to youtube sponsor bias, if I were buying today, I'd probably grab an Apex Badlands and be done with it.

 

[Nooooooooob1]

I installed the Trail Tailor hidden mount with the Smittybilt X20 Gen 3 10k winch, but with a Factor55 fairlead.

It's absolutely awesome. First trip out with it, I pulled myself, 2 4runners and a Bronco out of a really crappy situation. 10/10!

X2O GEN3 Winches - Smittybilt

www.smittybilt.com