Wtb: winch bumper or plate

[Abrooks]

Looking for a solution to get a winch on a IIa -- outside of the RN solution or a custom one from Ike, what are the options? Are any of the more generic winch plates a reasonable starting point?
Thanks

[Bud]

Depends on the winch.

Superwinch Husky, Ramsey worm, common planetary, capstan variants, koenig crank, koenig pto, turner crank, hydraulic variants, 8274 style, the options are numerous

[loose gravel]

I think the Warn 8274 needs a welded on plate. I got my raised eyebrow bumper from Doug Shipman in Portland, OR. He also makes stock ones.

[galen216]

I used a Warn mount that fits the bolt pattern of the bumper. I've used this on 2 different Series trucks and it works great. I believe Warn makes a foot down version of this mount as well.



https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Contractor]

I used a Warn Plate for mine…..I think it’s exactly like Galen’s.

[LR Max]

I always heard you could simply weld two pieces of 2" angle iron between the frame rails and mount a winch to that.

Or go ARB bumper.

Uwharrie8 by Max Thomason, on Flickr

[xplorUtah]

I used a Warn mount that fits the bolt pattern of the bumper. I've used this on 2 different Series trucks and it works great. I believe Warn makes a foot down version of this mount as well.



https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So to clarify, I have been meaning to ask, you simply use the bolt locations where the bumper mounts to the frame? Thanks! Drew

[loose gravel]

There is a couple of things to consider when mounting a winch and that may influence which one to purchase. The weight of the vehicle when loaded will be more of an issue when stuck and that depends on a lot of factors, mud/sand/incline to name a few. My point is my 4000# 109 could easily give the resistance of twice that under the right circumstances.
I like the 8274 because the bolts mounting it to the bumper plate are in compression, some winches mount with the bolts vertical, like the bumper to frame, and these are in shear. You should make sure the bolts shear strength are equal to or exceed the pulling power of your winch.

[leafsprung]

It sounds like you are on a budget - the cheapest way would be to build your own or buy a used one off craigslist etc and modify it - make sure its tied to the frame and not just the thin stock bumper. The more you can recess it between the frame rails the better.

[galen216]

So to clarify, I have been meaning to ask, you simply use the bolt locations where the bumper mounts to the frame? Thanks! Drew

Yes, I put in longer bolts to compensate for the thickness of the plate, then I drill holes in the bumper for the other 2 holes.

[kellen302]

For a DIY or when looking at other options, there are a couple basic tips to keep your winch in one piece for conventional inline planetary winches. This is most of what you will see, an example would be a Warn Zeon or M8000. The M8274 is a bit of a special case because it is a spur gear winch and creates different internal loads.
1. A single flat surface that the winch is bolted to, not bridging across multiple plates or angle iron strips
2. 1/4" minimum steel for this plate, the winch is trying to twist itself under load so this plate has to be able to withstand that
3. Mounting holes should be only slightly larger than the bolts, definitley not slotted
4. Fairlead opening centerline should be centered on where the last layer of rope is on the drum (ie when you have the most rope pulled out and the load is highest.
5. Try to keep things centered vertically on the frame if possible, this will dramatically ease the loading on your mount and frame.

There are several "universal" Warn mounting plates and all are perfectly fine to use, they just tend to be a bit ugly and overpriced in my opinion.
The strongest way to mount a conventional inline winch is actually "feet forward" as done on ARB bumpers and some others, however this can be a bit tough to manage in many cases, and fairlead mounting gets complicated as it has to be offset from the mounting bolts for the winch feet.

For the 8274, using the Warn mounting plate is fine, but it is not super stout particularly with the new 8274's rated to 10k. It also puts your mounting bolts/frame in a little bit of a weird loading case.


I was an engineer at Warn doing just about all of the truck bumpers for the past 3 years and I use one of Ike's bumpers. It has been great so far, a bit tight on clearance to the grille but that could also be from a previous owner's replacement of the front frame section on my truck.
Here's the shot they ended up using in the current catalog for the new 8274 version for a bit of shameless self promotion.

[Contractor]

So to clarify, I have been meaning to ask, you simply use the bolt locations where the bumper mounts to the frame? Thanks! Drew

Here’s a picture of one side.

[kellen302]

I forgot to add up above, think about where you want to add recovery points as well. I really like using the optional lift/tow eyes that Land Rover used because you can run a hook directly to them without having to add another shackle, or you can use a soft shackle in them to connect a strap with no hassle at all.
And if you do go for conventional D shackle points, DON'T LEAVE SHACKLES IN THEM. They rattle, they rust, they fall off, they get swiped in parking lots, they will smash someone's windshield or kill them on the highway.

They should live in a gear bag in your truck next to the gloves and damper you use anytime a winch is involved. Don't just crank them down tight, finger tight and back off a 1/4 turn when using them otherwise they bind and get stuck after you load them.

[LC Rover]

Had a local Fab shop bend 3/8 steel plate for me

[galen216]

I forgot to add up above, think about where you want to add recovery points as well. I really like using the optional lift/tow eyes that Land Rover used because you can run a hook directly to them without having to add another shackle, or you can use a soft shackle in them to connect a strap with no hassle at all.
And if you do go for conventional D shackle points, DON'T LEAVE SHACKLES IN THEM. They rattle, they rust, they fall off, they get swiped in parking lots, they will smash someone's windshield or kill them on the highway.

They should live in a gear bag in your truck next to the gloves and damper you use anytime a winch is involved. Don't just crank them down tight, finger tight and back off a 1/4 turn when using them otherwise they bind and get stuck after you load them.

It drives me nuts seeing all the "overlanders" around town that have shackles mounted all over their cars in every day use. Same for Hi-Lifts.

I agree 100% about the Dixon-Bates. Had that on my first truck. I need to remount those on my current one, but with the brackets for flat-towing it get to be too much on the front.