Winch install

[alex dougherty]

After i did my body lift i noticed a bit of room on the inside of the front bumper and i decided to fit a 12,000pd winch inside there. Unfortunately i didn't take any pictures while putting it in otherwise i would make a project of it.



I had to make a plate that would bolt into where the tow hooks went. I bought a 3/16 thick 1x2 ft steel plate and cut it down roughly to 7inch x 2ft. I had to relocate the transmission cooler since the hose was in the way of the plate. Making the plate and drilling the holes was the easy part...the hard part now was to get the winch to fit. I had to cut away a bunch of metal from the front bumper brackets and front bumper. I removed about three to four pounds of metal. I cut a hole in the metal bumper and the plastic bumper cover so i can get my hand in there to remove the clutch when needed.

Ill post a couple pictures in a little bit to show how it looks like in there

 

[Yardsale]

Those bumpers aren't rated for much to begin with; now there is less protection.



Hopefully you won't need the bumper, but if you're in an accident and, upon inspection, your insurance company (assuming you have insurance) sees the bumper brackets. They will most likely deny coverage.



You're going to need tow hooks to make good use of that winch.

 

[alex dougherty]

So far i haven't had any trouble with it. I had to tow my friends 4500 pd minivan out of a mud hole with no problems.

I cut around the bumper bolt holes so there should be no issue there with the insurance company but it shouldn't matter since i only have liability not full coverage.

 

[H D]

Cool. Looking forward to the pictures.

 

[alex dougherty]

I completly forgot how to post pictures up on the thread:banghead: but i posted them in my library.

 

[Jerry Gerner 2]

Did you check out the "Hidden Winch" thread in the projects section before doing this? Looking forward to seeing the pictures.

 

[alex dougherty]

Jerry- I did not see that thread. That wouldve helped with some confusing parts but there were acouple things that we did differrently.

1. instead of drilling holes in the plate for the transmission cooler lines i just relocated the cooler to the other side of the radiator by leghtening the lines.

2. instead of buying a plate i made a plate so i had to make brackets for the fairlead to mount on.

3. i bought a bigger winch (12,000 pd which weighs roughly 90 pds) and because of that i had to remove a bit of metal around the bumper brackets and the bumper itself to make it fit.

4. my clutch engauger is not moveable so i had to cut a section of the bumper and bumper cover to be able to get my hand in there to engage and disengage it when needed.

and 5. i have a wireless remote for mine so i didnt have to mount the control switch anywhere. mine came with both a wired and wireless control. The wired control plug in is right next to the clutch so i will be able to plug it in through the same hole if needed. And the pics are in my library under the folder " Sport trac July 2014"