Bumper with quick attach winch?

[dcmdon]

Hi all,

I live up in New England where salt is used heavily from November though April. It destroys things like winches.

In my perfect world there would be a way to quickly remove a winch when I was doing my 90% of the time normal driving. Does anyone make anything like this?

I've done some research and you can buy front hitch receiver mounts for the front and then use a receiver mount for the winch. But the receiver looks goofy and greatly reduces approach angle.

Again, in my perfect world, the winch would mount on top of the bumper.

Any thoughts?

Please don't tell me to just leave the winch on full time. I've spoken to a few Jeep folks in NH and they all thought it would be a great idea. They've told me of winches corroded and not working when they needed them or simply replacing a $1500 winch every few years.

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[sdk131]

Well I went down this same path and sort of gave up. The closest I got was the link below, and I was planning to just take the 30 minutes or so to install the plate before each wheeling trip.

https://www.rockhard4x4.com/product_p/rh-90205.htm


I was looking for aftermarket front bumpers that had an integrated receiver hitch so that I could use one of the removable winch plates directly into the bumper. There were only a small number of options out there, and some of them still included the large "cutout" for a permanent winch install. It also started to really stretch my budget if it was going to be a $600+ bumper just to install a winch. I decided to go with the front receiver hitch (actually just installed it yesterday), and while it does remove a very small amount of approach angle I can't see it every causing me a problem as I am not a rock crawler. If I find that it is hitting (without the winch mounted) I may add one of those little angled hitch skid plates. I sort of view it as providing me a little early warnign that I am getting close to hitting other critical steering components underneath. I also really like the ability to use the winch in the rear as well. For the wheeling I do, I could actually see the need to pull myself backwards out of a situation I got into as more likely than the need for a front mount.

 

[IamAlan]

Hi all,

I live up in New England where salt is used heavily from November though April. It destroys things like winches.

In my perfect world there would be a way to quickly remove a winch when I was doing my 90% of the time normal driving. Does anyone make anything like this?

I've done some research and you can buy front hitch receiver mounts for the front and then use a receiver mount for the winch. But the receiver looks goofy and greatly reduces approach angle.

Again, in my perfect world, the winch would mount on top of the bumper.

Any thoughts?

Please don't tell me to just leave the winch on full time. I've spoken to a few Jeep folks in NH and they all thought it would be a great idea. They've told me of winches corroded and not working when they needed them or simply replacing a $1500 winch every few years.

I carry one of these. It's not sexy but if I ever get in trouble, it'll more than do the job.

https://www.wyeth-scott.com/index.php

 

[whiteglad]

I have the Wyeth-Scott hand winch. I also have a front hitch, which hides behind the plastic front air dam with only the snout sticking out. Harbor Freight makes a mounting plate with hitch insert for a winch, which I also have if I decide to carry my electric winch along. Out here, trees are in short supply so winches are of limited utility.

 

[mojaveron]

I use a Receiver Winch Mount it alows me to use the winch on the front of my car trailer, the front and back of my Dodge Ram and I plan to install a front mount hitch on the gladiator.

 

[ACAD_Cowboy]

The receiver winches are limited to hitch strength. Also the baskets will severely limit approach angle.

But if you need a winch for utility and not some balls out jeeping and recovery they work just fine as long as you are okay with ~5000lb of forces.

 

[dcmdon]

Thank you all for your input. So nothing really exists that is what I was describing, but the front mount receiver looks better than I thought it would. Its tucked up higher.

 

[sdk131]

Thank you all for your input. So nothing really exists that is what I was describing, but the front mount receiver looks better than I thought it would. Its tucked up higher.

Right...if you want "quick attach" I have not come across anything better than that Rock Hard 4x4 plate above...and they really don't market it as "quick" attach but after the initial bracket install it would not take too long to put it on/take it off. Here is one more side shot of the draw tite front mount hitch incase it helps. I just don't do any wheeling that would have this limiting me in any way...but to each their own.

 

[ACAD_Cowboy]

What you "need" in an andersen connector and a variant of what the germans call an anbauplattenheit.

In short two vee shaped pockets go on the front of the vehicle and on the winch you would have a corresponding vee shaped claw. The shape provides centering and support and some bolts to hold it on and bingo bango, a removable structural component.

https://www.benzworld.org/threads/sbu-bauplate.1461081/

To help get the juices flowing.

My thoughts on the matter are you could make a "schmidt plate" that lays on/over the bumper and grabs the tow hooks and has some tie backs to hold it on place along the frame underneth. just about any/all/most tractor supply folks can set you up with the claws and pockets or a variation there of.

This is of course if you feel like going that way.

 

[whiteglad]

Another advantage to the front receiver hitch is that you can make an insert that will accept the Hi-Lift jack to lift the front end (or the rear, with the stock hitch).

 

[rharr]

This is my setup on the xj, which has a 8" lift so approach angel is not a issue.

I suggest you buy a aftermarket bumper, unfinished take it to a fab shop and have them cut and weld in a receiver, and do some bracing. FYI you can buy receiver stock by the foot at lots of metal supply places like industrial metal supply co.

Alternatively call up some bumper places and see if they can do a custom side order. It's not a very hard job for someone with a plasma cutter and welder.

This a receiver tube welded into a 3x6x1/4 tube bumper with about 2" sticking out the back where I push my pin through.

If you can do a hidden pin style aka pin back of bumper then the winch won't stick as far out. You may have to a little customizing of your winch carrier to get it all to work.

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