Looking for input on an idea for a front receiver hitch for a winch.

[EddyArnold]

EXACTLY! Yes cut about like that , you lose a bolt but after painting the cut piece and putting it back on the hitch frame it rests against the hitch frame edge locking it in solid.....Jack

Thanks!

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[FrankFrqnkFrank]

Would that really have good enough contact to power the apex winch from the rear hitch?

I don’t have it yet. But I will report out when I get it all set up.

 

[dcmdon]

Would that really have good enough contact to power the apex winch from the rear hitch?

Yes it will. Remember that resistance is a function of both cross sectional area and distance. So while the cross sectional area of the contact point with large alligator clips is small, so is the distance before it gets to something with a much larger cross sectional area.

That is why you can jump start a car.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Yes it will. Remember that resistance is a function of both cross sectional area and distance. So while the cross sectional area of the contact point with large alligator clips is small, so is the distance before it gets to something with a much larger cross sectional area.

That is why you can jump start a car. Jumping another car draws about 2x as much current as running a 12 hp winch.

twice as much? A full load starter will be about 250 amps - up to 150 no load (I do starter testing) of course that depends on the engine. A V6 should max out at 250.
I see winches pulling over 300.
If you are pulling twice as much jump starting a car as running a winch you need me to restore that starter.

Here is one site's "estimate" or rough numbers on starters ->

Here's one winch chart -

So cranking a V6 might draw 150-175 amps and you exceed that with your winch pulling only 4,000 pounds.

Like I said - you'd better not be pulling twice as much when Jumping a 3.6 or similar or your starter is shot. I've got a smaller cable going to my 4.0 starter than I have on my winch.

 

[dcmdon]

You are right. I wrote that without going back and checking my math earlier in this thread. I will fix or delete my more recent post.

There my estimates were based on about a 350 amp draw.

My estimate was that a starter drew about 300 amps. So they are similar. Either way, I've never had a problem with a good set of clamps on a set of heavy duty cables drawing enough power to start a car. As long as you seat the teeth well into the soft terminals.

 

[Jmospider]

I have a Curt on mine now.
When I had the "plastic bumper" I had the Draw-tite. Then I moved to the steel bumper and winch plate and found the different construction of the Draw-Tite would not allow the winch plate to attach to the frame. It wanted the same space and same holes.
The curt worked with my winch plate - with a couple of mods to the winch plate brackets.
Both are fine receivers, IMO - just that with the different way they are designed or engineered, the mounting was different and the "beam" (can't think of the correct word now) sits differently on each.
I have a Draw-Tite I'd sell cheap (shipping would be the killer) sitting in a box ready to go. Can't call it new because it was mounted and I did file one of the mounting areas a bit to try to make it work with my cheap winch plate but structurally and strength-wise it's fine. It's only cosmetic.
Otherwise it sits in my garage sort of in the way. It's the one I took off my truck when I found it wouldn't clear my cheap winch plate.

Do you know if the Draw-Tite or the Curt will work with a Rubicon? From what I can tell from their websites the Curt may not. I couldn’t tell from the draw-tite website. I imagine in either case I’d have to ditch the rock guard unless it uses separate bolts/holes and I could cut out an opening for the reciever? I have messages in to both companies but not optimistic about getting a response.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Do you know if the Draw-Tite or the Curt will work with a Rubicon? From what I can tell from their websites the Curt may not. I couldn’t tell from the draw-tite website. I imagine in either case I’d have to ditch the rock guard unless it uses separate bolts/holes and I could cut out an opening for the reciever? I have messages in to both companies but not optimistic about getting a response.

Is your concern the sway bar disconnect motor?
I've had both on my Overland. When I switched to the Rubicon style steel bumper the only real reason I had to change from one to the other was clearance for the brackets that hold the winch plate that came with my bumper (eBay purchase)
I have the Curt on it now as it allowed the winch plate brackets to clear things.
The Draw-Tite was fine but the way it mounted to the frame stopped me from mounting the winch plate brackets my "cheap" Rubicon-style bumper has.
I was able to modify the lower skid plate brackets to work with the Curt as well - Dremels come in handy for that.
I also cut an opening to go around the receiver in the steel skid plate.
I have pictures of everything in the house - I'm in my shop now waiting for some stuff to warm up but the pictures may help you decide which if either will fit or clear.
I've not thought of the sway bar disconnect but I've read somewhere it can actually be repositioned up higher, above instead of below, if that makes sense.

 

[dcmdon]

Its interesting. On etrailer.com, they now say "excluding Rubicon and Mojave" on each of the front mount receivers.

I suspect because you will need to cut the front skid plates.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

 

[EddyArnold]

I'm installing the Curt on a Rubicon right now... (I am not a skilled mechanic) The receiver is in and not touching the sway bar disconnect (I need to test disconnecting), the bottom skid brackets are cut and look good, and working on cutting the skid plate, that sucker is thicker than I expected! (Cutting it is not looking great, but it will do). I'm still trying to decide what to do for wiring

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I'm installing the Curt on a Rubicon right now... (I am not a skilled mechanic) The receiver is in and not touching the sway bar disconnect (I need to test disconnecting), the bottom skid brackets are cut and look good, and working on cutting the skid plate, that sucker is thicker than I expected! (Cutting it is not looking great, but it will do). I'm still trying to decide what to do for wiring

Oh, heck. It's not even CLOSE to the disconnect. And it won't be as all it does is slide a sleeve inside to let each end rotate independently inside that case.
Yeah, you did similar to what I did on the skid plate brackets.

 

[dcmdon]

If I remember correctly, the rubicon skid plate is the same as the Mojave other than the color.

I need to look back through this thread to see if any Mojave owners had issues with the remote shock reservoirs.

 

[Jaxmax]

Don, Mojave and Rubicon plastic front bumper skid plates are the same, but the Rubicon metal front bumper skid plate is different. Shock reservoirs were not an issue other then minor modification. Doing good Eddy!

 

[dcmdon]

Don, Mojave and Rubicon plastic front bumper skid plates are the same, but the Rubicon metal front bumper skid plate is different. Shock reservoirs were not an issue other then minor modification. Doing good Eddy!

Thanks!!

 

[Jmospider]

I'm installing the Curt on a Rubicon right now... (I am not a skilled mechanic) The receiver is in and not touching the sway bar disconnect (I need to test disconnecting), the bottom skid brackets are cut and look good, and working on cutting the skid plate, that sucker is thicker than I expected! (Cutting it is not looking great, but it will do). I'm still trying to decide what to do for wiring

Did you have to do any modifications outside of cutting an opening in the skid plate to install the hitch receiver? I was told that the bolts for the Curt hitch receiver mount to the same pre threaded hole as the skid plate. Im trying to decide if I can installed myself or should bring it somewhere. If the solution involves welding or cutting outside of the skid plate I’ll probably bring somewhere. Thanks!

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