Question for experts - winch with Rubicon steel bumper

[ShadowsPapa]

Is this steel plate needed, necessary, helpful, whatever?
I have the Bulldog winch mount/plate and it comes with this thick, heavy steel plate that bolts to the front of the steel bumper.
I assume - between the bumper and the fairlead.
Do other winch mounting plates come with this?
Is it needed on the MOPAR bumper?
What's the reason since the winch is on a plate on the frame and doesn't contact the bumper in any way?

I'll have to get longer bolts to use the Badlands piece, this steel plate and the front plate mount I just bought that mounts behind the fairlead if I need this plate or if it's helpful or I should have it for a logical reason.

Maybe it's to keep the bumper from twisting if there's a crazy load on the winch line shoving hard on the fairlead?

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[ALT2870]

I ended up buying one from the dealer for like $20. It does cover holes that are left exposed. At the end of the day I'd say it's just for looks. Maybe Bulldog's is thicker to avoid patent infringement?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

It's pretty thick.........

 

[sarguy1941]

I run the aftermarket rubi bumper. I just drilled the plastic and mounted my badlands fairlead to the plastic and into the bumper. Did need a longer bolt but so far held up fine.

 

[Freems]

Your spot on, it’s not needed, zero load from the winch pull, even the badlands 2” fairlead is for looks (thickness). Even on an extreme side pull, virtually no stress on the fairlead.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Your spot on, it’s not needed, zero load from the winch pull, even the badlands 2” fairlead is for looks (thickness). Even on an extreme side pull, virtually no stress on the fairlead.

That's the sort of info I was looking for.............. is that plate necessary, or not.

But for me, that begs the question -
If not, why do they spend the resources making and including it with the winch plate??

If no one is using that plate - what is being done with those extra holes next to where the fairlead bolts to the Rubicon bumper?
Just put bolts in them and be done with it?

Of course, all of this means - I have to pull the bloody bumper back off - even just to put the license plate holder in place as you can't get to the fairlead nuts on the back of the bumper to remove it.

 

[Lost1wing]

Warn calls it a center trim plate.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Warn calls it a center trim plate.

Interesting - it doesn't bolt to the bumper - apparently the fairlead holds it in place??

Roughly 3/16" is a pretty danged heavy TRIM plate!

 

[Lost1wing]

Interesting - it doesn't bolt to the bumper - apparently the fairlead holds it in place??

Roughly 3/16" is a pretty danged heavy TRIM plate!

If I remember correctly, I had to purchase longer fairlead bolts. The bolts that came with it were too short.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

If I remember correctly, I had to purchase longer fairlead bolts. The bolts that came with it were too short.

That's my case, too. Without that plate, they'd work. With it, the bolts go into the nuts about 2/3 of the way. Adding a license plate holder would mean the bolts would barely go into the nuts, 1/2 way at best. Not a fan of that......

 

[D_JT]

Its to cover the holes in the bumper from the plastic trim. Folks will often modify the original plastic cover to be reused when installing a winch. I opted to use the plate provided by Barns 4wd. I had it powder costed in the same texture as the factory bumper.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Its to cover the holes in the bumper from the plastic trim. Folks will often modify the original plastic cover to be reused when installing a winch. I opted to use the plate provided by Barns 4wd. I had it powder costed in the same texture as the factory bumper.

It could be 1/3 that thickness and cover those holes. It's got to be heavy, thick, massive, for something than just to cover holes??!?!!?

 

[D_JT]

It could be 1/3 that thickness and cover those holes. It's got to be heavy, thick, massive, for something than just to cover holes??!?!!?

I think the one from barns is maybe 1/8"? I'd have to check.

 

[brsnow2585]

Warn winch plate, factory steel bumper, Badlands winch. I didn't need to get longer cap screws for the fairlead to trap the cover plate and the license plate bracket(for my state mandated auxiliary skid plate)

 

[Jaxmax]

I never liked the look of that plate on the Mopar bumper and assumed it was to fit offset winches. So put on the plate and have couple bolts showing. Your plate doesn’t touch the back of the bumper? My Mopar Performance Parts mid width bumper lined up tight against the Mopar winch plate, there were two washers welded to plate to make it fit in the bumped out area ,only two holes much more finished look, and the Fairlead, winch plate and bumper are all sandwiched together by the two 1/2” bolts, seems solid. Does only the Mopar plate line up tight with backside of bumper? Why would Mopar make two different bumpers using the same plate and not have them built the same way? So other plates don’t line up tight to the Mopar bumper? I wonder if the Mopar winch plate lines up tight to the back of your Mojave bumper? I wonder how the knockoff aluminum bumper not tight to winch plate would do on a hard sideways pull? Well I’m not an expert so I’ll just leave ya with more questions Bill, sorry…….Jack

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