Questioning my life choices .... (not really I'm a doer not a thinker)

[Brad.Clarkston]

So I picked up the Badlands Apex 12k winch last sidewalk sale, and just got around to taking it out of the box (I know I know) to install it.

I ran and got the HF 'universal' wench plate today yanked off the bumper took the plate out of the box and just stood there for a few minutes ... There's no wold in which that plate will fit on a Gladiator, fork me. Looks like it's made to sit on top of the bumper frame which a Glad'y does not have.

Returning it isn't an issue and I'm going to keep the wench itself but now I need a plate.
Thinking about the Rock Hard 4x4 plate at least I know that will fit a Gladiator no idea about fitting the winch but there rock sliders are the bomb.

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[Brad.Clarkston]

I e-mailed RockHard's sales account and they say it will fit fine as it's specific to the Glad'y and lots of people have mounted it with the Apex. I went ahead and ordered it.

No idea why I thought the Badlands Universal Plate would work on a very unique vehicle.

As my wife likes to say about me and my puppy "your doers never thinkers".

 

[46flattie]

I used the LOD winch plate for a “plastic bumper install” with the badlands apex 12000 winch. Worked great. Good luck with your install. I was impressed with the winch kit, very complete and well set up.

the only thing I didn’t care for was the mounting system….square nut in a slot on the mounting feet, but I guess it works. Threaded boss would have been much nicer.

 

[BlueScapegoat]

Do you have the Mopar steel bumper option?

I mounted that winch to my bumper using the Rock Hard kit. Two things I had to do, if I recall. I had to chop the winch clutch engagement handle (whatever you call it) in half for clearance. And I had to slightly shim the back of the winch (the side closer to the grille) to give it a slight forward tilt with a couple washers to clear the grille.

It was a tight fit but it looked good and it was functional.

::edit::
and a third thing, I routed the wiring out the side of the control box on top of the winch, also for grille clearance

Also, wench:

winch:

 

[Brad.Clarkston]

Do you have the Mopar steel bumper option?

I mounted that winch to my bumper using the Rock Hard kit. Two things I had to do, if I recall. I had to chop the winch clutch engagement handle (whatever you call it) in half for clearance. And I had to slightly shim the back of the winch (the side closer to the grille) to give it a slight forward tilt with a couple washers to clear the grille.

It was a tight fit but it looked good and it was functional.

::edit::
and a third thing, I routed the wiring out the side of the control box on top of the winch, also for grille clearance

Yep I have the steel Mopar bumper. I've already modded the Apex, cut the clutch handle and I moved the power cable to the side so that it doesn't stick out and push the winch forward. I also managed to remember to take the wings off the bumper before I pulled it off.

Funny I did all of that but didn't think about the stupid plate at all. The Badlands plate doesn't even come with hardware your supposed to buy your own A5 screws/washers/nuts separately. I've used the winch on a different truck and it works well but that plate, dear lord - bless it's little heart.

 

[GrubbyBaja]

I just installed the Badlands Apex on my 2020 JTR w/OEM steel bumper last weekend. I was looking at the Rock Hard winch plate but ended up going with the Grimm. It was a few $$ more than the RH, but no issues with the install. The winch engage handle just clears the bumper without trimming and was able to slide the winch forward enough to allow cable routing out the back of the controller. Good luck with the install. BTW, my front bumper dropped ~3/8" with the additional weight...now to install a leveling kit (which it needed anyway).

 

[Brad.Clarkston]

I just installed the Badlands Apex on my 2020 JTR w/OEM steel bumper last weekend. I was looking at the Rock Hard winch plate but ended up going with the Grimm. It was a few $$ more than the RH, but no issues with the install. The winch engage handle just clears the bumper without trimming and was able to slide the winch forward enough to allow cable routing out the back of the controller. Good luck with the install. BTW, my front bumper dropped ~3/8" with the additional weight...now to install a leveling kit (which it needed anyway).

I've got that covered I haven't told the wife about the weight sag so after I get it on and take it for a spin I'm going to have a "panic attack" - "O my god it drives so bad it's going to buckle the frame!!!" I'll need that 2" lift kit to fix it.

 

[Rusty PW]

I used the LOD winch plate for a “plastic bumper install” with the badlands apex 12000 winch. Worked great. Good luck with your install. I was impressed with the winch kit, very complete and well set up.

the only thing I didn’t care for was the mounting system….square nut in a slot on the mounting feet, but I guess it works. Threaded boss would have been much nicer.

I used the LoD winch plate with my LoD shorty bumper.

I have the same opinion as you on the winch mounting system.

 

[Brad.Clarkston]

Holy snot, I ordered that plate on Wednesday and got it today at noon.

St. Paul to Kansas City, that's pretty fast.

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