Rubicon steel bumper ‘winch ready”?

[Zachanadandy]

The guys on the Wrangler side have measured and the thing is more narrow, by inches.
I should have bookmarked those pages........



Yes, the factory-installed Jeep Warn winch is significantly narrower than the standard aftermarket Warn Zeon winch. The factory model is a custom design with a shorter winch drum that holds less rope, allowing it to fit the dimensions of the factory steel bumper and frame rails.

Key differences in width

• Shorter drum: The center section of the factory Warn winch is about 2.25 to 2.5 inches shorter in length compared to the standard Zeon. This was done to provide clearance for the frame rails and potentially for weight savings.
• Reduced rope capacity: The narrower drum of the factory winch holds less synthetic rope—90 feet, compared to the standard 100 feet on the aftermarket Zeon 8-S or 10-S.
• Different fairlead: The factory winch uses a narrower fairlead to match the shorter drum. If you were to replace the factory winch with an aftermarket Zeon, you would need to use a wider fairlead to prevent the line from bunching up on the shorter drum.

Which all seems absurd because thousands of Jeeps with the Mopar steel bumper run every aftermarket winch imaginable including warn 10k and 12k winches. Why they felt they needed it to be smaller and hold less rope I don't know. Why you'd run an 8k winch on a heavy modem rig is also questionable to me. We run a 10k on the JLUR in the stock Mopar bumper. I run a 13.5k on the JT. The 8k will likely work with a snatch block or 2 in REALLY stuck situations, but I'd rather be able to do a single line pull most times especially in deep mud or snow where the walking back and forth is unpleasant.

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[ShadowsPapa]

Which all seems absurd because thousands of Jeeps with the Mopar steel bumper run every aftermarket winch imaginable including warn 10k and 12k winches. Why they felt they needed it to be smaller and hold less rope I don't know. Why you'd run an 8k winch on a heavy modem rig is also questionable to me. We run a 10k on the JLUR in the stock Mopar bumper. I run a 13.5k on the JT. The 8k will likely work with a snatch block or 2 in REALLY stuck situations, but I'd rather be able to do a single line pull most times especially in deep mud or snow where the walking back and forth is unpleasant.

Yeah, the Warn standard size, heck even the huge massive Badland Apex works in there (although JUST)
BTW - when I was researching all of the differences, a fellow on the Wrangler side who works for Warn said the Warn 8 is a 9,000 pound winch, it passed all tests to qualify it, but Warn called it 8 to leave some wiggle room for the 10, but people should rest assured it will indeed handle 9K pounds with ease.

There's some talk from Jeep that it's for weight savings, and crash testing - that bit up front, the crush cans and all, among other things.

 

[Zachanadandy]

Yeah, the Warn standard size, heck even the huge massive Badland Apex works in there (although JUST)
BTW - when I was researching all of the differences, a fellow on the Wrangler side who works for Warn said the Warn 8 is a 9,000 pound winch, it passed all tests to qualify it, but Warn called it 8 to leave some wiggle room for the 10, but people should rest assured it will indeed handle 9K pounds with ease.

There's some talk from Jeep that it's for weight savings, and crash testing - that bit up front, the crush cans and all, among other things.

I could see the crash testing and what not in a stock Jeep...I never own one of those for long. What's crash testing on a JLUR with 3.5" of lift, 39s, full skids, etc look like? I hope I never find out. What about a Mojave on 37s with aftermarket steel bumper, winch, etc? Again, hope to never answer that question.

 

[Jaxmax]

I think the biggest question is not the winch but the bumper coming on the X models is it different sounds like a couple of the guys are trying to get the fair lead to fit but because of the recessed design they have to made the slot larger . My short drum fairlead is the same outside dimensions as a standard one just a narrower slot…..Jack

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I think the biggest question is not the winch but the bumper coming on the X models is it different sounds like a couple of the guys are trying to get the fair lead to fit but because of the recessed design they have to made the slot larger . My short drum fairlead is the same outside dimensions as a standard one just a narrower slot…..Jack

I would love a fairlead just like the MOPAR version, but for the standard (if there is one) width winch drum.

 

[Jaxmax]

Benny confirmed that since 2024 there are two part numbers for the center section of Mopar steel winch bumper, so gives some merit to the two different cutouts in bumper one being for the smaller spool winch of the X models….Jack

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Benny confirmed that since 2024 there are two part numbers for the center section of Mopar steel winch bumper, so gives some merit to the two different cutouts in bumper one being for the smaller spool winch of the X models….Jack

Yeah, the other center section has a very different looking cutout for the winch line. It's more narrow with "slots" at either end of the slot for the rope.
Without the winch installed the center section is the normal one.

 

[Bennett]

Did we learn anything about this situation? I have a 25 Mojave X that I am putting the Badland 12 on. I would love to use the MOPAR fairlead because I much prefer the look over the Badland fairlead. I also have a 1” factor 55 fairlead on hand.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Did we learn anything about this situation? I have a 25 Mojave X that I am putting the Badland 12 on. I would love to use the MOPAR fairlead because I much prefer the look over the Badland fairlead. I also have a 1” factor 55 fairlead on hand.

Be careful - the Jeep fairlead is likely for the Jeep narrow spool winches that come with them.

Check the length of the opening left to right. The factory Jeep winch doesn't have as wide a spool. They have less rope on them compared to those not sold through Jeep.


I'd love to use that on mine, too - but want to measure one first.

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