Stupid bumper , warn winch plate question

[bowtiejc]

I have a 2021 mojave. I installed the warn winch plate and mopar steel bumper and installed Badlands Apex 12k winch . My dumb question is , there isnt but about a 1/4 inch or so of clearance between the front of the winch plate and inside of the steel bumper . What ate you using to bolt fairlead to bumper and not be hitting winch plate . If any of that made sense .

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[A 2]

I think I understand your question. I had to find custom bolts that were long enough to go through all three . Don’t ask how I did it but I was able to slide a few fender washers between the bumper and winch plate. PITA. Hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[JRobes]

I think I understand your question. I had to find custom bolts that were long enough to go through all three . Don’t ask how I did it but I was able to slide a few fender washers between the bumper and winch plate. PITA. Hope this helps. Good luck.

Same here, longer bolts were needed.

 

[OHJeeper]

Lots of really good information here:

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/new-apex-12k-harbor-freight-winch-install.23358/

I will be tackling this exact same install in a few weeks when it warms up.

I also was able to source some 1/8" stainless plate from some scrap. These would be instead of the Poison Spyder plates that no one seems to have. Theirs are 3/16", but I'm hoping that 1/8" will suffice... This is to eliminate having to chop the switch on the winch that ends up touching the steel bumper

 

[cdyoung9799]

Same here, longer bolts were needed.

+1 for longer bolts.

 

[bowtiejc]

Cool . So put the longer bolts through the fairlead through bumper and winch plate ? Has anyone done this, looks like i couldnt get to the nuts to tighten them because the winch is there . Thanks for the suggestions

 

[cdyoung9799]

Cool . So put the longer bolts through the fairlead through bumper and winch plate ? Has anyone done this, looks like i couldnt get to the nuts to tighten them because the winch is there . Thanks for the suggestions

Yes. Luckily, I hadn't bolted my winch in yet, so I took it back out to tighten the bolts. You might have to do the same to get them torqued properly.

 

[WK2JT]

Someone on here was making bumper spacers (you’d have to search for it). They go between the bumper and frame horns to give you more space if that’s what you’re needing. I had the opposite issue with the JCR winch plate. I had to remove the lower grill lip to clear my badlands winch.

 

[cdyoung9799]

I bought the Mopar winch plate because it was the only one I could find in stock during the initial Covid lockdown. Pretty straightforward install, but I did have to use longer bolts installing the fairlead on my Smittybilt winch. Everything else lined up perfectly. The key is to keep the bolts loose until you've aligned everything, then tighten them.

 

[A 2]

I just remembered. I fed the bolts from the back and used black anodized acorn nuts.

 

[Geoarch]

I just remembered. I fed the bolts from the back and used black anodized acorn nuts.

Look like a great install. I had a Warn on my 73 CJ-5 in the 70s and 80s and never had problem.

 

[bowtiejc]

I just remembered. I fed the bolts from the back and used black anodized acorn nuts.

Ok , that is what I did wrong . I see that now. Thanks for your help

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