Gonna be able to tackle the trails better with my new 12k lb. winch...

[MidnightRebel07]

Naasau, do you have pictures posted somewhere of your winch mounted?

Since tomorrow is supposed to be the last nice day for awhile and I don't have any runs at work (I drive truck locally) I'm going in to fuel up both trucks and unload the trailer I didn't have time to today and taking off early. I plan on fabricating some square steel tubing and angle iron into bumper brackets since the bumper is matched to the body lift. I made 1/4" steel plate brackets just to mount the bumper originally. Now with a winch I need to make it stronger and also make it so I can bolt/ unbolt the bumper.

 

[Sethybaby]

I looked at those winches today, and I have to say, they look pretty nice. A lot better than anything else I've seen there.

 

[boominXplorer]

I have the same 12k winch on my trailer and love it. I have dragged a few trucks on my trailer with flat tires or no rear tires and it did it with ease. I will say the cable is SOO thick that if you don't let it wind up perfect it likes to bind up in the last 15ft or so but its not that bad. I am very happy with it and paid $300 new on sale + $60 for the replacement plan. I will be getting one for my ranger once I get that on the road.

 

[corkey]

i found a used Warn winch on craigslist, it was about the same price,,

just an idea if you want brand name,,

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Took off work early today to try and get the winch installed but had a speed bump, the winch housings were too big for the tapered bumper on the front. I ended up cutting and fabricating two buldges for the winch's gear housings. I fabricated more brackets for the bumper to reinforce it some more since it's matched to the body lift.

I also clocked the winch and will make a write-up about it, it's pretty easy to do.

I still need to grind down the welds and paint the brackets and bumper. I left the bumper cover off for now because it's a ***** to remove it to install the winch and I still need to do some more work on the bumper. Hopefully tehe weather cooperates atleast alittle tomorrow morning so I can do some more work on it. I really need a garage, damn. lol.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Ok, all ground down and painted. Too cold for the paint but better than bare metal. Gonna have to wait for the winch install because of weather. I'll post more pictures and info as I go.

View attachment 275674

 

[01STrunner]

Nice work on the bumpouts. They look like they were there from the beginning with the paint on

 

[theluke19]

I agree! nice work! looks better, too!

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Dave, here's the dimensions you asked for. The 9k lb winch has the same dimensions.

 

[LONO100]

awesome. im planning on getting a winch that i can pull on and off of my hitch, and maybe doing a front hitch mount so i can just carry the winch in my bed and attach it when i get in a jam or need to pull someone/thing.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Just so you know this winch weigh's 92lbs.. I wouldn't wanna carry it around in the bed knocking around in the fiberglass bed, that and lugging it around to hook it into the receivers. You're gonna need to run heavy gauge battery wire to the rear as well.

At first I thought about getting a receiver mount to be able to do that but then I thought about all the extra stuff I'd have to do and changed my mind. Alot of times when you get stuck enough to need a winch you don't have the room in front or behind your bumpers to hook in a big ass winch, just saying.

 

[KJL]

I saw the BL winch in the mailer the other day but wasn't sure how well they worked, and if it was work the price... What is your guys opinion on them?

 

[MidnightRebel07]

From most of the reviews I've read online they work great. There are plenty of members on here and other forums that I've talked to that haven't had any issues with them. I'll get to finally mount my winch this weekend (weather kinda post-poned my plans last weekend. I'll post how good it works after I get it hooked up and go test it out a couple times.

 

[OffTrac]

Make sure to wind it very well when you get it. My buddy that I've been wheeling with got the same winch a couple months ago and when he pulled it out and rewound it initially, he thinks he didn't have enough resistance on it when he wound it. Created a mess when he used it on the trail. It was spooling on the inside and creating a mess but not pulling the wire in after it bunched up on the inner layers forcing the wire trying to be spooled getting pinched against the housing. Not necessarily a problem with the winch and more likely user error but just a heads up.

It did seem like the wire may have been a bit longer than it should have been, too, though and that may have contributed to it getting pinched against the housing/motor.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Yeah, I've been told that the thick steel wire needs to be wound up carefully and all in rows or it won't fit it the guides. That's pretty much the way it is with all winches though.

Where ya been?

 

[OffTrac]

Yeah, I was just tossing out the idea that the wire may be a bit longer than necessary/ideal. Wanted to see if you think so. It was hard for me to tell because he obviously had it wound really loose. I haven't talked to him since our last trip so I don't know how his turned out.

I've been around. Work, school and planning to build a house has kept me running 18 hour days. Haven't done anything to or with the ST. A little past due on an oil change, actually (but still well within the limits of synthetic).

 

[MidnightRebel07]

I haven't mounted mine yet, hopefully if the weather is nice enough I can get it installed tomorrow. If not then I am definetly doing it Saturday.

 

[Naasau]

x2 on the cable thing, I have a feeling that they reused the same spool as their 8000 lb model, but went with the thicker cable for the 12k rating, resulting in things being a bit tight in there on room. If it stays organized, it isn't much of an issue, but if you're always in a hurry I would say to pull that line off and go for a synthetic strap like rope instead.

And another x2 on most winches having that issue, some more than others... my father in law has an old warn 8274, (or whatever) and with 150 ft of 3/8 cable his spool has plenty of room for disorganization, which can be bad since he tends to get lazy. Anyway, I don't mind the close quarters cable thing too much, just means you have to take a bit of care when spooling it in after usage.

 

[LONO100]

well, the reason why i planned for a hitch mounted winch is that i dont want the winch attached to my truck all the time. i wanna be able to pull it off when im not on a camping or wheeling trip. not neccesarily in my neighborhood, but a lot of areas i visit there are a ton of thefts. its the reason why i havent been able to pull the trigger on some led lights, or even just aux lights in general. if i ever got my hitch mount set up id get an action packer to keep the winch in. its all still up in the air right now though, still need to finally finish my light project off before winter comes.

 

[KJL]

I read one of warns operators manuals that your supposed to spool out the cable to the last few wraps and anchor it then put the truck in neutral and then spool in letting the cable pull the truck to the last few feet.

All warns operators manuals are available on there website but I'm sure you can find manufacture specific stuff on their respective sites too.