Winch finally installed

[wood1]

My lovely wife bought me a winch 4 years ago and we have been dragging it around ever since. I wanted to get a proper winch plate, then was going to make one, you know how that goes. So, my buddy is a Rough Country dealer and sells me stuff for cost, I used to work for him about 10 years ago. Great guy. He knows me too well so he sent me a winch plate. It's for a YJ, whatever that is... He actually won a new JK thingy all hopped up a while back. He is such a nice guy that when he won the new one he gave his parts guy his built Jeep thingy, long arm kit, electric selectables, winch, 36's, RCV's, doubler etc etc etc. anyway, I'm off on a tangent.

I cut a bit out of the back (it is curved up in the back about an inch) then heated the hell out of it and bent the ends down in a vice. Had to heat one end a second time and pound it with a BFH to get it to fit just right... luckily I have access to a torch.

I have a nice bumper already so I wanted to make sure the winch will work with it once I cut a bit out of the top of the bumper. l have to snip off the ends of the plate hanging down past the frame snouts because the bumper will hit them otherwise.

I cut the grill out to fit, sprayed a bit of black rust paint around, loomed all the wires including the battery blanket and block heater wires. I haven't tried to yank anything yet but I did test it.

No welding, just 9/16 grade 8 bolts.

 

[Sedition]

Nice winch. I hope to install one of these someday.

 

[wood1]

I can definitely feel the extra weight on the nose while driving. Can't wait to winch something... might drag my buddy's minivan out of his driveway into the street for kicks...

 

[wood1]

mo pics

And a pic of the floppy-eared fool...

 

[iwonajeep]

Nice stuff, wondering if that winch has a wireless Remote? Also tell us more about that jerk you used to work for.....he won a free what??. lol

 

[wood1]

Ha ha... hey buddy, what would your Jeep-thingy friends say if they knew you were on here?

No wireless remote, there is a plug on the right rear of the relay box.

I looked on that fooze book thing you mentioned but all I saw were some pics of an old jeep. There was a wall, and people seemed to like the Peck Auto Performance place but there wasn't anything there?!

It's all very confusing... I'll post a pic of your new SUV.

 

[Noober1]

And a pic of the floppy-eared fool...

Love the dog!

 

[wood1]

Field Spaniel, so said the vet anyhow. Long haired until spring when the clippers come out. She is a great dog, high energy but as long as she gets a daily run she's fine.

 

[wood1]

Update. Bumper now re-installed. I made the brackets from some scrap 1/4. Got my buddy to weld the brackets into the bumper a couple nights ago. He has a really nice welder and knows how to use it. I've had the bumper for a few years and always had this in mind. Just took a while... the paint job was a bit of an after thought. I did wack the rust paint to the inside especially where I hit it with the grinder to prepare for welding. One thing I will say, if you do metal work and don't have a step drill bit you are missing out.

 

[Suicide77]

Hell yeah! That thing looks GREAT!!!

 

[wood1]

Thanks! I really like it a lot. I guess I should install the springs and shackles now huh...

 

[iwonajeep]

Solid axle swap....?

 

[wood1]

Sure dude, send me that D44 from your old Jeep, I'll stick it in.

Did you do a thread for the on board air in the JK? I like the idea of air at all 4 corners.

Want to go golfing in July again? If I do come home maybe I will get gears and an electric selectable for the D35. You wouldn't have a LS for a Jeep D35 kicking around would you? Might be an option.

 

[Naasau]

That Sir, Looks amazing. But we've got to get you your own welder. It is just too handy of a tool not to have one.

As for lockers, I vote worm-gear limited slip for the D35, that's my plan. My wife's Rubicon(TJ) has one tucked inside her air locker for the rear axle, and it is so friggin' useful on icy roads and even offroad that we almost never get to use the lockers legitimately. Not that we don't use them anyway... *cough*

 

[wood1]

Is the worm gear LS Detroit? Seems to me I looked it before. If it's cheaper than a selectable maybe, but I love the idea of hitting a switch and locking it...

And thanks for the compliment. I really like it.

 

[Naasau]

I agree that the hit-a-switch idea is damned satisfying, but I've found that I tend to do it late, after I've already gotten myself into trouble. Which is why I decided that the Beast was probably going to get twin worm gear LS's (I think that they are Detroit's), that way, they'll be working to keep me from getting into trouble, not just digging me out of it. Besides, if I get so screwed that the two LS's aren't enough, for the cost, I'd rather depend on the winch than lockers.

But that's just my .02

 

[wood1]

Thanks for the opinion, I appreciate it. I will let you know if I take the plunge... hmmm... maybe I need to do some more OT to pay for some toys...

 

[Naasau]

maybe I need to do some more OT to pay for some toys...

We all do, my friend.

 

[iwonajeep]

Its a Detriot True Trac, we install quite a few of tes to replace worn out factory LSD's. They are a great "limithe slip" but are not ideal for off road because they are a limited SLip. Selectable or detroit, lunch are cheaper but have undesirable driveability issues.

 

[wood1]

Yeah, the constant clunking/ratcheting is annoying...

Check out the new avatar... maybe I need to get out a bit more.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=360927