Winch Mount

[appx91]

I was wanting to know if anyone knew a way to mount a winch on a 1997 Limited Explorer. Any ideas just let me know. Need opinions ASAP.

 

[Blee1099]

You have a couple of choices.. You can get a Trans4mer winch/grille guard or a front mounted receiver.. You can also do what Jasonb did to mount a winch however from what I understand, its a pain in the ass to turn the levers.

 

[appx91]

Are u sure they still make the trans4mer for a Limited? Different bumper on a limited.

 

[Blee1099]

Are u sure they still make the trans4mer for a Limited? Different bumper on a limited.

whoops.. Looks like they don't make one for a 91-94 Explorer.. Yeah that would be an issue.. I forget that the limited have a different bumper. Your best bet would be to find a local fab shop that can make you a bumper & winch combo. Since you have a 1st gen, trying to find aftermarket bolt on stuff will be difficult to say the least.

 

[bmxking5]

He said it was for a 97 Limited

 

[IZwack]

before you decide which road to take, make sure your winch fits where you want to put it - especially if you're hidding it between the bumper and the radiator.

one problem with a hidden winch approach is vertical space and to be more specific - the transmission cooler. i moved mine up about 3 inches by welding new brackets. you can also move the whole cooler unit to another location - though i have no idea where else you can put the cooler in the vehicle's "wetted" area other than in front of the radiator.

 

[appx91]

Well I am looking for the shop it is one of their customers. He doesn't want a custom bumper. I have a Duff bumper on mine. This is a customer with a 1997 Limited looking to make it look a little better.

 

[appx91]

Who said it would fit a 1997 Limited?

 

[IZwack]

u did

 

[appx91]

Got it I was a little lost there guys. Thanks.

 

[Blee1099]

I'd go for a bumper & winch combo.. Hopefully I can drag my lazy ass up to PA one weekend so I can get one done.. My bumper has seen a tendency to run into things or should I say things have a tendency to run into my bumper.

 

[appx91]

The 1997 bumpers are plastic right?
I was wondering the frame isn't any different....Why couldn't you just cut holes out for the brakets to go through the bumper?

 

[Robb]

Here is one approach: Christian's

Then, of course, there is jasonb's. Both are great mounts!!

 

[ExplorerSportNu]

I mounted mine in between the front two frame rails on mine on top of a front reciever hitch mounted upside down with a winch plate mounted on top of that with the winch bolted to the plate, looks alomst exactly like lizardtrac's.

 

[IZwack]

The 1997 bumpers are plastic right?

If the 97 bumpers are the same as the 98s, which I assume is true, then there should be metal (steel) in those bumpers. try sticking a magnet to it.

 

[appx91]

We were just wondering because if the majority is plastic then we could just drill holes out to make a non-limited brashgaurd work. Any help jsut let me know?

 

[jasonb]

You saw mine at Tellico I assume. Its really not difficult to do. And after using a few times, its actually rather easy to use. In the beginning I thought it would difficult to move the engagement lever but that turned out to not be the case. The only thing bad about the design is that I had to cut the front bumper up enough that when I remove the winch in a few months, its gonna look like crap!

 

[appx91]

Yea I really liked yours. I am not sure that this guy wants to cut his bumper. We are really thinking of trying to make a trans4mer work. Just have to check and see the difference between the bumpers.

 

[appx91]

Does anyone know the differences between the regular and the limited 1997 bumpers?

 

[bmxking5]

I'm pretty sure that it is only the airdam that is different. Anybody know???