Winch mounting?

[rhkcommander]

I want to mount a winch on the front of my 87' f-250, was wondering what everyones' experiences or suggestions were.

• I would like to keep the stock bumper rather than make one right now.
• I was thinking either mount it to the tube/bumper, or add a front receiver?
• Would it be possible to do a stealthy mount behind the bumper?

Thanks, I'll take pictures along the way

 

[alienturtle]

you could do it a couple different ways. Getting the winch behind the bumper is easily accomplished. I personally made a front hitch that is flush mount with my bumper. I can have multiple "attachments" if you will. One of which is going to be a winch mounted to a piece of hitch tubing. Pull it out when you dont need it and put a pull hook or ball on it. This also allows you to install the winch in the rear hitch if you ever needed to. (granted you had the power run back there with the quick connector) You can mount many many many things to hitch tubing.

 

[RLDSL]

In the long run, you are going to wish you had a nice big honkin' winch bumper. Not only to they hold the winch, but they make a real nice platform to stand on when working on the truck. That is worth it's weight in gold, even if you don't have a winch, and the things are so stout, if you get in a minor altercation with another vehicle, you won't even get a scratch ( I speak from experience here

 

[Black dawg]

I have done the reciever mount winch thing, but now my winches are mounted permanently. My original thought was the winch could be used on several different trucks, but in the end they are to heavy (for me anyway) to be moving around all the time.

On my next setup, the winch is going behind the rear bumper.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

On my old truck I had the winch on a receiver (still have the winch and cradle so I need to build a front receiver for the IDI next) and I loved it. Can take the winch off when not needed so it doesn't have to sit out in the rain/snow/sun, and can put it on a different vehicle if needed and I have a receiver mounted on the front of my trailer as well. Also can put a shackle or ball mount up front to get pulled out from or move trailers/equipment around with.

 

[Diesel_brad]

There is no way to safely mount it to the stock bumper or your tube push bar. Neither have the strength to pull your truck out if stuck, it would simply rip the bumper off the truck.

I would make a mount(at least 1/4" steel, if not thicker) that would mount behind the bumper and attach DIRECTLY to the frame, with at least (6) 1/2" bolts

 

[rhkcommander]

I had a feeling the stock bumper / tuber wouldn't handle the load. I prefer behind the bumper anyway.

We were mulling a similar idea over Brad, hard to choose between that and a hitch mount though. I could run extra power cables to the rear, I already have 4ga lines running behind the seat for the inverter

Thanks for the opinions guys, I'll keep thinking about it and take pics as I go.

 

[gdhillon]

not to thread jack but i noticed we dont have any tow hooks on the front of these trucks.....or am i just not looking hard enough. Right now theres a loop of what looks to be broken tow rope that the po shoved on top of the front leaf spring...i really dont trust it.

 

[alienturtle]

no tow hooks. Most just grab a leaf spring or both.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

All the more reason to build a front receiver hitch.....

 

[Dieselcrawler]

If you have the short wide radiator, putting it behind the bumper is easy. The narrow tall rad goes down behind the bumper making it more challenging

 

[Wicked97]

Several years ago we mounted a 9000lb winch behind the bumper on a 97 stroke. Basically all you need to mount the winch is a 1/4 plate bolted between the frame rails. We did cut the ends of the bumper and extended them so it would look decent because you will have to move the bumper out 6-8 inches.
IMHO it's far easier to mount a receiver tube up there the trade off is lugging the winch around to mount and dismount it.

 

[88beast]

stock bumpers are crap and bend really easy my buddy muddin drunk has proved that many times. if you mount behind the stock bumper and hit something head on the rad will be toast. if you really want to do behind the bumper push the bumper foward and just make a plate to go over the gap the winch dont fill. heres pics of mine and the winch will go between the lights.

You must be registered for see images attach

hit another 250 scrap truck at 35 to test it cost me a can of walmart black spraypaint.

 

[rhkcommander]

I like the idea of a custom bumper except most of em are kinda ugly. Bumpers are suppose to have some give, if They don't give then something else might.

Still 50/50 on whether or not to stealth it or custom bumper. Would be quicker to stealth it though. I do have two tow loops I wanna add eventually though

 

[HiHorse]

If you are interested I build custom bumpers and assure you they are not ugly. I prefer the "hidden" winch mounts, but with the way your bumper mounts to the frame, it makes it a challenge to put a winch behind the bumper. However, if you are not opposed to welding bracket or mounting tabs to the frame that changes things.