Need some good winch advice

ShagWagon · Post by **ShagWagon** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 8:37 pm

Never owned a winch before.

I bought a killer32 bumper front and back and bedlinered it.

Didn't like the way it turned out and the way it looks, but I been driving around for a awhile hoping it would grow on me as some times it takes that. But the wife hates the front bumper. Says she likes the stock one better and her opinion counts so I'm looking for different options.

Is there some sort of winch system that would work for stock bumpers?

I've heard some kinds fit into the trailer hitch. Is that even safe? And if so what would it take to put a hitch on the front so the winch can be switched up to the front if needed there?

Thanks

dodgerammit · Post by **dodgerammit** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 9:59 pm

I personally think the killer 32 looks like it came from a Land Rover. I like the cliffhanger, crawler, and prerunner styles.

As far as original bumper, you could possibly fab a hidden winch (behind the bumper). Cut a slot in the bumper, and use a flip down 'gas door/plate' bracket to hide the whole thing. That is, if the room is there.

I have a 12K # that will be going on mine. It came from my 85 Dodge W350. I'll do the cliffhanger or crawler. My fun will come when I go to mount the honkin' clutch pump on the engine bay. My winch is hydraulic....

rocklaurence · Post by **rocklaurence** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:04 am

Sorry, but that bumper looks like a Cattle Catcher from a train! You could have a shop Fab' a hiddle winch behing the bumper for a couple hundred dollars. I've looked at doing that on my shop truck but haven't had the need to do it.

ShagWagon · Post by **ShagWagon** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 1:57 pm

Put the original one back on

Broke some of these.

Don't know why they didn't cooperate....

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tedlovesjeeps71 · Post by **tedlovesjeeps71** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 2:07 pm

Good call on returning to the original. My humble opinion is the K32 looked horrible.
From the pics it looks like the bolts you broke are stainless? That would explain it since most stainless bolts are not very high grade. If I were you I would go with a receiver mounted in front. Get a quality winch mount and run Anderson plugs at each end of the vehicle to operate the winch. Receiver mounted winches are usually plenty strong. Their main weakness would come from off center heavy pulls. Straight or close to straight line there is little difference.

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rocklaurence · Post by **rocklaurence** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 2:30 pm

Much better

htfiremedic · Post by **htfiremedic** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 3:01 pm

Second what Ted said!

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ShagWagon · Post by **ShagWagon** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 4:19 pm

Well odd thing is I had to break the bolts to remove them. Two of them anyways. The other four finger loosened like normal when I broke the seal. Two of them seemed to get tighter the more I backed off till I broke them with a breaker bar. Just thought that was odd behavior for brand new bolts.

I like the K32 for it's practicality. It's just butt ugly. Like an dog so ugly it's cool.

KJ Ryu · Post by **KJ Ryu** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 7:11 pm

Buy a J-truck for it.

ShagWagon · Post by **ShagWagon** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 8:43 pm

Or put it on the wife's Mini Cooper lol.

REDONE · Post by **REDONE** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 8:47 pm

Good call on the bumper. My J-10 might be able to pull it off, but definitely looks goofy on a wag that pretty.

SJTD · Post by **SJTD** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 8:49 pm

Stainless bolts? They tend to gall if not lubed.

How's the rear bumper look? Maybe you could drive it around backwards?

ShagWagon · Post by **ShagWagon** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 8:56 pm

tedlovesjeeps71 · Post by **tedlovesjeeps71** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 9:04 pm

^ fits like a glove^^

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ShagWagon · Post by **ShagWagon** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 9:04 pm

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WrenchMonkey · Post by **WrenchMonkey** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 9:18 pm

ShagWagon wrote:

lmao, that center portion matches the grill line perfectly... trim off the headlight surround and shorten the width of the bumper and the mini could totally pull it off...

these two from BJ's are the only ones I've seen that I've almost approved of...

There's something about bumpers that I'm a real stickler for, and something is "off" with most everyone I've seen for FSJ's, I feel I may end up designing and fabricating my own at some point. I'll share the design and process when (if) I do..

tedlovesjeeps71 · Post by **tedlovesjeeps71** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 9:54 pm

WrenchMonkey wrote:
ShagWagon wrote:
lmao, that center portion matches the grill line perfectly... trim off the headlight surround and shorten the width of the bumper and the mini could totally pull it off...

these two from BJ's are the only ones I've seen that I've almost approved of...

There's something about bumpers that I'm a real stickler for, and something is "off" with most everyone I've seen for FSJ's, I feel I may end up designing and fabricating my own at some point. I'll share the design and process when (if) I do..

Best deal going now to buy the basic brackets from Tad. From there you can use your own design ideas to make one that appeals to your tastes. Saves all the headache of making mounts and drilling big holes.

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Post by **Stuka** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 8:38 am

I like the dozed bumpers because they are more compact. I have personally always hated round tube bumpers. They don't hold up and you can't use a high lift jack on them.

There was a guy that mounted the outer prices of a 70's 3-piece on either side of the winch on I think a dozen bumper. It looked pretty cool.

Shagoneer · Post by **Shagoneer** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 9:11 am

I think you could make the k32 work if you trim a few inches from either side so that it hugs the front of the truck better. Right now it looks like it was made for something else the way it sticks out so far from the wag.

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