Winch mounting-the right way

Garage talk. Anything from mounting a winch to water proofing the electrics.
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Bulletproof
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Winch mounting-the right way

Post by Bulletproof »

I go out with a lot of different trucks and the way over half have mounted their winches makes me frustrated.

1 A lot of winches are behind bullbars where you can't see the wire.
2 A lot of winches stick out miles in front of the truck reducing the approach angle.
3 A lot of winches are miles two low and end up under the shit.

Very rarely do you winch in a straight line . The trees to winch off are on the side of the track and when you start winching , What happens ? All the wire piles up on one end of the winch.
If you cant see the wire it eventually builds up to a point where it binds on the housing. Also allowing it to build up too much reduces the effectiness of the winch because you lose roughly 1000 lbs of winching power per layer of wire.
Another common problem is that as one layer gets stuck under a higher layer while under pressure. The winch will then can start operating in reverse.

The point I'm trying to make is. To stop these things happening you have to see the wire clearly from a distance so someone can inform the driver to stop and rewind the cable. You can't do this behind a bullbar.

Many trucks , mainly cruisers and nissans come to a vertical bank about 1.5 feet high and with the winch hanging out about 2 feet in front, it stops them in there paths.

A winch needs to be mounted as far back and as high as possible to retain a good approach angle other wise the truck is useless.

My winch is 900mm high and nearly touches the radiator giving an approach angle of 70 degrees .I can also clearly see the wire from a distance making it user friendly therefore reducing problems.

Another advantage of mounting it high is that it is above the shit of the bog most of the time, and you can go straight to the wire and winch your way out without digging.

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Cheers Richard
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by skid »

I personally like the idea that a few winch trucks have done, which is mid mounting or rear mounting the winch and running it thru pipe to the front, therefore enabling it to spool perfectly back onto the drum and if you coil up some excess rope/cable on the top of the bullbars, then you can bury the truck deep and still have easy access to the rope/cable.

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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by wjw »

You'll probably count mine as one of thos :(
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by Bulletproof »

skid wrote:I personally like the idea that a few winch trucks have done, which is mid mounting or rear mounting the winch and running it thru pipe to the front, therefore enabling it to spool perfectly back onto the drum and if you coil up some excess rope/cable on the top of the bullbars, then you can bury the truck deep and still have easy access to the rope/cable.

my 2c

SKID

Yes that is a good idea as well.

It isn't necessary in my case because I always go with others who also have good winches and blocks. With 3 good trucks you can just about go anywhere.

Richard
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by NJV6 »

All well and good skid but with some vehicles such as my Paj or your VX mid mounting is basically out of the question.

I agree with Richard but there are also times when they can be too high in a V ditch or up a bank for example, they try to pull the vehicle further into it if a lifting A frame is not used. The higher the winch mounting the stronger the mounting has to be due to leverage. I like to think I found a happy medium, high enough to be out of alot of the crap and is about 30mm out from the radiator. Easy to take off if need be, the motor can be taken off to dry without taking the winch off in about 2 minutes.

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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by Bulletproof »

NJV6 wrote:All well and good skid but with some vehicles such as my Paj or your VX mid mounting is basically out of the question.

I agree with Richard but there are also times when they can be too high in a V ditch or up a bank for example, they try to pull the vehicle further into it if a lifting A frame is not used. The higher the winch mounting the stronger the mounting has to be due to leverage. I like to think I found a happy medium, high enough to be out of alot of the crap and is about 30mm out from the radiator. Easy to take off if need be, the motor can be taken off to dry without taking the winch off in about 2 minutes.

Image


Looks Good . I also like the tow hooks, easy to see and use :D

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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by Sadam_Husain »

Bulletproof wrote:Looks Good . I also like the tow hooks, easy to see and use and mounted the right way up :D

Richard


8) 8) :lol: :lol:
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by rokhound »

Sadam_Husain wrote:
Bulletproof wrote:Looks Good . I also like the tow hooks, easy to see and use and mounted the right way up :D

Richard


8) 8) :lol: :lol:



Well altered saddam. Nothing is more of a piss off than tow hooks side mounted or upside down :wink: :P
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by Dace »

rokhound wrote:
Sadam_Husain wrote:
Bulletproof wrote:Looks Good . I also like the tow hooks, easy to see and use and mounted the right way up :D

Richard


8) 8) :lol: :lol:



Well altered saddam. Nothing is more of a piss off than tow hooks side mounted or upside down :wink: :P


upside down, under the chassis (ala Hilux) up to the bumper in a bog :evil:
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by nstg8a »

Bulletproof wrote:I 2 A lot of winches stick out miles in front of the truck reducing the approach angle.

Many trucks , mainly cruisers and nissans come to a vertical bank about 1.5 feet high and with the winch hanging out about 2 feet in front, it stops them in there paths.



you mean like mine :lol: :P :lol: :P

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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by gary_in_nz »

this is what i had to do for mine, got sick of digging into banks and ditches if you had to do a steep climb, this set up is the most i can get, from the 33' tyres the approach angle is right to the end of the front chassis rails, will try get a side on pic sometime.

Image
Image

Heres the better side on view
Image
Last edited by gary_in_nz on Wed Jul 23, 2008 7:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by Bulletproof »

nstg8a wrote:
Bulletproof wrote:I 2 A lot of winches stick out miles in front of the truck reducing the approach angle.

Many trucks , mainly cruisers and nissans come to a vertical bank about 1.5 feet high and with the winch hanging out about 2 feet in front, it stops them in there paths.



you mean like mine :lol: :P :lol: :P

Image


Thats exactly what I mean. Some of the 70 series cruisers are alot worse than that.

I have seen some people angle the nissan pto winches up at the front which improves them no end.

Gary's one is a good example of what can be achieved.

Richard
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by NJV6 »

Gary's is an electric one which is much easier to modify. The PTO's really need a body lift and then they can be moved back with a shorter driveshaft.

Yes some of the 70 series have great ball room dancing platforms on the front and are painfull on a challenging trip! :lol:
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by DaveM »

Bulletproof wrote:Gary's one is a good example of what can be achieved.

Richard


Easy on electric winch, not so easy getting it that high with a PTO setup though.

Then of course you get the newer GU Safari's where you can only mount a winch in a ARB or similar airbag compatible bar, which makes it impossible to mount a recovery hook up high too. Only spot is underneath on the chassis rails :roll:
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by KiwiBacon »

Is there such a thing as a standard winch mounting pattern?
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by gary_in_nz »

check out the manufacturer's web site, they usually have the dimensions and mounting pattern for them
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by Bulletproof »

KiwiBacon wrote:Is there such a thing as a standard winch mounting pattern?


There is no such thing as a standard winch mounting pattern.

There are basic principles to stick to if you want a capable truck as I stated at the start of this thread.

For a person who uses his winch once a year it doesn't matter whether you can see the wire or not. Its only there for an emergency.
A winch hanging out in front affects all four wheel driving so is a curse to the owner as well as every one on the trip.
Thats where I get frustrated because you waste all day helping some wally to get through, and thats why I don't go on alot of trips.
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by coxsy »

have a standard safari with a standard pto winch, happy with where it is , no problem with the 4wd i've done so far :D
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by safari_mulisha »

your avatar looks likes your stuck on it
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by coxsy »

na the winch was free off the ditch a side view show the whole nose off the truck in there :D
Last edited by coxsy on Wed Jul 23, 2008 4:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by KiwiBacon »

Bulletproof wrote:
KiwiBacon wrote:Is there such a thing as a standard winch mounting pattern?


There is no such thing as a standard winch mounting pattern.


So if you buy a warn instead of a superwinch etc, you've got to build mounts to suit each one? How do aftermarket bumper makers get on?

The whole reason for asking, helping some mates with front bumpers and incorporating a winch mount makes sense even if they don't currently have one.
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by nstg8a »

Bulletproof wrote:[

Thats exactly what I mean. Some of the 70 series cruisers are alot worse than that.

I have seen some people angle the nissan pto winches up at the front which improves them no end.

Gary's one is a good example of what can be achieved.

Richard


yeah, it certainly forces a bit of a unique driving style lol, while it hasnt actually got me hung up on a bank, its certainly dug in a few times, as that pic shows.
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by H2OLOVA »

Bulletproof wrote:
KiwiBacon wrote:Is there such a thing as a standard winch mounting pattern?


There is no such thing as a standard winch mounting pattern.


Bollocks

The (normally) four holes in the base of the winch where it bolts to your bar or whatever are a standard pattern on most winches. This is true of electric winches anyway. PTO winches will be quite different i'd imagine.
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by wjw »

KiwiBacon wrote:
Bulletproof wrote:
KiwiBacon wrote:Is there such a thing as a standard winch mounting pattern?


There is no such thing as a standard winch mounting pattern.


So if you buy a warn instead of a superwinch etc, you've got to build mounts to suit each one? How do aftermarket bumper makers get on?

The whole reason for asking, helping some mates with front bumpers and incorporating a winch mount makes sense even if they don't currently have one.


Put a plate there ready, but don't drill the holes...
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by Bulletproof »

wjw wrote:


Put a plate there ready, but don't drill the holes...


That is very sensible advise because there is no standard bolt pattern. It even varies between the same brand depending on the model.
Another thing to think about is putting a plate on to take a 10 or 12,000 lb winch even if you are only intending to mount an 8,000 lb . Otherwise you will probably have to do the whole thing again in the future.

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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by wjw »

One other thing to note is that with Warn for example the 10,000lbs winch is wider than the 8,000lbs winch. the 10klbs only just fits between my chassis rails, the gearbox is a different size to the motor, so the fairlead ended up offset aswell.
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by KiwiBacon »

wjw wrote:One other thing to note is that with Warn for example the 10,000lbs winch is wider than the 8,000lbs winch. the 10klbs only just fits between my chassis rails, the gearbox is a different size to the motor, so the fairlead ended up offset aswell.


How often would you use more than 8000lb pulling capacity?
It seems in many situations a little digging can save a lot of strain.
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by wjw »

KiwiBacon wrote:
wjw wrote:One other thing to note is that with Warn for example the 10,000lbs winch is wider than the 8,000lbs winch. the 10klbs only just fits between my chassis rails, the gearbox is a different size to the motor, so the fairlead ended up offset aswell.


How often would you use more than 8000lb pulling capacity?
It seems in many situations a little digging can save a lot of strain.


Don't know as I haven't stalled it yet...... but at $450 delivered, having to offset my fairlead isn't a worry. Bear in mind though my truck weighs 5291 lbs ish and ideally you want double your weight.
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

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wjw wrote:Don't know as I haven't stalled it yet...... but at $450 delivered, having to offset my fairlead isn't a worry. Bear in mind though my truck weighs 5291 lbs ish and ideally you want double your weight.


Where did you find a weighbridge that read lbs? :lol:
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Re: Winch mounting-the right way

Post by furnace »

I have been watching this thread with a little bit of interest,not to sure what i think really,but my winch is in the bull bar and thats where i like it out of the way and very easy to use,protected from the mud [ peat swamps ] water etc,never ever had a problem what so ever and i do use it a lot as i'm on the road 4x4ing 3 to 4 months of the year ,i have been traveling around in a big caravan..i did the Whitecoomb road recently where the swamps are over the bonnet,much winching was needed,i just like my winch protected..never had much of a problem with rope bunching,then again i usually use a ground anchor so most of the time get a reasonably straight pull [ not all the time of course ] ..Scotty Newport in Nelson set all my gear up including all the bar work..Nelson 4x4er's will know him well
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