Notched my bumper and mounted my winch further back (pics)
#1
Notched my bumper and mounted my winch further back (pics)
I was tired of how much approach angle I lost with the winch mount I have. Tom made it to mount to the tow hook mounts and sit in front of the bumper and he made it VERY strong.
But it always bothered me that it stuck out so far. So today I notched 3 inches out of my bumper moved the winch back.
It's taken most of the day, lol. I had to grind out the original welds that hold the mounting plate to the channels (on the winch mount) to remove it and it was a pain. Cutting the bumper was easy with a 4.5" angle grinder and some cutting wheels. The mounting channels that stick out were a real pain to cut as they are so thick on the sides. About 3/8" towards the corners, tapering down to 1/4". I went through a total of 2 cutting wheels and was starting a third by the time all the cutting was done.
I repainted the mount and the surrounding area while I was at it.
I also cut away the remaining "ears" that came out from my grill. I'd had to cut the piece of the surround back under the headlights when they got splintered by big tree limbs offroading. But it looked too weird. This looks a bit weird too -- but better, lol.
Didn't weld the plate to the channels, but I used 1/2" diameter grade 8 hardware to mount it so it should be plenty strong.
It's a much "tighter" look besides the recovery of some approach angle.
But it always bothered me that it stuck out so far. So today I notched 3 inches out of my bumper moved the winch back.
It's taken most of the day, lol. I had to grind out the original welds that hold the mounting plate to the channels (on the winch mount) to remove it and it was a pain. Cutting the bumper was easy with a 4.5" angle grinder and some cutting wheels. The mounting channels that stick out were a real pain to cut as they are so thick on the sides. About 3/8" towards the corners, tapering down to 1/4". I went through a total of 2 cutting wheels and was starting a third by the time all the cutting was done.
I repainted the mount and the surrounding area while I was at it.
I also cut away the remaining "ears" that came out from my grill. I'd had to cut the piece of the surround back under the headlights when they got splintered by big tree limbs offroading. But it looked too weird. This looks a bit weird too -- but better, lol.
Didn't weld the plate to the channels, but I used 1/2" diameter grade 8 hardware to mount it so it should be plenty strong.
It's a much "tighter" look besides the recovery of some approach angle.
#4
#5
Your truck looks like it has two black eyes and a winch in it's mouth.
That baby is looking more and more like a trail rig it seems every time I see new pics. I can't beleive this is still your daily driver!
edit: You should grind off the valance tabs on the ends of the bumper or cap them off and paint, it'd do some cosmetic wonders for your truck. Maybe some white on the exposed header panel.
That baby is looking more and more like a trail rig it seems every time I see new pics. I can't beleive this is still your daily driver!
edit: You should grind off the valance tabs on the ends of the bumper or cap them off and paint, it'd do some cosmetic wonders for your truck. Maybe some white on the exposed header panel.
#7
I thought about that, Travis, but they still serve some purpose fending off vegetation from the edge of the fender above it. I painted them black to make them less obnoxious, lol.
Hey, I'm DEFINITELY not an expert in these kind of appearance mods. These are just things I did to keep it from looking awful...
I prefer to think of the truck as looking like a football player with the eyeblack under his eyes, lol!
Hey, I'm DEFINITELY not an expert in these kind of appearance mods. These are just things I did to keep it from looking awful...
I prefer to think of the truck as looking like a football player with the eyeblack under his eyes, lol!
#8
#11
#14
I had to cut them off, Steven. Then I painted the area behind it black to keep if from looking too bad.
When offroading, I slid down into some branches and fractured on side bad. And that plastic, once it split, the break just runs over time.
So I had to cut it off to keep the split from propagating, and when I cut one side, I cut the other.
But it bothered me that there was a "stub" there, so I cut it all the way back to the grille today.
Here's what the truck looked like before:
When offroading, I slid down into some branches and fractured on side bad. And that plastic, once it split, the break just runs over time.
So I had to cut it off to keep the split from propagating, and when I cut one side, I cut the other.
But it bothered me that there was a "stub" there, so I cut it all the way back to the grille today.
Here's what the truck looked like before:
#18
Skid plate is unchanged, Travis.
Zach, I played with that and it's so irregular under there that when you put white on it, it makes that real visible. When you paint it black, it "hides". I decided I liked the black better. As soon as the white got dirty, all that "messy" detail behind that area would be highlighted. An "aesthetic" decision, lol...
Also, for reference, here's a pic showing how far the winch stuck out before, for those who haven't seen my truck previously.
Zach, I played with that and it's so irregular under there that when you put white on it, it makes that real visible. When you paint it black, it "hides". I decided I liked the black better. As soon as the white got dirty, all that "messy" detail behind that area would be highlighted. An "aesthetic" decision, lol...
Also, for reference, here's a pic showing how far the winch stuck out before, for those who haven't seen my truck previously.
#21
#22
Yes, I agree. Legal considerations aside, I WANT a bumper that can take some impact. The value of it has been proven both on and off road. When I spun the truck out on the leaves on Naamans Creek Road that time, I got that vertical dent in my front bumper -- but the bumper survived (though I had to bend it back into shape).
If that happened now, the bumper would just yield and bend really bad I think. I am going to find some way to reinforce it.
If that happened now, the bumper would just yield and bend really bad I think. I am going to find some way to reinforce it.
#24
Unregistered User
Posts: n/a
Looks very good John, but I was wondering about what Doc pointed out. We don't really have inspections here in Michigan, so I wouldn't be worried here, but I was wondering about how it would stand up overall in a crash. Regardless, I still think it looks much better.
I'm wondering if you couldn't have someone do some custom welding to combine the two pieces of the bumper that are still there that go underneath the bottom of the winch? The lights are in the way for that at the moment, but I'd imagine something like that could work.
Of course, a bumper that the winch was basically embedded in would be cool to, so perhaps a custom bumper? Tough call overall.. Still looks good though, and I can definitely imagine that's going to help your angles a bit.
I'm wondering if you couldn't have someone do some custom welding to combine the two pieces of the bumper that are still there that go underneath the bottom of the winch? The lights are in the way for that at the moment, but I'd imagine something like that could work.
Of course, a bumper that the winch was basically embedded in would be cool to, so perhaps a custom bumper? Tough call overall.. Still looks good though, and I can definitely imagine that's going to help your angles a bit.