ok, so im lookin at some winches and I'd like to see what everyone has, and where they mounted.
Has anyone mounted one with the valance on???
I have a body lift to the chross member is in a perfect spot, but i think i'd have stringthen the cross member.
Anyways, here is what im lookin at.

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

 

You might want to look into a fully integrated winch, cause in the pics of Jey's winch setup, he had to cut out some of the grille with the BL and even more without it to fit the solenoid.

Warn makes them, and so does Milemarker, but the are a lot more expensive than the Summit one.

 

^^ ya the warn ones are like $500 more for the same weight set up.

What do you mean by fully integrated winch?

 

this is where im talking about mounting it. After the body lift this cross member sticks out. Im am thinking i need to cut that out and put some square tubing in there to make it able to hold to the force..


I donno, i am just kinda brainstorming with some ideas...
also crossed my mind of cutting that cross member out and welding in a trailer hitch..custom of corse.

 

I would go with warn or ramsey. I've heard bad things about milemarkers(not all bad things tho!). Also, lots of tow trucks use Ramsey winches! check that out. I havent heard of htem failing either.

 

I'm using the cheapest Ramsey (REP 8.5E), $400 delivered from Sam's Offroad. Works great but it's not quick. A series wound motor, as opposed to the cheaper permanent magnet motor, will give you better low load speed. Mine is good enough, but if you've ever seen a series wound high speed take-up work on better winches, it's great.

Most units don't come with a roller fairlead and all. Looks like the setup you're looking at is "complete".

Don't scrimp on mounting. 4+ tons of force is no joke, lol.

 

The big black box is a solenoid. It mounts on top of the winch. The Warn Thermoelectric Integrated Solenoid Winch uses little-bitty MOSFETs instead of big ole solenoids.

You could also get a synthetic winch rope and that will lighten up the load on the front of the truck.

Another thing... The Off-Road Adventures magazine put a "add-on" receiver in the bed to hold the winch when it wasn't being used. They had front and rear receiver on the truck, too.

 

^^ thanks for all the info guys, and keep it comming.
Im going to have to pull out the old 4 wheel adventures magazine and look at that.

 

yes, if its going to be put on my truck, it will be reinforced to hold the force.
Does 8,500 lbs seem to be enough? I'd like to get one that i am sure wont give out on me.

 

I'm running a milemarker E9000 and haven't had any problems with it. I custom mounted mine using the tow hook mounts. check out http://www.cardomain.com/ride/474024/2

I don't have a body lift so I didn't need to cut the valence.

-Levino

 

Well from what i have learned you need double your vehicles weight as your winch. Your truck weight slike 3500, jus rounding up. Actually you're 4.0, im not sure.

But yah, my buddy has an 8000 on his jeep and he wishes he had more.

 

Same here. I'm using a mount that goes to the tow hook holes also.

I wanted the Ramsey because it's American made, but still affordable.

8500 pounds is plenty for a Ranger. Get a decent block pulley and you can double the force when you need to.

The synthetic rope that Levino mentioned is excellent. Both Tom (TBarCYa) and Carl (buckgnarly) are running that stuff and it's top notch and much easier to handle.

But wire rope is usable and had been for years. I won't be replacing mine until it shows some more wear.

 

so the cross member that is already there should be strong enough to mount a winch to?

it seems like its a llittle to weak to support the force from the winch pulling on the truck.

 

Maybe it seems like it -- but they even withstand the "jerks" of pulling out with towstraps really well. It's very strong.

 

warn winches are great and mile marker, i would never personally use anything else

ive seen them in the bed, on the rear or front bumper or on the bumper attached with a bar

 

ok, i guess it all depends on where you mount it to..the middle is the weak part, but the ends look beefy. Its gotta be pretty stong if thats were they bolt the how hooks to.

 

except one time i got drug out of a mudhole by a back hoe and it bent the whole support holding the tow hook. and that wasn't jerking, just slow and steady

 

were you hooked to both hooks or just one?

 

yea the 8k series are not enough jeys is like 9500 or somthn and he said it whines perty good, so id say spike for the 10k at least to be safe

i need to save for one too, but im not getting one till i get the new bumper

 

the crossmemeber i the middle isnt supposted to hold anything the thing is your supposed to use both hooks on the ends to support the truck because your deviding up the load, if its mounted where the old tow hooks where its ok...

 

ya i understand that, but im not sure if where the tow hooks are mounted....on each end, if that would be strong enough to hold a winch and support the vehicle while pulling.....i'd rather be to strong then to weak

 

yes it will be unlike what it looks like with Zachs truck you all shouldnt have put the strap in the middle of the crossmember not a good idear...

 

I guess if you were there then it wouldnt have got all fubarred I guess?




J/K

 

haha ya.


Well i just wanna no forsure that my winch mount is going to be strong enough..i dont wanna have to worry about breaking things.

I think us mi. people learned this weekend not to mess around with semi strong parts...you gotta go big because you never no when your going to break

 

got a linkage or pics?