[ShadowRejects]

hey guys im getting a winch in about 3 months for my 94 silverado. i dont have a brush guard or anything to mount it to yet. i was wondering if anyone has mounted one to their stock bumper with no issue? its a 12000 lb warn winch. i would like to see pictures and detail on how you made if thats ok :great:

 

[silveradotrailblazer]

It WILL pull your stock bumper off!! Is your truck a 1500 or 2500??

 

[ShadowRejects]

It WILL pull your stock bumper off!! Is your truck a 1500 or 2500??

z71 1500. .....

 

[Falcone]

Your bumper isn't made to be a tow point for your truck, if you get'er stuck to the point you gotta winch her out.. only thing your gonna get out if your lic. plate and bumper and winch.

You need something thats made to take that kind of pull, there's small mounts which just mount the winch through a hole in your stock bumper, or you can get a bush/bull bar to put it on.

 

[silveradotrailblazer]

Warn recommends any winch over 10,000 pounds to be used with a winch bumpers as these have more mounting points on the frame. I have a Warn 9.5XP with a Warn brush guard on my '05 Silvewrado and this is about max for a brush guard set-up.

 

[ShadowRejects]

thanks for the replies everyone. i might see if they sell bull bars with winch mounts or get a behind the bumper winch mount. i cant afford a 500-1200$ winch bumper ATM. i will keep yall updated

 

[mfleetwood]

Shadow....what are you planning to use the winch for and how much pulling power do you need? If not for heavy duty use, another option may be to use one of those mounts that slide into your tow hitch receiver. I've never used one or seen one being used, but have seen them advertised. I think most standard size winches can be mounted to one. I pasted a pic of what one looks like below......

 

[silveradotrailblazer]

Sorry, but you won't get a 12,000lb. winch behind the bumper. I believe Sterling Manufacturing in Florida makes a brush gaurd to fit a 12,000lb. winch, but there not cheap. You have to get a brush gaurd that uses/has a winch plate on it. Even a simple brush gaurd with a winch plate will be over $500.00. Maybe you can find someone local to you to make one for you.

---------- Post added at 04:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:55 PM ----------

mfleetwood, most reciever type winch mounts/plates aren't rated for a 12,000lb. winch. Most are good to 9500lbs.

 

[mfleetwood]

---------- Post added at 04:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:55 PM ----------

mfleetwood, most reciever type winch mounts/plates aren't rated for a 12,000lb. winch. Most are good to 9500lbs.

Good info to know...thanks!

 

[ShadowRejects]

Hmmm mfleetwood i kinda like that idea. even tho my truck doesnt have a front end hitch style i could fab up a mount in no time. i may have to look into that. and message to everyone else : i was looking under the front end today to see if there was possible room for a winch and the skid plate takes up 90% of the room so i dont think i could do behind the bumper. but i did infact notice that the front bumper (which is thick metal, but its stock) is attached to the frame from 4 different points by metal crossmembers. 2 on the sides and 2 on the middle. i know silveradotrailblazer said it would rip off my bumper but does anyone think those 4 point would hold? if not i might buy one of those small brush/bull bars that only cover the grille and mount it on there until i save up enough money for a prerunner bumper. thanks for the replies everyone its been alot of help

 

[mfleetwood]

I'm not an expert in that area (or any area for that matter!), but SilveradoTrailblazer is an expert in many areas and knows what he is doing/saying. I'd definitely take his advice on this one....

However, if you're planning on buying another bumper anyway and you are okay with having some collateral damage, you can always give it a shot. I'd just stand far away so you don't get hit by flying debris or the cable.

Good luck and let us know what you end up doing! Sounds interesting!

 

[ShadowRejects]

i might save and get a brush guard. then again its 3 months before i get this winch so i bet i could pull something out my @$$ lol. and btw i misled yall. its a 10,000 lb winch. sorry for the inconvience.

 

[mfleetwood]

No worries about 10 vs 12. I think your thread has helped educate many (or at least me). You might get some different responses now that you lowered the weight.

 

[ShadowRejects]

No worries about 10 vs 12. I think your thread has helped educate many (or at least me). You might get some different responses now that you lowered the weight.

it has you have no idea how much this helped me. haha i was a winch noob before this thread! haha thank you to everyone that replied and helped it means alot

 

[tbplus10]

I've run a removable winch on my Tacoma for 11 years (Ramsey REP9000), and if I ever install another winch on my other trucks it'll be removable too.
Even though your limited to 9500lbs it has advantages.
I dont have the extra weight of the winch up front increasing suspension sag and ruining fuel mileage during the daily commute.
I can remove the winch so it doesnt get stolen.
If I need it in back the rear reciever is also wired for use.
Weight rating really doesnt limit you as much as you'd think, probably the only drawback from running a smaller winch is I carry a bit more equipment, extra straps and snatch blocks, which you probably want to carry with a larger winch anyways.
I've seen a couple custom front recievers made to hide behind the front bumper, one I liked best had the front license plate mounted to a reciever and you removed it to use the hitch.
Another added benefit is if you pull a trailer when hooked to the front it makes it a lot easier to stick the trailer in real tight parking spots.

 

[ShadowRejects]

I've run a removable winch on my Tacoma for 11 years (Ramsey REP9000), and if I ever install another winch on my other trucks it'll be removable too.
Even though your limited to 9500lbs it has advantages.
I dont have the extra weight of the winch up front increasing suspension sag and ruining fuel mileage during the daily commute.
I can remove the winch so it doesnt get stolen.
If I need it in back the rear reciever is also wired for use.
Weight rating really doesnt limit you as much as you'd think, probably the only drawback from running a smaller winch is I carry a bit more equipment, extra straps and snatch blocks, which you probably want to carry with a larger winch anyways.
I've seen a couple custom front recievers made to hide behind the front bumper, one I liked best had the front license plate mounted to a reciever and you removed it to use the hitch.
Another added benefit is if you pull a trailer when hooked to the front it makes it a lot easier to stick the trailer in real tight parking spots.

.

interesting writeup. i wouldve never thought about making it removable. save a little weight in the front and keep it from being stolen like you said. i shall remember that

 

[silveradotrailblazer]

Most hitch manufactures like HidenHitch make a 2" reciever that fits the front of your truck behind the bumper. It bolts-in. You just have to cut out the area of the bumper for the reciever to stick out. Then you can use the reciever type winch plate. Since you have a 10,000lb. winch and not a 12,000lb. winch I think you will be o.k. with the reciever type winch plate. Then you can run power to the front and rear of the truck using a plug-in adapter on the winch and power cords. Then you can use both the front and rear recievers as needed.

 

[ShadowRejects]

---------- Post added at 11:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:37 PM ----------

Hello everyone! finally made up my mind for what i am going to do. i loved all the ideas but i decided im going to get a behind the bumper mount (until i save up enough dough for a huge prerunner guard) and im going to mount the fairlead on the location on the license plate and relocate the license plate to the side or on my dashboard. but i kept in mind of what yall were saying on how it will yank off the stock bumper, thats one reason for the behind the bumper, but then again im going to re-enforce the stock bumper with 1/4 inch plate on the mounts to give it the extra strenth if my fairlead is getting pulled on or stressed. i am also going to remove the bumper trim and everything in-between and paint it black and maybe put some metal plating on it because i have always been a huge fan of steath style bumpers. i will keep yall all updated thanks for the replies again everyone!

 

[silveradotrailblazer]

The only problem with winches mounted behind the bumper ( I considered this myself) is that if you have to service the winch when off-road its a pain in the butt. Also if you get stuck with your bumper buried you can't get to the winch.

 

[ShadowRejects]

The only problem with winches mounted behind the bumper ( I considered this myself) is that if you have to service the winch when off-road its a pain in the butt. Also if you get stuck with your bumper buried you can't get to the winch.

true.. but hopefully that wont happen lmao. if it does i guess i will have to go swimming haha