Hidden Winch/Better Approach Angle

[vtblazer]

Having 12"s of bumper sticking out past the grill wasn't cutting it, so I decided to run a stock bumper with the winch living underneath between the frame rails.

Gained close to 30 degrees in better approach angle too.

 

[vtblazer]

Couple more pics...

 

[steve_kibbe]

I like it

 

[noahrob]

That looks great, what model winch are you running? Wher abouts in VT are you located, I grew up in that neighboorhood (north east)

 

[vtblazer]

That looks great, what model winch are you running? Wher abouts in VT are you located, I grew up in that neighboorhood (north east)

The winch is a Warn 9K.
Had to clock the free spool lever but now it's easy to get to.
Can't say the same about the control lead, looks like a remote connection is in order.

Located in central VT.

Bumper still needs serious reinforcement, that'll come later.

 

[noahrob]

Looks great. I used to stay near Richford, which is on the Candian border about 60 minutes north from Burlington...

I'll be curious to see how the remote works out, it looks a little crowded in there, but to your point, the increase in departure angle is significant.

 

[Greg72]

There is almost no "Grendel" left in that truck!!!!!

......as it should be.


Nice work, as always.

 

[RGV72BLAZER]

i never understood the whole "big bumper so everyone can see my winch thing". i'm mounting my winch behind my grille between the framerails. & the fairlead will be flush with my Sky x-member. we're trying to figure out how the radiator's gonna mount since there will be no radiator support, but i think we can get it to work with the 'cage and an electric fan. but i'm glad the bulb finally clicked for someone looks better and is more trail friendly VT. however, now you can't bash the crap out of little imports...lol

 

[vtblazer]

Yeah best of both worlds IMO, form AND function.

Still need to support it from behind and get some sort of recovery points back on the front but I'm liking it so far.

Wheeled over in NY this past weekend and went through more than a few spots that would have caught the old set up but didn't this one.

 

[Yukon Jack]

Wheeled over in NY this past weekend and went through more than a few spots that would have caught the old set up but didn't this one.

Can't beat that! Oh, where are the pics!!!!!

 

[EFI70Blazer]

I was thinking about putting a reciever front and rear. Then i can use my winch front or rear mounted on a stinger.

 

[vtblazer]

I was thinking about putting a reciever front and rear. Then i can use my winch front or rear mounted on a stinger.

Thought about that too but only for a short while when I considered the times that "getting" to the receiver would be really painful/no fun or even dangerous.
1) when the front end is submerged under water.
2) when the front end in buried in a thick stinky mud hole.
3) lugging 75lbs (or more) around on sketchy footing trying to install the winch into a receiver hitch doesn't sound like a good time either.

Just those situations alone made me cross it off the list of mounting options.

 

[RGV72BLAZER]

where these pics of your Blazer in the mud?? lol.

 

[vtblazer]

where these pics of your Blazer in the mud?? lol.

...
Mud isn't my thing, I'd rather play on the rocks.

Not that I won't but it seems like that's the most common place for breakage IMO.

 

[Greg72]

I was thinking about putting a reciever front and rear. Then i can use my winch front or rear mounted on a stinger.

I had the same idea for a while.....

The problem (in addition to the very good points that VTBlazer already made) is where do you store it in the meantime? Having a receiver-hitch mounted winch installed all the time is going to screw up your approach and departure angles royally....so then you also need to fabricate a receiver in the truck bed (or somewhere) to hold it steady when not in use, so it isn't flopping around on the trails.

The last thing anyone needs is to be hit on the back of the head by a flying WARN 9000 when wheeling in the rough stuff!!!!

A hidden winch up front is how I'm going to solve the problem as well...with a snatch block you can still do recoveries behind you if needed, and the whole thing is theft-proof and discreet if you do it like Kurt did. IMHO.

 

[RGV72BLAZER]

damn it, why'd you have to steal the only idea i had thought up myself...i guess my only other idea with the gremlins and KY will have to be used on the rollcage........

 

[CUCV2]

Thought about that too but only for a short while when I considered the times that "getting" to the receiver would be really painful/no fun or even dangerous.
1) when the front end is submerged under water.
2) when the front end in buried in a thick stinky mud hole.
3) lugging 75lbs (or more) around on sketchy footing trying to install the winch into a receiver hitch doesn't sound like a good time either.

Just those situations alone made me cross it off the list of mounting options.

That turned out nice. How'd it hold up over in NY? Anything you want to change.

Just wanted to comment on the quote above. 1 and 2 seem more like reasons to have it as a reciever hitch mount unless there is an aquatic version of a Warn winch I have yet to find out about. Everything is a trade off to some degree though. I think the way it ended up is probably the best choice all the same.

 

[MNorby]

i like it, very similar to my setup between the frame rails

 

[vtblazer]

Just wanted to comment on the quote above. 1 and 2 seem more like reasons to have it as a reciever hitch mount unless there is an aquatic version of a Warn winch I have yet to find out about. Everything is a trade off to some degree though.

I was speaking more from an operators point of view/concern than the winch.

 

[vtblazer]

Recovery Points

Got the recovery points decided on/installed.

Wanted something that was solid yet allowed for the bumper to be removed, so this is what I ended up with.

Welded directly to the frame using solid bar stock.

Shouldn't go anywhere.