Winch bumper ID and bracket input

[Bo Duke]

I bought a winch bumper and I'd love some input on what brand it may be. I thought it was Warn, but there's no "W" stamped on it. I believe the Mile Marker bumpers had angled end corners, this one is radiused like Warns. The guy I bought it from said the bumper came from a 1980s Government Chevy truck (Forest service maybe?)
Second question, how does this thing mount? I'm not sure if I'm missing something here. None of the holes line up with my 1990 Jimmy frame horns. So I'm going to have to drill some mounting holes in the brakets. If it did come from a government truck, it could have been a 1 ton, but I thought the frame horns were still common between them.

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[imiceman44]

I bought a winch bumper and I'd love some input on what brand it may be. I thought it was Warn, but there's no "W" stamped on it. I believe the Mile Marker bumpers had angled end corners, this one is radiused like Warns. The guy I bought it from said the bumper came from a 1980s Government Chevy truck (Forest service maybe?)
Second question, how does this thing mount? I'm not sure if I'm missing something here. None of the holes line up with my 1990 Jimmy frame horns. So I'm going to have to drill some mounting holes in the brakets. If it did come from a government truck, it could have been a 1 ton, but I thought the frame horns were still common between them.

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If it's from a 1980, it will not bolt up to 81-91.
You will need to drill new holes.
And this bumper is not the warn.
It does look similar but it's not the same

 

[ZooMad75]

Seems like back in the day all the winch outfits sold bumpers too. Outside of warn stamping a "W" on the center there isn't much way to distinguish one brand from the others. Could be a Ramsey, could be something else. Really don't matter.

I'd say drill the holes in the bracket and go. Grade 8 hardware when you do install it. Don't want the whole thing coming off while winching due to low strength bolts.

 

[Bo Duke]

How many bolts per side, 2 or 3?
I'm probably going to have to drill out the bracket holes pretty big or slot them to align with the factory frame holes, then make some weld washers to reduce the hole size back down to match the bolt diameter (if that makes sense). I want to avoid drilling holes in my frame.

 

[nvrenuf]

More is gooder.

 

[ZooMad75]

How many bolts per side, 2 or 3?
I'm probably going to have to drill out the bracket holes pretty big or slot them to align with the factory frame holes, then make some weld washers to reduce the hole size back down to match the bolt diameter (if that makes sense). I want to avoid drilling holes in my frame.

The more bolts per side the better. 3 at least but if you could get a 4th in there it would be good. I think the rest of your plan is sound.

 

[imiceman44]

How many bolts per side, 2 or 3?
I'm probably going to have to drill out the bracket holes pretty big or slot them to align with the factory frame holes, then make some weld washers to reduce the hole size back down to match the bolt diameter (if that makes sense). I want to avoid drilling holes in my frame.

I believe you have 3 holes in the frame, drill holes in the brackets to match and put the biggest bolts you can squeeze.
I cleaned up the holes to 1/2" and put 1/2" grade 8 bolts with lock washers.

 

[imiceman44]

I believe you have 3 holes in the frame, drill holes in the brackets to match and put the biggest bolts you can squeeze.
I cleaned up the holes to 1/2" and put 1/2" grade 8 bolts with lock washers.

By the way it's easier if you have one hole in the frame line up with a hole in the bracket so you can bolt it then drill the rest.

 

[Bo Duke]

By the way it's easier if you have one hole in the frame line up with a hole in the bracket so you can bolt it then drill the rest.

Of the 6 existing holes in the brackets, I was able to find one hole that lines up good enough to use, but it's a slotted hole in the frame. So it works to locate the bracket, but it doesn't offer any strength in terms of front/back force since the bracket can slide. I'll have to rely on the other bolts to hold it in place.

Using three 1/2" grade 8 bolts per side is great, but the winch is only held down by four M10 grade 8.8 bolts, which is similar to a 3/8 grade 5. These are the OE bolts that came with this 10,000 lbs Superwinch. Obviously there's less leverage on the winch bolted to the bumper, than there is the bumper bolted to the frame. But either way, the winch bolts themselves seem like they will be the weaker connection point.

 

[muddermilitia]

But either way, the winch bolts themselves seem like they will be the weaker connection point.

Mount the winch feet forward and then they won't be

 

[Bo Duke]

I thought about it. I don't think there's room. It's a Superwinch EXP with the integrated housing, etc. I think it's too tall (it'll hit the grill, and I'm not cutting sheet metal) and I also don't think I'd be able to reach the engagement lever- it doesn't seem to be clockable like older or cheaper (harbor freight) winches.

 

[imiceman44]

I thought about it. I don't think there's room. It's a Superwinch EXP with the integrated housing, etc. I think it's too tall (it'll hit the grill, and I'm not cutting sheet metal) and I also don't think I'd be able to reach the engagement lever- it doesn't seem to be clockable like older or cheaper (harbor freight) winches.

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Well my experience has been that any winch 10k or above needs the feet forward or it will shear the bolts off, not hypothetically, it happened to everyone in our club when the winch was used in a slope.

 

[Larry]

Funny how many of those bumpers looked alike back then. It looks just like my old Warn bumper that I reworked and installed on my K10 last year. One thing I never liked about any of those bumpers is how low the provided brackets set the bumper. A buddy and I made new mounts and raised mine a few inches and push it further out to squeeze a Warm M12000 in it. Looks much better without the lower grill lip being above the bumper.

Also had new upper plates made then sprayed it all with bedliner and bumper coater paint over that to match the flares and rockers

This is how the original bumper brackets leave the bumper too low for my liking. The lower grill lip looks funky being above the bumper

 

[nvrenuf]

I agree that the bumper looks better a little higher but I think the reason it was low was to put the load between the mounting points, above adds bad leverage.

 

[Larry]

I agree that the bumper looks better a little higher but I think the reason it was low was to put the load between the mounting points, above adds bad leverage.

I agree, that’s exactly why they did it. I added several reinforcements to alleviate the downward force on the frame horns. That’s what I never like about the enforcer bumpers that were on the Fall Guy truck too......too much downward force on the frame

 

[Bo Duke]

Looks good Larry.
Here's how I have it mocked up right now. I have yet to drill any more holes (No free time). This bumper was built for a 8274, so I can't drop my winch in and mock it up, but it looks like the bumper is far enough forward that the winch will clear the grill.
I've kicked around the idea of a 1" body lift and then making new brackets ( CAD and laser cutting parts is no problem) to move the bumper up.
I'm also missing the braces that go to the outside corners of the bumper. I'll have to come up with something there too.

 

[RubberFloorMat]

Definitely a Warn. Not all of them have a W in the plate. Mine doesn’t and it’s a NOS in a box.

the Ramsey didn’t bolt together the same, the sides were one piece.

move never seen any other copies myself but maybe there were

 

[nvrenuf]

I agree with @RubberFloorMat. My old crew cab had a Ramsey bumper, the shape was very similar to a Warn but it was a welded 1 piece.

All of the 1 pc Warns I’ve seen were chrome and boxy on the outer ends.

 

[ZooMad75]

I agree with @RubberFloorMat. My old crew cab had a Ramsey bumper, the shape was very similar to a Warn but it was a welded 1 piece.

All of the 1 pc Warns I’ve seen were chrome and boxy on the outer ends.

Actually, they did them both ways for the 1 pc Warn bumpers. @Capt Ron has the Curved (mounted higer like Larry's) and mine has the boxy.

 

[imiceman44]

Definitely a Warn. Not all of them have a W in the plate. Mine doesn’t and it’s a NOS in a box.

the Ramsey didn’t bolt together the same, the sides were one piece.

move never seen any other copies myself but maybe there were

If you look at the bumper that Larry has, the upper lip above the winch is curved, all warn bumpers as far as I know had that including mine that doesn't have the w.
This one feels thicker and no curve on the top lip