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If you don't fully tie the bumpers in using a winch can pull the bumper off the jeep.If your going to build your own i would look at a few diy kits like jcr and dirtbound offroad offer.You bend and weld it up all the hard work is done for you.
I am using all 8 bolts on each side in the rear as well as all 8 in the front not just the factory bumper mounting locations. My rear mounts are 2x4x3/16 tubing. The front are 3/16 sheet tie-ins and I sleeved the front frame rails.
I debated the JCR DIY kits. I like them and they are pretty easy to put together. I welded a rear for my brothers GC. I just decided to start from scratch, since I already had the steel.
I just didn't know if there was something I needed to be aware, of beyond this, specific to XJ's and hitch mounts.
Please explain...I don't want to mess up anything on my jeep. I am building front and rears with receivers so I can use a winch. I have used both bumper mount and hitch mount on my F-150 without any problems, and prefer the hitch. With a class IV/V hitch you should be good (18,000lbs GTW)
With a good front bumper/winch combo there is no need for a receiver at all even in the rear if you use ****** blocks and rigging.
A winch mounted on the receiver sticks out to far for even a slight side pull or anything other than a straight pull. That happens very few times when your stuck.
Besides the fact of trying to mount them if its full of mud/ice/or your buried up past the receiver. Nothing takes the place of a good winch bumper with D-Ring recovery points to hook back into.
The "Hidden Winches" are a real PITA when it comes to trying to rewind the cable on the spool as it has to be wound straight on the spool under load. I have been doing this since the mid 70's on tow trucks usually in parking lots late at night with emergency brake on and cable hooked to a lite pole winching and using a 2x4 to guide the cable, still use a 2x4 with the Jeep.
How do you do this with a hidden winch, or do you just let the cable pile up on the spool? I guess if its a Mall Crawler it makes little difference as it would be for looks only.
My Rustys $50 winch bumper I bought off of from craigslist was a good buy but I did do some extra work to it.
That's a good point but depending on how the winch mounts you probably could guide it from under the bumper. A synthetic line would probably make it easier too.
07-01-2015, 09:21 AM
