I want to use a stock front bumper and make it so it wrap's around the corners for a little fender protection and also be able to mount a winch on the front. My idea is to make the winch removable so i would have to weld in a hitch mount. I know the bumper will need a lot of strengthening. has anybody done this? and if so, could you please post some pictures. Thanks

 

go to fab section, lots of pic there.

 

This may help you come up with some ideas on tying in the winch plate to the unibody.
http://www.detoursusa.com/xjbackbone.php

 

a guy that goes by RoyalXJ has a real sweet setup that looks like what your talking about Pics of his rig are on the bottom of the 7th page in the Northeast wheeling pic thread The rigs wicked clean and looks almost like a stock option

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f41/no...-28952/index7/

 

thanks for the links, those are cool setups but i'm trying to make the winch removable through a trailer hitch so i could mount it on the back or front of the jeep depending on which way i got stuck. i was not sure if this should be in the fab sections since i'm just asking questions and not actually building anything...yet.

 

Ahh thats actually a really good idea. Good thinking.

 

i built a front hitch receiver for my cherokee recently, its in the fab section

Link

 

Only problem I see with a removable winch is if you get stuck in a mud hole. You will have to walk thru the mud, dig out the receiver cause it will be full of crud, and put the winch in verses crawling on the hood and grabbing the cable. Plus most winches are quite heavy and trying to line up a 2" square hole can be a PITA holding up 80+lbs. If you're dead set on it Reese makes a front mount receiver hitch that is a bolt on.

 

Another thing to consider, you'll have to run the wires to the battery each time you need to use it. Unless you're just gonna lug around an extra battery just for the winch.

 

i agree. just mount it on the front because you usually want to get pulled through the obstacle, not backwards only to have to go back and try it again.

 

I have two batteries, one in the front and one in the back so that wont be a problem and i stay clear from mud, only rocks and snow for me. I would also keep the winch locked down in the back behind the seat so the weight was kept down off the front end.