It's not something I'd want for the build I'm on now, but a good idea. Especially since the factory winch was in the same place.

I've always wanted to do a really clean, stock-ish but offroad capable Renix era build on a loaded 88 but I'm not at a point where I can afford to do it or have somewhere to keep one. But for a build like that I'd absolutely be interested.

 

I think it's an awesome idea. For my Jeep I've been thinking of a way to build a winch bumper with the same approach as the factory bumper with no bumper corners. This would allow me a way to have the winch and then build something similar in shape to the stock bumper with 3/16" steel or so to put over it.

In other words a high clearance hidden winch bumper could be awesome too

 

Hmmm, so the consensus seems to be that d-ring mounts would be ideal. I'm not sure how I'd go about properly adding d-ring mounts without drastically raising the price.

I'll be thinking on it.

Keep the suggestions flowing.

 

id be interested in this if i had an XJ lol. very good idea i think

 

I like the idea. I have been looking for a low profile bumper that I can mount a winch on. I don't like a big cow catcher on a small rig like a xj. Keeping the stock bumper would be great depending on what modifications will be required to mount it.

 

It would require removing a large portion of the OEM cross member and cutting a hole for the winch line in your OEM bumper.

The mount would replace any strength lost when removing the cross member, IMO.

 

I'd be interested, I love the factory look but more rugged, that's what my build is all about. Here's what the factory one looked like, i'm not a fan of the pushed out bumper but they also didn't need to cut the cross member

 

This does sound interesting, especially if you could have some recovery points on the front. Winches are expensive and I'd be worried about parking in some places with one sitting out in the open.

 

Right, that's what I want to avoid. I like the winch behind the bumper but I can't stand the OEM bumper pushed out like that.

 

Yeah, you should make up any lost strength lost by cutting the cross member when you bolt in the winch mount. If you are able to keep the factory tow hooks, you wouldn't need d-rings sticking through the bumper.

 

Do the factory tow hooks use the same bolts that the bumper does?

 

They use the 3 bumper bolts and one more large bolt further back to tie into the unibody

 

Hmmm, that wouldn't work then.

Still pondering.

The only thing I know that I could easily do is pass a d-ring tab through the front face of the mount and weld it all the way around the outside and inside but I don't know that I'd have enough room between there and frame rail.

The D-ring mounts is the only thing that's posing an issue. The mount could be banged out pretty easy.

 

I think this is a great idea!!

 

I know I have seen this somewhere before. On a white XJ. Dangit. The d-ring tabs stuck through the stock bumper right out from the frame rails and in the almost dead center rather than the top part of the bumper. This one had a license plate rather than the hidden winch, but it looked pretty damn good to me.