blue dog

what are the pros and cons of a multi mount winch VS hard mount. im about to order a rear bumper and front bumper but i just cant decide if i want a front mounted winch or a portable one so i can use it on the back also. i like the aproach angle of not having the winch up front, the front end will be lighter, and you can put it on the back to pull rearward - but you do have to lug it around when you need it and it takes up space inside your ride. what are yall's thoughts? and this jeep is a daily driver for the next 2-years.

SeriousOffroad

From an anti-theft stand point, they work well. When not in use, keep it in your garage or in your rig (mount a receiver tube in your rig so it doesn't become a lethal projectile in an accident/rollover).

Real world use?

They are fine if you are pulling in a straight line or slightly off axis but there's a tremendous amount of lateral stress if you're pull is at too much of an angle.

Can be used front or rear.

Hooking it up after getting stuck may not always be possible.

Depending on where the receiver is located, they can ruin your approach angle as compared to a typical winch bumper.

They are heavy.

99superjeep01

^all valid points. Plus you'd have to connect and re connect the wires every time, along with running some pretty beefy cables to the back to handle power without loss.

xjmarc

Most of the times I've needed mine it would have been a big pain trying to put it in the hitch. Just for ease of use I like it mounted on my bumper.

blue dog

i didnt even think about side pulls - im sure that would create a lot of stress.
as far as aproach angle from the reciever, even with the reciever on the bumper, the bumpers im looking at still have better aproach angles, and i thought about not being able to get it mounted once stuck but the only time i see that being a problem is in mud and i dont plan on doing a whole lot of mud running. - of course whan you do get stuck im sure we've never planed on that either and it happens - lol!. i guess the better quaestion should have been "does a front mounted winch and bumper really hinder you that bad off road and how many times could you not winch forward to get out of a stuck and needed to winch backwards, and is the extra weight of a winch on a daily driver make sense for how little it will be used?"

Lowrange2

Well, I guess I'm in a position to answer this question.

My trail rig has a winch on a winch bumper.

My DD also has a winch mounted on a Detours Backbone winch mount.



In some rare cases I wish I had a better approach angle on my trail rig. I'd eventually like to build a bumper to get my winch behind the bumper and improve my approach angle on my trail Jeep.

I mounted the winch on the DD about a year and a half ago. I've used it 6 times total since then. I've never used it to recover myself. I primarily cruise dirt roads, super easy trails and pavement in the DD so approach angle really doesn't mean crap.

I've never attempted to pull backwards. I've never needed to. If I needed a winch to recover my own Jeep then that means I was doing something in the trail Jeep and I always have someone else with me to pull from the back if needed.

Ultimately, not once have I ever wished I hadn't installed the winch and I've never wished I could move the winch to the back...

I vote high profile front winch bumper.

Lowrange2

Like these, for example.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/body-...-shipping.html

http://www.orsfab.com/bumpers.html

blue dog

thanks guys - your input really helps - i love that ors bumper but would like a little more protection for the rad and headlights. i have been thinking if i do go with the winch mounted in the bumper to go with trail ready just for all the protection it offers.

Lowrange2

You could add a hoop to the ORS bumper. He'll do any added custom stuff you'd like.