Highest Hidden Winch Install - w/ stock skid plates and bumper

[GreyZ]

I was not happy with the winch bumpers available, especially after off-roading in the bronco and finding that the current available hidden winch options (RC,LOBO) would be nearly useless with how low they mounted the winch. I also had concerns because on 33s, I use my front skid a significant amount, and making it more angular and stick out further was not an option.

I also very much like the look of the Bronco without a front mounted winch or large winch bumper. With this in mind I set out and made my own. I had to move the stock intercooler out of the way. I went with the Wagner High Mount Intercooler and have a thread on here about that install. I am very pleased with it. This opened up the space where the OEM intercooler was to place the winch with the fairlead coming out of the OEM front bumper opening.

I then designed a pretty simple winch mount that picks up on the 4 frame bolts that mount the front skid plate mounts. It also uses the front inner four front bumper mounts. It is all .25" steel. So thicker than other currently available mounts with a more in-plane loading. Not shown in these is a 1" tall rib that is .25" thick and runs across the full rear face of the mount to reduce deflection. I did some stress analysis of the mount loading and found that without the rib everything should be fine at worst case conditions, but the rib helps reduce the deflection and becuase the space is so tight this was neccessary.

This is the CAD mock up.

And test fitted to the bronco in CAD and image scaling.

This was a slightly earlier design, but all of the mount locations lined up and this is actually where I decided to use the smaller fairlead and change the front mounts to only 2 locations on each side instead of 3.

I finally got all of the parts in and was able to test fit everything and it looks great. It then came back off for the rib welding and paint.

For Wiring I am running a solid state winch controller mounted by the battery with a 500amp turn on solenoid conrolled by Aux switch 6. The solidstate controller is directly wired to a badlands wireless winch controller. Ill make another post about that wiring and setup, but I expect is to be very quick and easy.

I am running a small fairlead to allow for more room to access the cluch lever which is visivle through the driverside front opening.

Let me know what yall think.

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[mcinfantry]

Great job!

 

[Mdsuits]

Nice work. Same location I put mine.

 

[GreyZ]

Nice work. Same location I put mine.

Your comment somewhere about the short drum winch was pivotal in me finding the Warn 9.0RC winch that allowed for this. Do you have photos of your mounting plate? I would be interested to see how others have done this setup. I know there are a couple with similar setups to this, but noone so far has shown the winch mounting itself.

 

[5GENIDN]

Looks like you might have the LUX package so what did you do with your ACC receiver?

 

[mcinfantry]

Thats how i build my 1942 wc53…. Back in my days i did fab work. A 16000lb mile marker hydro winch…

 

[GreyZ]

Looks like you might have the LUX package so what did you do with your ACC receiver?

I only have the high package, So not ACC Receiver.

If I did have ACC, it can be relocated behind the grill a bit off to the driver side. This is what the mishimoto high mount does and they cover it well in their youtube install video.

 

[5GENIDN]

I only have the high package, So not ACC Receiver.

If I did have ACC, it can be relocated behind the grill a bit off to the driver side. This is what the mishimoto high mount does and they cover it well in their youtube install video.

Thank you. Install looks damn good.... I like that directly between the frame rails...

 

[Alanp970]

Nicely done. I have the RC kit and even on 35’s and it hits way more than I thought it would.

 

[EGSquatched]

Awesome. Care to make another mount???

 

[TruckCamper]

Great location! Lobo doesn't affect approach angle. RC is junk we bent ours up the first trip out.

I'm curious the impact on radiator cooling (hot climates) with the IC high mount relocation.

Love the 9.0RC winch. Feet forward mounting would be ideal in that location.

Might need some additional reinforcement for heavy pulls. I've twisted 1/4" steel mounting plates with the m8000 pulling at max. Lots of twisting force!

Nice work. Clean finished product.

 

[Mdsuits]

Your comment somewhere about the short drum winch was pivotal in me finding the Warn 9.0RC winch that allowed for this. Do you have photos of your mounting plate? I would be interested to see how others have done this setup. I know there are a couple with similar setups to this, but noone so far has shown the winch mounting itself.

I’ll have to go through my pictures and see if I have anything…but front part is integrated into the tube bumper and the back section is tied into the mounting holes for the stock skid plate. Basically it has 10 bolts to the frame.

 

[swami37]

I was not happy with the winch bumpers available, especially after off-roading in the bronco and finding that the current available hidden winch options (RC,LOBO) would be nearly useless with how low they mounted the winch. I also had concerns because on 33s, I use my front skid a significant amount, and making it more angular and stick out further was not an option.

I also very much like the look of the Bronco without a front mounted winch or large winch bumper. With this in mind I set out and made my own. I had to move the stock intercooler out of the way. I went with the Wagner High Mount Intercooler and have a thread on here about that install. I am very pleased with it. This opened up the space where the OEM intercooler was to place the winch with the fairlead coming out of the OEM front bumper opening.

I then designed a pretty simple winch mount that picks up on the 4 frame bolts that mount the front skid plate mounts. It also uses the front inner four front bumper mounts. It is all .25" steel. So thicker than other currently available mounts with a more in-plane loading. Not shown in these is a 1" tall rib that is .25" thick and runs across the full rear face of the mount to reduce deflection. I did some stress analysis of the mount loading and found that without the rib everything should be fine at worst case conditions, but the rib helps reduce the deflection and becuase the space is so tight this was neccessary.

This is the CAD mock up.

And test fitted to the bronco in CAD and image scaling.

This was a slightly earlier design, but all of the mount locations lined up and this is actually where I decided to use the smaller fairlead and change the front mounts to only 2 locations on each side instead of 3.

I finally got all of the parts in and was able to test fit everything and it looks great. It then came back off for the rib welding and paint.

For Wiring I am running a solid state winch controller mounted by the battery with a 500amp turn on solenoid conrolled by Aux switch 6. The solidstate controller is directly wired to a badlands wireless winch controller. Ill make another post about that wiring and setup, but I expect is to be very quick and easy.

I am running a small fairlead to allow for more room to access the cluch lever which is visivle through the driverside front opening.

Let me know what yall think.

Very nice

 

[Badsquatchman]

Looks fantastic! Best mounting solution /location I’ve seen.

 

[GreyZ]

Awesome. Care to make another mount???

I don’t really want to take that on. There are a lot of small parts of the install that I don’t want to be responsible for. I had to raise the radiator stack, and it only works with this intercooler, this winch, etc. and I don’t have the capacity to weld multiple kits.

I would consider it if someone wanted the full package(to be sure it all worked together) but just the hard parts are 3800+ for the winch, plates, intercooler and miscellaneous pieces.


I would be open to getting a more detailed write up of the specifics I had to modify and then selling just the drawing files and BOM for a very reasonable price if there was interest in that.

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