agreed about the plate, that's a bonus. It just looks like the winch is in a vulnerable place, and could potentially limit approach and/or drop offs. I might change my mind seeing it in the real world, but it sure looks like there is room below the top edge of the bumper and recessed.
Yeah, some of the newer vehicles like the new superduty and new ram have fully hidden winch capability. Not sure I want it completely hidden, but tacked onto the front like the bronco is pretty awful for rocks, or nosing off a steep shelf..
Where you wheel and what you wheel plays a factor. I hate mud more than I hate my ex-wife, between the rails and not stuck off the front where it will hit every single rock is where I'd want a winch.
Those goodyears are not a mud tire and won't have the "sing" you're thinking about. High tread:void ratio and smallish tread blocks. They shouldn't be noticeably louder than KO2s, the Falken AT3Ws or any of the other regular all terrains on the road.
Cheshire, you are correct that the deeper gears only offset the larger tire diameter, what you aren't taking into consideration is the advantage the larger tire diameter gives you offroad. Take the black diamond's not quite 32's vs the 35s on the squatch, now try to roll them each over the same...
Start with your tire size and work backwards. If 33's are as big as you'll ever use, 4.46s or 4.27s on an auto/2.7 will be fine. Look at your normal highway speed and see where you land at 70/75/80 with the 2 or 3 ratios. At 80, there probably isn't 150rpm difference between 4.46 and 4.27 in 10th
Buy a base mansquatch and one of either of these..
https://www.weeroll.com/adventure-trailer
http://www.runawaycampers.com/rangerunner
Pick the options you want or need, and start small. You can definitely get both for your low 40's budget..
Switching to any true all terrain tire will make it look better. There are more options in the 265/70 18's that aren't E rated, but there won't be much size difference. A half inch increase in radius shouldn't be an issue, but we won't be able to confirm that until they are out in the wild.
I've run 238/85 r16s on a wrangler, great off road, not on road. 255/75 r17s are still fairly skinny, and they were better on road, switched to 285/70 r17s and like them more.. KO2s are a decent all around tire with decent off road chops, for a more road oriented tire, the Dueler Revo 3s are...
The original grabber AT is not what I'd consider an all terrain tire. Starting with the AT2 and now the AT X and X3, they are completely different compounds and designs. I had a set of AT2s that were better IMO than the og KOs, and wheel with a JL on AT X's and he loves them. Ford is fitting...