Damage while using winch on improperly installed Rough Country High Mount

[Deleted User 5719102]

That's the downside of all this "prebuilt" stuff. You buy the baddest Bronco trim, slap a bunch of bolt-ons on it, assume the engineering has been done, and you go out and play. Back in the day you knew you had weak factory junk and it would need some fabbing to hold up.

Well back in the day we never bought aftermarket bumpers either. We would take off the stock bumper, extend the frame horns outward. Mount the winch plate on, then made the bumper around the winch. Sometimes it came out looking cool, sometimes not, after a few beers everything looked awesome. Either way it took a beating and kept wanting more. LOL!!

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[Who iz]

**********EDIT*********
100% 'Tricky' resolution....now time to buy, buy, buy more parts?
Solve this issue....and sell,sell sell!

 

[MPTB]

Man I really dig how easy this setup is to take off when not needed but i can see how the high offset would act as a lever. I'm surprised this is the first time anyones had this issue. Has anyone else installed the rc high mount and actually put it to real use?

 

[Tricky Dick]

Man I really dig how easy this setup is to take off

It's not even that easy though, I consider it permanent.

 

[techdisaster]

My LOD brackets finally shipped and will be here this week. I’m installing them with the same RC high mount winch. LOD are 2-3 weeks behind orders right now.

Because I cancelled my trip to Moab, I don’t need my brackets any time soon. @tricky dick I can send you my brackets so you can install them by Bronco Safari. Then send me your set when LOD gets them done.

Just take lots of pics of the install so I’ll know what I’m doing when I get mine.

 

[MPTB]

It's not even that easy though, I consider it permanent.

With leaving the plastic covers off, plow hookups on the cables, using a guide stud on either side and having something to lift it with its not so bad. I just disable the park sensors and have no led light.

It's concerning that you had this happen without even working it that hard. If you were nose down pulling up do you think it could have bent the winch back into the grille?

 

[Tricky Dick]

My LOD brackets finally shipped and will be here this week. I’m installing them with the same RC high mount winch. LOD are 2-3 weeks behind orders right now.

Because I cancelled my trip to Moab, I don’t need my brackets any time soon. @tricky dick I can send you my brackets so you can install them by Bronco Safari. Then send me your set when LOD gets them done.

Just take lots of pics of the install so I’ll know what I’m doing when I get mine.

I got mine through a reseller so they might ship faster? Depends on who actually hold the inventory. Thanks for the offer, I think I better take you up on it. PM me?

With leaving the plastic covers off, plow hookups on the cables, using a guide stud on either side and having something to lift it with its not so bad. I just disable the park sensors and have no led light.

It's concerning that you had this happen without even working it that hard. If you were nose down pulling up do you think it could have bent the winch back into the grille?

I don't think so, the leverage wants to rotate it forward/down.

 

[techdisaster]

I got mine through a reseller so they might ship faster? Depends on who actually hold the inventory. Thanks for the offer, I think I better take you up on it. PM me?





I don't think so, the leverage wants to rotate it forward/down.

PM sent.

 

[RubyRedGT]

Thanks TD and others for this info. Looking forward to updates. I recently installed a winch with the RC high mount but haven’t put it to much use yet.

 

[Tricky Dick]

Thanks TD and others for this info. Looking forward to updates. I recently installed a winch with the RC high mount but haven’t put it to much use yet.

It's a shame, I do really like it otherwise, it's my favorite looking bolt on mount. I've seen them hold up fine to lighter pulls but we should be able to max out these 10-12k winches without worry. To be fair to RC, the mount itself seems to have held together fine, but they should have seen this kind of thing in prototype testing and included a frame reinforcement solution.

 

[techdisaster]

Thanks TD and others for this info. Looking forward to updates. I recently installed a winch with the RC high mount but haven’t put it to much use yet.

What prerunner bar is that? I want to do the same but I wasn’t sure about fitment. Do you have a side picture?

 

[Bikeric]

When I removed my Capable bumper and installed the Havoc front winch bumper I was shocked at how flimsy the Ford sheet metal bracket was. The Havoc bumper came with 1/4” thick brackets that sit behind the ears and bolt together both through the frame and the ears to the bumper. It was certainly confidence inspiring for me. Those Havoc brackets would work for any other bumper that uses the 6/8 factory location holes. I’ll check tomorrow to see if they’ll maybe sell a set?

 

[VoltageDrop]

I'm doing exactly the same. I like the RC mount because it puts the winch high and tight to the grill but I was surprised to see they don't include frame stiffeners considering how high above the frame center line it mounts. Not optional (*see exceptions)

*Exceptions: mall crawling

Just here to quote myself from a couple weeks ago

 

[Tex]

Wow, that sucks man. I kinda wondered how well those winch mounts fared on the trails but figured they were fine because I hadn't heard anything negative about them so far.

Even though it was a real pain in the ass to install and not the most accessible, the RC hidden winch sure as hell isn't going anywhere...it ties into the recovery points as well as the front crossmember, while the fairlead is separate of the winch and tied into the recovery points and front bumper...so there's very little off-axis bending moment translated to the winch.

 

[Bikeric]

The black steel stamping with nuts welded on is the only thing that was behind my Capable bumper. I assume the Modular mounts the same way.
You need similar parts to 7,8,10,11 seen on the Havoc bumper installation guide.

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