Really looking for some advice on winch setup

[Chrome_Pony]

Yeah your right. The camera itself will still work, it's just the 360 camera views won't "stitch together" or line up properly. Still very usable in my opinion. Some people really get bothered when they can see the seams on the 360 camera views. But I don't really think it's a big deal.

Then again... I'm someone who skipped the cameras altogether because I didn't feel they were necessary so... personal opinion question, I guess.

Per @Ducati1098 there is an alignment procedure to adjust the 360 camera stitch, but the technician's infrequency of performing that particularly software-based task leads me to believe it probably would be more trouble than it's worth.

I have relocated my camera to a front winch bumper and other than a slight misalignment on the right side, it's mostly unnoticeable.

Hidden bumpers look great, but fixing a winch line snarl or managing your wraps on drum is exponentially harder if not sometimes impossible. Prefer being able to see the winch line and adjust as needed, so I looked for a bumper with an open design. Ended up with a @Brave Offroad Designs bumper that works well. I was between that and the Warn Elite, they both have frame horn reinforcement, open design and fog light capability, which is exactly what I wanted.

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[Bikeric]

Here is what the grill mounted front camera will see if you don't relocate it after installing the winch. I don't mind it much
I actually had a small stick stuck in my brake caliper that was making the screeching noise.

 

[Ducati1098]

Per @Ducati1098 there is an alignment procedure to adjust the 360 camera stitch, but the technician's infrequency of performing that particularly software-based task leads me to believe it probably would be more trouble than it's worth.

I have relocated my camera to a front winch bumper and other than a slight misalignment on the right side, it's mostly unnoticeable.

I've never tried the 360 camera alignment procedure with a relocated camera, so I'm not sure if it would help or not in that instance.

 

[NC_Oak]

I was going to drop the ford performance mount / winch on the modular. Ultimately I changed and got a different bumper. I do really like the modular bumper but I wanted something different than the crowd. Those RC hidden mounts have some bad comments on this forum with weak / thin plate that gets dented easily.

 

[jtgensler]

Quick heads-up: that bracket gets mounted exactly where the adaptive cruise control sensor is mounted.

Not a big deal for @GreyZ's awesome install, because he has the High package, which doesn't have adaptive cruise control. But in your case... you would lose that functionality.

(Blue arrow pointing to the sensor.)

Counterpoint - an ACC relocation kit is $90 I think & moves it behind the grill, which is something I plan on doing even though my bumper has a spot for it, just to remove it from a spot where it can get damaged easily off road

 

[Chrome_Pony]

I've never tried the 360 camera alignment procedure with a relocated camera, so I'm not sure if it would help or not in that instance.

The stitch hiccup in mine is more on the side mirrors. Since the front camera only moved down about 6 inches and forward about 8, the field of view doesn't materially change.

 

[GreyZ]

Good call! I've come to the conclusion that there's no perfect solution. Or free lunch, for that matter

There is actually. Hammer built offroad has a similar setup for sale, and when combined with the Mishimoto intercooler it allows for the relocation of the ACC module.

 

[Hemisfear]

Hey all,

Just picked up a 2024 2.7l Badlands SAS + HIGH/LUX. Looking to turn it into an adventure/overlanding vehicle, that will be doing a lot of washed out BLM/Fire roads. I'd also be doing some moderate trails, and having some fun, but nothing like a dedicated rock crawler.

I have already ordered the OEM winch add-on as the price after discounts was just too good to pass up. However, as I am waiting for delivery to my closes dealer, I have been thinking about "hidden" setups, but it seems everything has its compromises. The Rough Country setup seems interesting, as it does not require a swapped intercooler, just relocation.

Has anyone who did the OEM winch wished they did the hidden one instead? What about the Rough Country hidden setup - anyone regret that? Knowing myself, I am probably overthingking it, and should just go with the OEM setup until at least the warranty runs out, but looking for advice from others that have been there and done that.

Thanks!

I chose to go basically go like you originally planned, but with a Chinese knockoff.
I don't like the idea of a hidden winch, hard to maintain and clean, out of sight/out of mind issues and I haven't seen a good solution.
The ACC is unaffected with the factory unit and a 1-1/8" drill solves any parking sensor issue.
Also, I would steer clear of most of the aftermarket bumper solutions as they are heavy and tend to block your intercooler!

 

[SeptuagenarianSasquatch]

I went with a FabFour aftermarket bumper on my 4DR Badlands Sas Lux:

I chose it because in 2022 there wasn't a workable solution for the front camera and sensing positions. Now there are several repositioning accessories so you can relocate the camera and radar with a higher-mount winch. Note this has the parking sensors: all we had to do was pop them out of the OEM bumper then reinstall them in the new. I like it. Here's a image from Fab-Four's website, mounted on a Raptor.

Bear in mind, if you replace your OEM bumper, you can probably sell it on the members' sellers threads, below. I did.

 

[RagnarKon]

Counterpoint - an ACC relocation kit is $90 I think & moves it behind the grill, which is something I plan on doing even though my bumper has a spot for it, just to remove it from a spot where it can get damaged easily off road

True!

I’ve heard mixed reviews when it comes to relocating the sensor behind the grille. Some people say it works fine, some say it’s janky.

I had always assumed it had something to do with it the grille design. Seems logical that a more open grille like Outer Banks would work better than the honeycomb-ish style grilles on Badlands. But I assume if ADD is selling a kit for it they figured it all out.

 

[B22-2023]

I went with a FabFour aftermarket bumper on my 4DR Badlands Sas Lux:

I chose it because in 2022 there wasn't a workable solution for the front camera and sensing positions. Now there are several repositioning accessories so you can relocate the camera and radar with a higher-mount winch. Note this has the parking sensors: all we had to do was pop them out of the OEM bumper then reinstall them in the new. I like it.

I had gone the same route for the same reasons in 22. I like the semi-hidden* aspect of it, but to the OP @DaveWKC there are now other better designs I think, especially ones allowing more air flow for the intercooler. Plus I added a frame horn reinforcement to my Fab Fours, and certain bumpers now have that integrated in already.

*and there’s an access plate that comes off to access the spool.

 

[jtgensler]

True!

I’ve heard mixed reviews when it comes to relocating the sensor behind the grille. Some people say it works fine, some say it’s janky.

I had always assumed it had something to do with it the grille design. Seems logical that a more open grille like Outer Banks would work better than the honeycomb-ish style grilles on Badlands. But I assume if ADD is selling a kit for it they figured it all out.

Not sure about ADD, I was planning on getting Turns version sometime.
I wouldn't think the plastic would matter that much, the ACC sensor itself already has a plastic cover on it in the OEM location.
The radar should work through the plastic.
BLIS works through the rear quarters, so....

 

[TheI3lindMan]

Jumping in because I’m curious for the same reason as the OP, currently in the same predicamen.

 

[SeptuagenarianSasquatch]

I had gone the same route for the same reasons in 22. I like the semi-hidden* aspect of it, but to the OP @DaveWKC there are now other better designs I think, especially ones allowing more air flow for the intercooler. Plus I added a frame horn reinforcement to my Fab Fours, and certain bumpers now have that integrated in already.

*and there’s an access plate that comes off to access the spool.

Nice setup, looks very capable. Interesting hood setup. Is that all one piece? I'm wondering about the front air foil/deflector with the LEDs. A single upgrade, or did you piece it together?

 

[5GENIDN]

Yes it requires the high mount intercooler, but I keep all my sensors and my ACC and barely see it in the front camera. Also it mounts behind the "crush zone" on the frame and directly between the frame rails right where you would want that kind of force to be applied.....

I recommend the Hammer built.... I really like it.

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