Quick and Easy Winch Mount

[jrou111]

I've had a Harbor Freight 8000lb winch in my shop for about 4 years now. I only paid $60 for it since it was missing the solenoid pack and had a bent crossbar. A quick push from a hydraulic shop press straightened the crossbar out enough to mount back.

I finally got around to mounting it on a vehicle, my M1009. One of the things I considered was a hidden mount but what I really wanted was the ability to remove it. I had planned on using a front receiver hitch but with the lift shackles figured that I could make something myself. I was suprised how simple it was to create. I just used two 2" receiver tubes mounted to the universal mounting plate with 1/2" Grade 8 hardware.

I think it's nice that I can remove it and store it in the back, and also mount it on the rear as well. I've still got some work to do, I'm going to rewire the front slave connector for 12v and mount one on the rear as well. I've also got to build a solenoid box.

I'm still not sure what to do about the front of the tubes, to leave them and mount the shackles or to cut them at a angle and get back some of my approach angle I lost.

Oh and BTW the 3/8" pins are only temporary till I replace them with 5/8" grade 8 bolts.

So far I have:

$60 - winch
$24 - 2 - 2" receiver tubes
$10 - hardware

The rest of the electrical should only be about $50-100.

 

[CDN-CUCV]

I'm going to be the first one to say, That's pretty slick!

 

[jrou111]

Thanks! I hope it works once I get it all done. I don't usually need a winch, but I did get high centered once. I have pulled out a few people and having a winch would have come in handy. The one on the deuce would be nice, but the M35 would never have made it back there.

 

[4bogginchevys]

It may sound a little redneck but you could get 2 solid 3" wheels ( kinda like castors only fixed) and mount them in the front where your shackles go, then just pull the pin and remove them to put your shackles there! approach angle problem solved...lol

 

[jrou111]

I think it'd still get in the way, rocks and stuff are uneven, you could easily snag a caster on a rock or tree limb or something.

Plus, the cast iron of those casters would shatter on the first rock I smacked the front against.

 

[clinto]

Now that's just slick! Very good. You should bring it to the rally next year (towbar'd behind your Deuce obviously) and show it off.

 

[wreckerman893]

I'd give you a two on that.

Slicker than owl chit.

 

[Recovry4x4]

I have some observations on this as I was planning a similar install. I'd leave the receiver tubes as they are and actually hog 1" holes in the front of them so you can reinstall the factory shackles. I only say this because you will need a mounting point for a 2 part line should you need to double up for strength or to get more cable off the drum. Same with rear holes that attach to the frame mounts, why use 5/8" bolts when you can hog out the holes and use some tractor or towbar pins. It would be easy to fab up a mount for it in the bed and that is where I'd leave it unless I needed it. By keeping it in the bed you have no issues with approach angles. Looks great and good use of the material in the brain housing group!

 

[gaunt1969]

Where did you get the reciever tubes? Ben looking for some local but have not come across any.

 

[mistaken1]

So you are using the same pins that normally hold the shackle on to the frame extensions to hold the receiver tubes onto those extensions? Pull the winch and replace the shackles if needed?

 

[rosco]

The channel the winch is mounted to is not real strong, and will no doubt flex when it is under load. That will put an alignment strain on the winch itself. If you weld it to those receivers, it will strenghtin it some, but probably still not enough.

 

[wkbrdngsnw]

I just got a winch myself and went the hidden route. On the 1009 there aren't really any good holes to attach to so my is bracketry is rather complex. That looks so much easier but I have a problem with approach angle already.

Maybe making some handles to carry it would be nice cause that's going to be a little heavy to just throw in the back. Then you put some studs up through the floor in the back and be able to secure it with wing nuts so it doesn't bounce around. If it was me I'd also put some tow hooks where those bolts are so you could use a snatch block back to yourself to double the pull.

The channel the winch is mounted to is not real strong, and will no doubt flex when it is under load. That will put an alignment strain on the winch itself. If you weld it to those receivers, it will strengthen it some, but probably still not enough.

The plates were engineered for that size winch so it should be perfectly fine as long as its used as a winch and not for hooking a strap to and trying to yank something out. It will deflect a little but everything defects under a load its just how much and whether it springs back. The half in bolts are fine for that, they use 3/8 to hold the winch to the plate.

 

[jrou111]

The plate just sees a shear load between the winch and the plate, and the plate and the receiver tubes. The 1/4" plate and grade 8 hardware is more than adequate to handle the shear load...at least in theory.

Here's the link to the tube - Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

 

[1stDeuce]

Nice work. I see it's sitting on a nice black and yellow HF jack in some of the pics... You must be a fan of the Harbs too.

FWIW, I think the two 5/8" pins are plenty strong, thought they probably allow it to flop around some. I have a 8000lb Warn on a multi-mount, and it just plugs into one reciever, and hence is held on with one 5/8" pin. I calculate the shear strength of one reciever pin as about 45k lb, so technically it would take upwards of 80k lb of pull to get that winch off the front of your truck, assuming the pins were the weak point. (Which they probably aren't...)

I think the tray will be plenty strong as-is too. It's the same one that is used to mount a winch on a Jeep, and I've seen plenty mounted that way, never any bent.

As for using the winch to get unstuck, I find that even on my wheeling rig, I tend to use the winch for other things more often... (Moving sheds, winching over trees, winching out concrete anchored posts, winching out other people...)

Wonder how long it'd last on 24V?? Starters don't seem to mind going 6V to 12V... Winches are powered by starter motors more or less... It'd be faster too.
C

 

[M813A1]

That is a Great Idea !! You could always mount a Breaching Roller in between the reciever tubes to help with the approach angles just like the old M3 halftracks had !!! would look cool too !!

 

[K9Vic]

Looks good, I have the same winch I want to put on my M1010 that already had one on it but was removed. The mount that was made is still there, but it did not fit the Chicago winch on the very front mounts. So I have to grind down the metal to make it work. I really like your idea and if mine was not welded to the truck, I would do the same mod.

 

[SmokeyDod]

I have the same setup on my M1028 with the Har Frt 9000# winch and same plate. I just used square tubing 1/4" wall, drilled holes to mount winch & plate to sq tubing (2 per side) and then drilled the 1" hole thru other side of tubing so I could use existing pins. The winch will slide the truck even on dry ground. At times I have had to tie off back of truck w/chain the get more pull and for 2 yrs have not had any problems. (Plate has been fine) New winch from har frt (SC) is about $400 for 8 &9000 lbs version + plate $30. I just ran the two cables from winch thru grill and attach to front battery like normal. No problems.
You can also slide on the back of trucks and it will also fit on front of M1009 but based on centers it will not go on back of the blazer. When used in back you can just set another battery in bed of truck & vise grip cables to batt. I plan two run two #1 welding cables long enough to go from front to back and make up attachments to fit someday. This setup is not that heavy so it's easy enough to pickup by holding ends of mounting plate a move it from one veh to another.

 

[SmokeyDod]

I forgot one thing that should be mentioned. For what money you pay for these "Chicago" winchs they are GREAT BUT they are NOT the fasts in the stable. The other thing I highly suggest NOT to do is to use your truck (in order to get more pull) is to use your truck in reverse to "JERK". The gears & locking mech. in these are not near as strong as say a Warn or Ramsey but of course they cost 2-3 what these do.

 

[1986Blazerk5]

That is really cleaver, i might have to steal that idea

 

[jrou111]

I have the same setup on my M1028 with the Har Frt 9000# winch and same plate. I just used square tubing 1/4" wall, drilled holes to mount winch & plate to sq tubing (2 per side) and then drilled the 1" hole thru other side of tubing so I could use existing pins. The winch will slide the truck even on dry ground. At times I have had to tie off back of truck w/chain the get more pull and for 2 yrs have not had any problems. (Plate has been fine) New winch from har frt (SC) is about $400 for 8 &9000 lbs version + plate $30. I just ran the two cables from winch thru grill and attach to front battery like normal. No problems.
You can also slide on the back of trucks and it will also fit on front of M1009 but based on centers it will not go on back of the blazer. When used in back you can just set another battery in bed of truck & vise grip cables to batt. I plan two run two #1 welding cables long enough to go from front to back and make up attachments to fit someday. This setup is not that heavy so it's easy enough to pickup by holding ends of mounting plate a move it from one veh to another.

I'd like to see some pics of your setup. BTW, the blazer has #1 to a bus behind the front seats for the radio equipment. I did a test fit and the tube lines up, but the pintle hitch is in the way. I'm going to see if it'll fit if I unbolt the top half of the pintle off.