Winch w stock bumper

Has anyone rigged up a winch with the stock bumper. I got a winch for almost nothing and want to mount but can't afford a winch bumper. I was thinking about making a bracket behind the bumper but I'm not sure if I'll be able to stuff this thing back there. It's a worm drive so it's might be harder to mount than a regular winch.

Ahem...

anyone have more pics of an install? Also has anyone mounted a worm drive winch? It seems like it might be too big/bulky to burry behind the stock bumper.

See if it's small enough to fit between the frame rails in front. If it is, then a plate can be fashioned to allow that as a mount point. If not, then no, it won't work there and you'll need to look at alternative means of mounting it.

This reminds me. I need to mount my winch too but only after I get the skids on next month. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

It'll go, LT is mounting his Ramsey 8000 worm this week maybe he'll post some pics. This question comes up a lot, we should make a seperate post with pictures and a few details for the tech reference sticky.

If you post it, I'll link it! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

yeah I'd really appreciate some pics. Just like to have some ideas in my head before I start torching, welding and drilling the frame...

I know what you mean. I'm seriously thinking about making myself a wood or styrofoam model of my winch so I can decide on the location for the mount and the mount can be fabbed up w/out the fabricator killing himself trying to see if it will fit.

yeah I'm fairly decent at fabrication my only problem is I'm not good at drawing it out or planning. I can see exactly how I want to do it in my head and I'll just start cutting and welding and I'll make it work every time, just might take a little more hacking than someone who can draw it out/make mock-ups.

I definitely want it behind the bumper or skid plate. I hate when I see winches just sorta hanging off the front of vehicles, not only does it open it up to thieves but it looks unfinished and sloppy IMO.

Sometimes it's either like that or build a huge bumper to wrap around it.

In my case, we reinforced the frame ends w/ 3/8" plate and simply didn't take into account how narrow they already were so I can no longer put my winch in between the frame. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/zombie.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

10,500 Mile Marker Hydraulic winch installation.

well done, I'll post up mine and Clays in a new post and put your pics in there as well tonight.

WOW I got 2 words "Thats Pimp" <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

I used a Mile Marker Universal Winch Mounting Plate to attach my Smittybuilt 8k winch. After removing the bumper, grill, valance, etc, I trimmed the bumper brackets off the frame rails to give me a flat top to mount the winch plate on, At this point, there is at least 10in from the front of the frame rail until it hits the ac condenser. I used the pre drilled holes on the mile marker plate as a template to drill holes in the frame rails and mounted it using 4 grade 8 bolts. The mile marker plate also has predrilled holes for the winch and a roller fairlead mount. I trimmed the excess width from the mile marker plate so the sides of the frame rails was smooth. Though not neccessary, I welded the mile marker plate to the frame in addition to bolting it. To make new bumper brackets I used a piece of 2"x8"x3/8" steel for each side, though I would reccomend a 3" wide piece to utilize all factory mounting holes and have the bumper still removeable. I drilled a holle in the top and bottom of each new bracket, bolted it to the frame and bumper using existing mounting holes. I positioned it using an engine hoist and then welded the brackets to the bumper and frame, permanently mounting my bumper, since it sees extreme abuse while still allowing room for the winch to be removed. I cut out a hole for the roller fairlead, painted it, and was done. It still works as a bumper and protects the winch nicely, and is proerly positioned for the 3" body lift. The only problem is that after cutting out a section of the center for the fairlead, the bumper is much weaker and has been bent and smashed on some rocks, though it's still strong enough to be used with a hi lift. Feel free to use any of this for a writeup. I can take more pics if needed.

Bumper brackets trimmed off frame rails


Mile Marker Plate mounted


Winch Mounted and mile marker plate trimmed


Bumper positioning


Finished product


How it looks after many trips on the rocks

Somebody (I think it's MileMarker) makes a winch mount plate that has a bar to intall the winch to a 2" receiver hitch. So with a 2" receiver mounted to the frame and that winch plate, along with a plug in wiring set for the winch, you have a winch you can store in the trunk until you need it...

That photo should have been used in the Calendar.It is really a nice one.

I just measured and it looks like it just might fit between the frame, might be a tad too big but I think it might slide right in, hard to get a perfect measurement.

Grascat- that's a really slick setup, I actually have an extra bumper so I might try rigging something like that up.

I've thought about the receiver mount but I just really don't like them. I want to figure out a way to permanently mount it.

finished my winch install. not a stock bumper tho.


















the bumper cost $50 at a local junkyard. It is aluminum and needed a custom box with Spacers for the winch.

1/4 and 1/2 inch steel.

Nice!!!! Think thats the first TJM Ive ever seen on a monte.

And the label says do not remove, but apperantly its cool to cut up <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" />

WOW!!! Smoking deal on the bumper!!! Nice!

I think I'd have done a lil better job on the cutout for the shifter though.

Still.... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Looking SWEET Kris and I do like that bumper! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

I made a mistake thinking the clutch turned to the left. i am going to cut it more square and put a plastic cover over it later.

first off, TJM is very rare to even find on a vehicle. Second, you found one at a junk yard. Third, you got it for $50!! You were extremely lucky! Sweet find for sure! Glad to see you aren't wasting any time. Is that the new "Marn" winch? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Looking good over there. Btw, what did it come off of?

Nice job! Very nice!

your worm will mount different that every winch shown above because of the gears it uses rails on the front and back. I'll get some pics posted up but i have mine behind the stock bumper well kinda of i cut the steel yesterday i just need to weld it in. I have also cut off the sway bar mounts so i can get the winch back far enough.

it came off of a 1992 toyota 4runner just like this one.

ok here are a couple pics of winch and bracket rails I have to get them welded in still

I'm gonna remove this fairlead and remount it but make sure the gears hang down like in this photo that way they oil correctly.


Here is a over view i left the rail off so you could see where it bolts to on the winch(see the 4 loose bolts on winch)

thanks, yeah mine's pretty much exactly the same as yours but I think I have the wider drum. I'll have to check. When I first measured it looked like it might be like 1/4-1/2" too big to fit between the frame. I haven't had time to mess with it but I think I'll be able to figure it out, maybe it can hang lower to the gearbox/motor are below the frame rail.

I was planning on cutting out something like what your doing and then just welding that to the frame.

What did that winch come from?

i was thinking P.G and E or some other utility type of vehicle.?

not sure if your talking bout mine or his but mine came off a full size truck its about 30 years old. These worm gear winches are awesome very slow but like the m.m. hyd. winches you can just rip houses down all day long without a break and they don't care, only thing is our alts can't keep up with them or any winch so all day winching is out.

Yeah I'm kind of jealous!!! I wish I got my new TJM for $50! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />

They're typically found on wreckers and tow trucks. Work REALLY good.

I bought a harbor freight winch and winch plate, then cut the plate in such a way that the "L" shaped pieces cut off each end stand up vertically (and get welded on). I bolted the flat plate to the bottom of the frame at the factory winch mount holes, and I bolted the new 'uprights' to the inner sides of the frame at the factory weld-nuts there. those require half-inch spacers because the frame rails get narrow right there. I used some short pieces of pipe "temporarily" for several years and haven't had the need to put a flat piece of half-inch steel in there like I intended. I have used this setup to winch the Raider out stuck good a few times and some other trucks mildly stuck and a whole bunch of weird / fun utility stuff. A note about the old HF winch I got; they made their own solenoid switching assembly, it's pretty beefy with thick brass plates and contactors. It only uses two solenoids in a push/pull arrangement and that's how it can reverse. The whole switching can be rebuilt using only a small flat-blade screwdriver. I remotely mounted the solenoids under the hood so the winch would fit under the Raider body. I still had to trim the plastic winch clutch lever a tiny bit but I had no issues with that** I have a 2-inch body lift now, so there's plenty of room, but It fit before the body lift (barely**) with half-inch shims to lower the winch frame. (removed shims after body lift installed).

-almost forgot, I had to cut about 3/4 inch off the rear of the factory front tow hook to get my plate to fit. I used a sawsall patiently and it was super clean. sorry, no close up pic of that. maybe tomorrow in the light.

I'll attach a bunch of pics of it. Sorry they're at night with a flashlight, but I think they get the important info across.

PS this is an old thing, I just am getting back into my Raider and am catching up on some stuff I always meant to share.

3 more pics

3 more more pics

last 1 pic
oh, bonus!; I used an old body mount bushing as a cushion between the hook and the fairlead so I just pull the winch in untill it snugs and all good. no rust or noise and no hook yanked against a d-ring or anything. looks tidy too. This setup could use some reinforcing on the bumper/fairlead, but, you know, I'll get right on that.

Good job

Nice work. I've had a 10K HF winch for 7 years now, still works. I haven't used it a ton, but I have had to use it and I got my $300 out of it.