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What's the strongest winch I can mount to a 'clip-on' style brush guard? Or just no?

Sentinelist

Sentinelist

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Yeah, it's not optimal. But I have a nice brush guard for light duty on the front of my 1993 K3500 with a good spot for a winch. The guard 'clips' onto the bottom of the stock GM bumper with two bolts, and over the top as well with two bolts. While I realize I could mount a big badass Warn onto the front of the thing, I know the whole thing could violently pop off if I tried to winch myself out of a ravine. But what about a little mud or a ditch? Just light recovery scenarios to match my light guard.

I admit I'm looking at a rather good deal on a basic winch at Harbor Freight just for emergency, better-than-nothing type of chance use; their 12k lb. Badland unit at $300. This is just a truck camper rig- no serious off roading. Is it a waste of money?
 
I got my son the entry level Warn 12,000 lb winch for $700. It has faster speed and I don't trust Harbor Freight stuff. It's all Chinese stuff.
 
Yeah, I'm also considering a used Warn if this isn't a stupid idea. I do try and not buy Chinese whenever possible, but $700 is more than I'm willing to spend on this. Here's a photo which may help.

11700293966_ea1b93ab5f_b.jpg
 
If it is just attached to the factory bumper, I wouldn't go past 2500#
 
For cheaper priced winches check out mile marker on summitracing, they have great prices on them usually.

Your brush guard and bumper will not survive the full weight of your truck being pulled like that if you're stuck. Even with more bolts to anchor it you have the problem of the lighter gauge metal that will rip apart.

With that being said you don't have to buy a different bumper/brush guard to run a winch, just a little more creative. Can mount a winch with the remote solenoid behind your stock bumper/under the core support. Cut a hole through the bumper and mount a roller fair lead to it, problem solved.
 
jrsavoie said:
Get or make a front receiver mount. Mount your winch on a receiver and use it front or back
Click to expand...
:stupid:

I agree. All you'll need is to run cables from the battery to the front and the back, and it will be much more versatile for recovery and other projects.
 
x3 on the draw bar method. otherwise just throw a come-along under the front seat and call it a day. I have rescued SOO MANY truck doing just what your talking about only to pull them out while the are looking at how to jury rig the winch to 1 side of the frame for the moment and the bumper and brush guard are sitting in the bed of the truck.

If you really want to put a winch in there permanent, take the time and make some mounts for it to the frame.

I know a couple guys using that harbor freight winch- get the extended warranty you will use it. It is better than nothing, but it one of the guys had his on a draw bar pull and couldn't get unstuck with his, so we threw in a 9,000 lbs sidewinder (from the late 1980's) and it pulled it out. I would really only call the badlands 12,000 a 8,000 in real life with a very short cycle time. Something like 30 seconds iirc.
 
I know how that low cost "only for an emergency" thing will turn out. Everything will be an emergency, you will use it for every little project, and the H?F. winch will toast itself power feeding the cable OUT of the drum if it even has that feature. Do yourself a favor and get the best new or used winch you can with the amount you're willing to spend. Then fabricate the best mount you can that hangs it from the frame, receiver style or with brackets to the frame. My choice would be receiver style so you can pull yourself backwards. There will be times when it is more prudent to pull yourself back where you just came from instead of farther and deeper into the mire. Lastly, the factory front bumpers on these trucks are made from light weight thin gauge steel and are in no way, shape, or form strong enough to pull any kind of load from without massive reinforcement. My son hit a deer with mine and it bent it pretty good.
 
Man, I don't think I subscribed to this thread and a year later am reading these replies since my last one here- thanks, all. Totally forgot about the thread, and haven't done a thing yet. It's still on my list but a lower priority now, will figure out a frame-mount when the time comes perhaps next year. Only makes sense. Thanks
 
Be careful...



No matter how "easy" you plan to take it on a winch, you're always going to keep cranking on it until you get unstuck, or something like this happens. OVERbuild it - don't trust something you already know is sketchy.
 
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