aluminium bull bar - plate required?

[boggy2006]

hi,

just got my winch on at the weekend,
http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?2739-where-to-mount-winch-control-box-and-clean-up-aluminium

but as it's on an aluminium bull bar, I was wondering if I need to fit a steel reinforcing plate between the winch and the bumper (the winch is attached to the bumper from behind, ie. bolted to the rear face of the bumper. I have something I could make up, but would need to cut a slot in it for the winch rope to go through.

Thanks

[XLR8]

I would definitely reenforce the ali bar with a plate. the heavier the better and I would makle it as big as you can fit betwen the chassis brackets do distribute as much of the load across the bar. We used to use 6mm backing plates at one place I worked. You can also get proper winch cradles that mount to the chassis, eliminating the need to have any mounts/load on the bar itself

[YNOT]

I agree with XLR8. For my money I would be getting a proper winch cradle.

Tony

[boggy2006]

thanks guys. I think I'll look into the reinforcing option. I'm thinking of 6mm angle steel as it's less likely to bend than flat bar. Out of interest, how thick are steel winch bars in the area around the winch? This ally one is 6.5mm with 8mm steel brackets to fix it to the chassis.

Ideally I would have gone for steel, but the ally one is much lighter and the price was good.

[Finly Owner]

I was looking at putting a channel (or cradle) in behind my ally bar, and doubling the anchor points onto chasis. But now have steel bar to put on. Yeahhhhhhhh.

[boggy2006]

ah, that would be another option, an L shape sort of steel bracket that goes up between the winch and bumper and then extends back to the remaining mounting holes on the chassis. I can feel a welder purchase coming on!!

[YNOT]

If you are going to make your own bracket just be mindful of the forces involved and amount of force when winching, and therefore the design of the structure and quality of the welding required to safely withstand those forces.

Tony