DIY - Winch mount + winch install with alloy bumper

[jff45]

I bought a Supercheap Ridge Ryder 12000lbs winch when they were having one of their 35% off sales. Paid $565 for it.

This thread is about how I made my own winch mount, installed the winch and made some 3mm plate protection under the radiator and extended it to replace the factory plastic air deflector.

I did this to fit with the factory alloy bumper bar.

I started with the idea that I wanted to use as much metal scrap as I could find in my shed.
Main component is a length of 50 x 75 x 3mm wall RHS with bits of 6mm flat bar added to it.













What I wanted here was to have the winch mounted 25mm lower than the usual universal mount plates that people often use which sit across the 2 chassis rails.
I also needed a lower point to attach the underbody protection that is part of this excercise and the bottom of the RHS is ideal - as you'll see further down.




The fairlead is mounted on a removable bracket because I have to be able to adjust it for the cutout in the alloy bumper.




I welded on these tabs with nuts to fix the 3mm plate.







While I had the front off I opened the LH chassis rail to insert a plate with 2 nuts for the LH recovery plate. I fed the 3rd nut in with a telescopic magnet




I'll continue with the winch install tomorrow..