Post up pics and info on your winch set ups

[ABNTROOP]

Well, this project is looming and if y'all don't mind I'd appreciate some pictures of your winches, mounting solutions, reviews, things you'd do differently, issues you've run into, or just why you love your setup so much, and as always, please post up pics! Sure will help me make a decision. Thanks in advance!

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I guess I hadn't started a thread on this one
As many know, I got this H3 to replace the POS GTO which replaced a prior H3.... I like my H3s


I've done basically nothing to it other than wheel it a couple times.... but for SAR, I need a winch
Today I basically started scoping out what I needed to do


the winch

the H3

1st thought was put the winch where the plastic air intake is located..... and it may end up there, but there are issues with blocking airflow.... so I bit more searching

well, tonight's the night to wench... err winch
"stock" with a push bar I put on

scouting locations

hmm.... right behind that license plate looks good

remove air duct

of course you have to take the entire bumper off to remove the air duct

another JC Whitney "fits this application"

time to start planning some more

this looks promising

note, there's always a note that H3 Alphas need to use the more pedestrian other H3 brush guard.... now I know why


even with the cut, it's still too far forward

cut the lower part of the tabs that hold the tow hooks

benefit of doing it there is that's a great point of reference for the front


where I finished tonight

Tomorrow I'll weld the brackets to the plate, then drill holes in the frame to mount the wench.. er winch.... the snatch is in the back, two of them :grin:

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

talking to myself again...


so it's finally where it needs to be

DAMMIT

a bit more progress

dang, if I hadn't told about the drilling the hole in the condensor, it'd look like I knew I was doing

eventually, I'll hinge the license plate... but for now, I just moved it up

there, cut n pasted from another place where I post (general automotive site)

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

and post that picture, I welded the winch plate solidly to the frame to stop the snap/crackle/pop that I was getting when I use the winch

 

[f5moab]

CB Photo mount....

And reinforced D-link mounting plates:

 

[poncho1965]

I chose a CBphoto mount. I like the winch accessible, and this is an easy install and beefy as hell. Plus one day I will upgrade to a Warn power plant. Like superbuickguy, I added the reinforcement plates, the stock plates are wimpy and will bend on certain pulls.


Mike

 

[ABNTROOP]

Do those reinforcement plates need to be welded on?

 

[ABNTROOP]

And will a power plant clear the lower center crossbar of the OEM brush guard?

 

[f5moab]

Do those reinforcement plates need to be welded on?

If you mean the end of the frame reinforcement plates for the D-rings; yes. After bumper is removed, it only takes about five minutes per side to weld them in place. Then a quick shot of rust resistant paint and you're done.

Without the plates, if you pull someone where you are flat and they are down a hill,, you will bend out the stock D-rings' bracket.

 

[Tdavis]

View attachment 12249

There are a bizillion "how to" assembled disassembled threads and photo's out there so here's the short story. This is my new DOI winch bumper with a Warn M8000 winch and cable isolator. I f you look closely you can see the remote winch plug in the center of the grill directly above the Warn emblem.

View attachment 12246

I fell in love with the styling and figured it was the lightest weight option out there. The bumper is only 68 pounds according to Fed-Ex...Used to be a Jeep guy and the Warn M8000 never ever let me down.
View attachment 12247

Installation was a snap and I did it without any assistance. But do have a a good floor jack available! My Alpha is an 08' so I did have to go with the 06'-07' OEM splash guard visible in this picture. The DOI bumper extends farther to the rear than the original bumper, hence the need for a shorter guard.
View attachment 12248

Things I encountered.
Disassembly was a breeze. About two beers worth.
There is no mention of the additional support tube frame that goes from the front bumper behind the tow hooks to the frame under the splash guard. Pretty light weight and useless...I guess it had some purpose... but the DOI can not be fitted over it. Two bolts later and it was gone.
Finding the perfect location for the remote box to enable easy access was a challenge, but move/rotate/slide up,down and sideways until you find a spot to mount it. I followed the exact directions and had to take the chrome grill back off after noticing the plug was not accessible from the front. About two beers worth.
Running cables to the winch and battery was also a no brainer. I would recommend better battery cable ends as the OEM's are pretty flimsy. About two beers worth.
And there you have it.... a twelve pack later and you have the DOI that was featured on the 4 wheel Trailhugger.
Hmm...missed a six pack of info there somewhere....
And yes, I did watch Matt Defelice's you tube video on the install of the DOI on the Trail Hugger.

 

[poncho1965]

Here is a photo of my reinforcement plates welded on. What's the chances of a pull as f5moab described? Don't know, but I hate re-work so took the advice of those that have made that pull and had to fix bent plates


Mike

 

[ABNTROOP]

Are those reinforcement plates available for purchase? Are they Pre-drilled/tapped?

 

[06 H3]

They are weld on. Ridge demon made them and I don't know where to get them now...I need dimensions to have scarsman make some

 

[4speedfunk]

The ARB, DOI, Boulder Acc, and THORparts all use additional rear mounting points on the frame rails. This prevents them from bending. You only need these plates if you have a bolt-on shelf type winch mount that only uses the tow-hooks as an attachment point. If for some reason you gotta have them....I can laser cut you some.

 

[f5moab]

The chances of a pull where the winching vehicle is on top of an incline and the vehicle being winched is on an upward slope or at the bottom is high; at least out here in Moab. It was CB who was doing this pull up (I believe) rubble trouble and he bent those plate downward from the top.

The plates were first produced by a person who went by the name of The Broken. Haven't seen him around for quite some time; heard he went overseas. However, CB might have some info or be making them now.

http://www.cbphoto.com/Highmount/

 

[poncho1965]

I got my plates from CB.


Mike

 

[poncho1965]

Are those reinforcement plates available for purchase? Are they Pre-drilled/tapped?

Yes the ones from CB are drilled and fit over your original welded on nuts. I had to bevel my plates so they would fit flush against the original plates, the exhisting welds prevent a flush fit otherwise.


Mike

 

[Bigunit]

With the H3/H3T it is recommended that you reinforce the front tow hook frame mounts if you plan to add a winch mount as they are known to bend under the load of a side/off camber winch pull/load.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapataint

 

[SolidusJ]

Don't just stop at the winch mount and go all out man!!!

 

[ABNTROOP]

Man that trucks lookin mean!

 

[SolidusJ]

Man that trucks lookin mean!

Thanks man, I still have a long way to go but it's been a great almost 5 years with her. Plan to have her paid off in a few more months and then save up for the 4BT and the 35's.

 

[ABNTROOP]

Sweeeet! Look forward to seein it man!

 

[RamRod]

This is my favorite setup by far... but it looks like I might be SOL for doing this option, I have a heat exchanger in front of my radiator (for the Supercharger) giving me even less room!

Looks like the closest I'll get is the DOI setup (which isn't too bad)

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

move up the intercooler? I'm putting a remote (wireless) winch controller on mine; then I'm going to move that box away from the top of the cable. When you're using the winch, it's nice to see what the rope is doing... with the box on top you can only see about 1/3 of the winch spool.... and that would be my biggest beef about the winch behind the bumper - it's hard to see and/or control. That said, in WA they require front license plates or a blessing from the WASPs - I get away with it because where the plate used to bolt, I've put the narrower "Washington Search and Rescue" plate on the front..... which basically gets me a bye unless I'm doing something mindblowingly stupid; then it just becomes part of the Court record.

 

[ABNTROOP]

I'm leaning towards a CBphoto shelf, and either a Warn PowerPlant HD with the wire rope swapped for synthetic or a warn Zeon 10s. I originally wanted a predator winch system to maintain that OEM look, but dislike just how inaccessible a self contained winch is, which if something goes wrong when you really need it makes it worthless. The powerplant is overkill, but I like the look, and quite frankly it solves the problem of on board air specifically for tire inflation, I feel, quite nicely. That being said, that's a hefty price tag, and I am concerned about the long term effect that kind of weight may have on my torsion bars, alpha or not. Although a difference of 30-40 lbs in the grand scheme of things...m'eh, might be over thinking that one. The zeon, I like purely for its minimum maintenance requirements, and quite frankly with as much as it rains up here....well, buff said. Tough choices on what to tuck cash away for.