I've been following several forums that have this same topic.. and I'm seeing many great suggestion and ideas. Thou the only winch We ever mounted to any of our jeeps was a simple home made winch consisting of a few gears and a washing machine motor mounted on an "erector set type" galvanized steel angle iron. Which my father still has on his current jeep (Wagoneer)
Since our last visit.. he lowered and installed (hidden) behind the bumper very similar to many of the images here. At first glance I thought he actually removed it. I've requested photographs from him.. but he has yet to respond.

Gave this thread Attachment 533125's

 

here's my shot at it, it's mounted upside down but i rotated the drum so the lever is still on top. I mounted the plate so the fairlead roller was about 1-1/8" aft of the frame ends. the sol box is outboard of the frame on the passenger side, i would have taken pics during the whole process but it was about 25* below and ain't nobody got time for that! i had to relocate that damn vacuum pump so its just hanging out in my engine bay right now, but i will mount it to the OBA bracket when i start that project. I snipped a bit of the frame ends off so that i could get a wrench in there, and then elec taped the washers and nuts together on the end of the wrench, thanks OP and all other contributors for the inspiration and how-to to do this, if anybody has any questions about my take on it, hit me up.

 

It is super cool that you did this so well it looks OEM. I don't have the skill/back to even attempt something like this but I really wish I could because you've saved a boatload of money (which, for me on a fixed income is super important). I just finished saving/purchasing/had installed a cat back exhaust which I really love. Now, I'm saving for a new front bumper. My main reason for doing so is the chalking I get here in Michigan due to the tons of salt they put on the roads in winter. I had an '07 (I bought used) and both bumpers turned white in large areas before I put a product on to counter-act it (and I've tried them all). Probably wouldn't bother some people but after paying $33,000+ on my '13 I don't want to look at chalking or have to put something on to hide it. And even after putting a protectant on it, I'm still getting it. I think I'm going to go with a modular bumper of some sort so I can buy in stages, then add a winch. And I wanted to say, you got a great deal on those shoes, man! I have become an instant fan of yours. Stay safe and have fun!

Jim

 

i love the factory bumper look with the winch attached but i have to ask you guys that already installed it how did you get the bolt/nut to stay and how did you hold it in that tiny cavity

 

I drilled mine completely through the frame and put the nut on the bottom

 

yourself included.

 

Rotated the drum? Did you have to disassemble that end of the winch to accomplish this? or...?

Which winch are you using? I've been eyeing the new Smittybilt XRC 9.5

I'd really like to take on this project but having the free spool lever underneath concerns me and is holding me back.

 

Been toying with the idea of getting new bumpers. However, after seeing this thread I do believe my son and I now have our next project! Great thread...subscribed!

 

there were two bolts holding the two ends of the winch together, i undid those and pulled the end opposite the motor off the "axel", on it's face there were about ten allan bolts to remove then just rotated it 180, and put it back together, it only took me a bout 5 minutes, but other winches may not be ably to do this. I used a superwinch lp8500.

 

I snipped a bit of the frame ends off so that i could get a wrench in there, and then elec taped the washers and nuts together on the end of the wrench