I really want to add a winch to my stock bumper with a mounting plate. However i do not have a garage and really do not want my winch stolen. How would i prevent this? Is there something out their that will lock down to prevent this? Thank you guys in advance for the always supper helpful information.

 

THere are anti-theft nut/bolts, or you can do the tried and true tack weld of the nuts once torqued into place. ($25 at most welding places to hit the 4 bolts for you....free if you know someone, etc.)

 

here ya go you can mount yours like mine, and then put a flip up liscense plate over it.

here is the write up for it. if you click this link you'll go right to the write up
https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/show...y+winch+bumper
if you go to page 5 you will see the finished result of someone that hid their fairlead with the liscense plate. completly concealed winch!

 

i would have the bolts tacked it kives you piece of mind but also eep in mind if someone wants it bad enough there gonna get it

 

Thanks for all of the good information I will deffenitly look into locking nuts or the cost of welding it.

 

You got that right, a few months ago we had a 12K winch stolen off of one of our trailers. The bolts were smashed and then welded. It was even parked next to a busy highway under a big light. The cops sit there all the time too for speed traps and DUI check points. Somebody reallly wanted that winch

 

Its why our company switched all the off road rigs to hidden bumper mounts...so you can't see the winch...and with a hawse fairlead/synthetic rope, the license plate covers the remaining hole.

Its a stealth mount.

Some places, theft is not a big problem...other places, if they SEE a winch, they want it....if its not readily observable/staring at them...they don't notice it.



The remote solinoid winches don't stick up as much, you can tuck that part under more easily even if you have a top mount winch position....so its less obvious...Also, for example, warn makes a remote solinoid plug, so you can mount the plug on the bumper, and you don't have to reach under the bumper to the hidden position to plug in the remote, etc.

So, a hidden mount is good, TACK welding the nuts (Don't WELD, you might have to take the thing off to do work for example, etc...), locking nuts, etc are good, low profile/remote solinoids, all improve survivability.

Let face it, rims. tires, your spare, your radio, hell, anything on your jeep is a potential target....all you can do is not be a soft target....time is money...the more time it will take to get YOUR stuff, the more likely they'll look for a less time consuming project.