Ran into a strange issue when installing my Warn winch. It came with no mounting hardware so I sourced my own. Per the online Warn manual, I picked up some 3/8-16 Grade 5 bolts and respective nuts and washers. This particular winch (Powerplant HD) appears to hold the nuts captive so you don't need to hold a wrench on it while you tighten the bolts from underneath the winch plate (see pic). This might be common to all winches out there, but this is my first winch so I wouldn't know.

Anyhow, the nuts that came with the bolts called out by Warn are 9/16 (.5625"). The problem is that the opening in the winch leg that houses the nut is about .660" so the nut just spins.

Is there some sort of bushing that comes with these winches that I'm missing?

 

just put a warn power plant on yesterday. the nuts that come with the winch are square not six sided like normal nuts and bolts

 

I wood get a hold of Warren and get the right bolts.you could have a real bad time if the wench came off your bumper. You call them and they will get them to you. When it comes to install the wench take electrical tape and put a small peace on the nut to keep it in place. Good luck

 

Ah, that makes sense. Thanks guys!

 

X2; you gotta have the square nuts, otherwise they'll spin and you'll never get them torqued down properly.
There have been posts in the past that going with grade 8 bolts is better, but I've also seen posts that the "give" in grade 5 is a positive attribute. Don't know which is right.
I substituted a security bolt for one of the four, just to make it harder for a thief to make off with my thousand dollar winch. If you don't have your Jeep garaged or you park it in risky areas, here is the post on this:
https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/jk-s...h-lock-233603/