I ordered the Rugged Ridge Mod front bumper yesterday and ordered a smittybuilt 8000 pound winch as well. When I install the winch and bumper do I need to put the winch on the bumper first or can I intall the bumper and then the winch?

Not sure I am going to be able to muscle up both at same time to get it on the frame. If I ahve to put winch on first I may need to wait to find someone to help me get it up there.

I decided to hold off on the bar because I may want to install the stinger later on so it will be plain on top for now. I am not getting the end caps because I like the stubby look.

Any install issues you guys have had with this bumper?

 

I installed my winch after I mounted the bumper. It wasn't bad at all to do.

 

I have the same bumper with the stinger and a warn M8000. Taking the bumper off makes it much easier...get a case of beer and a friend, as an extra set of hands will be needed to mount the bumper with the winch bolted to it.

 

To answer your last question...YES.

A co-worker of mine has the same bumper. It's 100% made in China and it didn't exactly line-up like it should have. Two of the frame mounting bolt holes did not line up with the factory frame holes and also when he mounted his Warn Powerplant to it, the forward right winch mounting hole was a bit off as well. Plus he had to do a bit of modifying it to get the winch to "fit" where it should have. Being deployed right now I don't know if he's fixed it yet, but I know that he was pretty po'ed about it. Sorry, I know it's not the best news to recieve, but you asked and I answered. Good luck

 

hmmm....mine bolted up with no problem at all, the winch also went in with no problem. Everything lined up perfectly.

 

Hmmm....and?

 

I did my bumper first and winch second. Had no problems...