[Big-n-Broke-YJ]

Originally Posted by Devildog985

Post some pics also on how you mounted it to.

As far as mounting goes I will have to build up my mount almost a full inch because of where I want my fairlead mounted... I don't want it sticking out past the front edge of my bumper more than it absolutely has to so MY mounting will most likely be different than the way most people would choose to do this.....

I built my front bumper to be basic and effective.... and it is... but i never thought i'd have a winch so that wasn't thought into the planning... hence the reason my mounting will be different/odd..... but yes, i will post pictures once i mount it. I can't do that until i get my gas cylinder filled though... hard to weld without gas

Originally Posted by jeeepguy

Hmmm... well... you could just go with a hydro winch and be done with it.

Originally Posted by notmyj

Im with you...

i had a hydraulic mile marker 10,000 lb (if i remember right) winch on an old CJ that I owned for about 2 months.... the one time I needed it to wich myself out, i had no engine.... and thus i had no functional winch. for that reason alone, I'll never have another one.

Now when I used it (a dozen or so times) to winch out friends, it was great.... but i didn't buy a winch to help others... i bought this to help myself....

UPDATE:

i clocked the transmission part of the winch tonight. that's not the right name by any means but that is essentially what it is so that is what i'm going to call it for now....

it was pretty easy... just unbolt the two allen's that hold the two rods to the tranny (the big chrome rods that run from side to side) and then remove the tranny.

Once you remove it you unbolt all the 12 or so metric allen screws and clock it accordingly.

then replace the allens (thread them all first... don't tighten any until they have all been threaded).

then sit the winch on the motor side and sit the drum in place and then sit the tranny in place. be sure not to mess up any of the seals and be sure to take your time getting the gears and shaft to seat correctly.

then replace/tighten the two big allen bolts on the chrome rods and you're good to go!









CLOCKED! now i can access the free spool/engagement lever without it hitting my bumper's light hoop...

-Erik

[1 ton yj]

Erik how is your front bumper built? Mine is welded to the frame and plated on the sides. My crossmember tube is long gone, I'm probably going to sink mine into the frame and build the fairlead into the bumper. There is plenty of room between the rails for it.

[jzmtl]

Originally Posted by Spdfrkss

Magnets are funny this way as if you were to break a peice off a magnet it work it would oppose it self from the rest of the magnet and bounce off or repel off and go flying.. It is the whole north and south thingy with magnets..

In theory yes, but chances are it'll flip around and stick again.

[Big-n-Broke-YJ]

my bumper has a 1/4" plate that goes fromf rame rail to frame rail and then all the way back to the grill's body mount.

i don't want the fairlead sticking out farther than it has to so in order to do that the winch needs to be moved up a little to keep the fairlead in line with the bottom half of the drum where the cable comes out.

the front of the bumper is 1/4" 2x4" square tubing so going through that for a recessed look is pretty much impossible....






i still have the round crossmember between the frame rails.... i plan to weld 2" 1/4" flat bar that i have laying around from that crossmember to the (bottom side) back edge [or close to it] of the bumper to reinforce it so the winch doesn't "peel" the bumper.

[LOCKED UP]

Erik,
You must have very little backspacing on those wheels huh?

[sardog12]

Originally Posted by Big-n-Broke-YJ

I would think that looks like a factory defect. Get it replaced now that way there could be no question from them that it has been used, abused, etc...

Thanks for the great writeup. Very informative and unbiased.

[chupacabrah]

hey erik, maybe i missed it, but where did you order this winch from for that price?

[Big-n-Broke-YJ]

Originally Posted by LOCKED UP

Erik,
You must have very little backspacing on those wheels huh?

2.75" backspacing, 15x12" wheels, 39.5x18" tires

i like the wide look if youc an't tell, hehe

Originally Posted by sardog12

I would think that looks like a factory defect. Get it replaced now that way there could be no question from them that it has been used, abused, etc...

Thanks for the great writeup. Very informative and unbiased.

definatly a factory defect and once i get it mounted i'll call them about it since the motor is easy as could be to remove. i hope to have it mounted this weekend and call by monday to find out about a replacement...

Originally Posted by chupacabrah

hey erik, maybe i missed it, but where did you order this winch from for that price?

sorry... www.4wd.com $299 + shipping. currently they have a 10% off discount on all orders over $200 or something like that. Worked out to $303.93 shipped got it in 2 days....

-Erik

[DILYSI Dave]

Originally Posted by Big-n-Broke-YJ

2.75" backspacing, 15x12" wheels, 39.5x18" tires

i like the wide look if youc an't tell, hehe

So you've got 2.75" BS, which means 9.25" of dish. Have you ever had a problem with the wheels trying to bend, with this much cantilever's out?

The reason I ask is because it seems like you could get wide axles and then wheels with lots of backspacing and be able to do 1-tons without having to narrow them, but still having a normal-ish track width.

[1 ton yj]

Originally Posted by Big-n-Broke-YJ

2.75" backspacing, 15x12" wheels, 39.5x18" tires

i like the wide look if youc an't tell, hehe

-Erik

I think I can actually hear your balljoints screaming for mercy!

Originally Posted by DILYSI Dave

The reason I ask is because it seems like you could get wide axles and then wheels with lots of backspacing and be able to do 1-tons without having to narrow them, but still having a normal-ish track width.

H2 wheels have deep backspace. I've seen Jeeps with full width axles, H2 wheels and 13.5" wide tires that fit inside 4" TJ flares.

[DILYSI Dave]

Originally Posted by 1 ton yj

I think I can actually hear your balljoints screaming for mercy!



H2 wheels have deep backspace. I've seen Jeeps with full width axles, H2 wheels and 13.5" wide tires that fit inside 4" TJ flares.

Awesome info. Thanks!

[jeeepguy]

Originally Posted by Big-n-Broke-YJ

i had a hydraulic mile marker 10,000 lb (if i remember right) winch on an old CJ that I owned for about 2 months.... the one time I needed it to wich myself out, i had no engine.... and thus i had no functional winch. for that reason alone, I'll never have another one.

In 31 yrs of wheeling, I have never been in a situation where my engine wasn't available and I could safely winch myself out. If the motor wasn't running, then I was in a situation where self-winching wasn't safe or practical.

And if you're referring to a winch situation where submergance is a concern, it wouldn't be practical to use an electric winch by any means.

This is an old arguement and everyone has an opinion... I wouldn't have an electric winch with its assorted electrical load, heating, stalling and motor/solenoid failure issues. To each his own... but I'll take reliability and durability anytime, thus a hydro winch.

[Big-n-Broke-YJ]

nothign wrong with a hydro winch if it meets your needs... i know you can get hydraulic pumps and so forth so that in the event your engine does fail you are still able to winch, but that just doesn't seem very practical for MY particular needs.

I'd probably have a much less biased opinion about them if it wasn't for the failure i experienced.... I hydrolocked my 304 while crossing a creek and at that time i NEEDED it as water was up to my headlights and trying to take my jeep down stream. An electric winch would have gotten me out, and for that reason alone... i'll be electric from here on out. Solenoid failure isn't as normal as many make it out to be... and even if a solenoid did fail... jumper cables from the winch motor to the battery and you're back in business.....



UPDATE: mounted the winch, still working on the wiring....

lesson #1: don't build a bumper and expect adding winch provisions to be easy down the road when that day comes... it's not. i just spent 4 hours grinding and cutting up flat bar to add a gussetted fairlead mount and adding gussets to the underside of the winch mounting plate (top of my bumper) to keep it from peeling/bending, Then I spent 30 minutes tryign to get wrenches up in the tiny space i left myself to work with around the winch's mounting bolts. ugh. Still can't get the front two... need a stubby open ended 5/8" wrench

-Erik <--- curious if anyone else has bought one of these yet

PS- off topic but my next set of wheels will likely have quite a bit more backspacing

[LOCKED UP]

Originally Posted by Big-n-Broke-YJ

lesson #1: don't build a bumper and expect adding winch provisions to be easy down the road when that day comes... it's not. ....

PS- off topic but my next set of wheels will likely have quite a bit more backspacing

Yeah, I'm not looking forward to that myself either, but I do have a winch plate I can cut and make use of it necessary



I have a set of 2.5" BS wheels on the way. They are 15x8 though so I think my ball joints won't scream too much. I assume getting an inspection is not an option for you with the tires that far out. I may actually end up getting some cheapo backup wheels & tires for the inspections ... You should look at some H2 wheels if you ever want an inspection. I think there are a few guys on here running those.

On the wiring side I think I read you are gonna wire in the plug for the controler instead of just hardwiring the whole thing. I say good call. There may be a time that you do not want to be in the vehicle while you are winching

[jeeepguy]

Originally Posted by Big-n-Broke-YJ

... I hydrolocked my 304 while crossing a creek and at that time i NEEDED it as water was up to my headlights and trying to take my jeep down stream.....

This is why I made my statement:

"And if you're referring to a winch situation where submergance is a concern, it wouldn't be practical to use an electric winch by any means"

Originally Posted by Big-n-Broke-YJ

... An electric winch would have gotten me out.....

Sorry but no... if the winch were submerged, an electric won't work and you wouldn't want it to. ONLY hydro winches work underwater, and yes, only if the engine is running. In that case, time for the Hi-Lift...