Winch mount question.

[Hondafreak08]

So im thinking about a winch. And i would obvoiusly want one for front and rear( who wouldnt). So i have a hitch reciever in the front and rear of my truck. Is there any way i could make a winch mount to slide into these recievers? so if i have to have it in the back i could simply slide it out and into the rear reciever? Then run power to front and rear with a switch to control where power goes. And if my buddies need it i could rig it up to fit there trucks

 

[brendank]

So im thinking about a winch. And i would obvoiusly want one for front and rear( who wouldnt). So i have a hitch reciever in the front and rear of my truck. Is there any way i could make a winch mount to slide into these recievers? so if i have to have it in the back i could simply slide it out and into the rear reciever? Then run power to front and rear with a switch to control where power goes. And if my buddies need it i could rig it up to fit there trucks

I wouldn't want to be able to move it. When you're tits deep in mud, are you going to want to carry a 100 lb winch around? Me either. My solution is just to buy a front and rear winch, but that's not for everyone.


If you look into the champion brand winches, they actually come with a neat mounting bracket that actually has handles on the side and a male receiver build into it. All you'd need is front and rear receivers on your truck, and wiring to accommodate both.

The receiver is on the other side of the pic.

I'm not sure if any other brands have this. Another option would be to make one from scratch, or buy one from champion and adapt it to another brand of winch.

 

[Jspafford]

You can buy mounting trays for any brand.

 

[Dishtowel]

Ok, i just threw my cardomain together in approx 10 min because I'm not allowed to post pics, so i hope this gives you some idea of what you can do.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2929003/1

I bought a keyed hitch pin and my winch lives on the front, when I want/need I can take it off and put it in my rear hitch receiver, most often to pull out someone behind me on super tight trails, lol. Since you are a truck you could have your winch living in the box of your truck somewhere if you made a bracket to hold it. Then when you go wheeling, as you lock in your hubs, or click in your 4x4 or whatever, get out and install your winch in your hitch reciever and you are ready for a good time.

PS: My champion winch, as pictured by brendank69 weights 135 lbs

 

[Hondafreak08]

yeah i dont want to carry the 125lb winch,, but if it comes down to it i would if i couldnt get it home

 

[AllanD]

Both Warn and Ramsey atleast make Receiver mounts for their winches.

And sell them for less than it is practical for most people to make one themselves.
I've actually seen them on the shelf at Tractor supply company.

It's GOTTA be cheaper to have one winch that you can move to which ever end of the truck you need it...

100#? Oh please, it's gotta be easier than carrying the truck out of a "stuck"

Also remember that being able to take your winch off means
that when you KNOW you won't need it you can leave it locked
in your garage.

It also means that most of the time your winch won't act as a bumper guard in a collision.

One of the sadder sights I've ever seen was a MileMarker 8000# Winch mushed flat
by a collision.

AD

 

[rickcdewitt]

i just went through this type of project on my truck. the cables are the most expensive part of the multi mount(besides the winch) if you have steel lying around.i don't know if its the strongest set up but i'm cheap and one winch is good enough for me.besides a cheap winch like my milemarker will porobably last longer out of the elements.i might get stuck without it some time but at least i'll know that getting unstuck is only as far away as a drive home to get the winch.

 

[brendank]

It's GOTTA be cheaper to have one winch that you can move to which ever end of the truck you need it...

100#? Oh please, it's gotta be easier than carrying the truck out of a "stuck"

Also remember that being able to take your winch off means
that when you KNOW you won't need it you can leave it locked
in your garage.

It also means that most of the time your winch won't act as a bumper guard in a collision.

One of the sadder sights I've ever seen was a MileMarker 8000# Winch mushed flat
by a collision.

AD

I agree. It's definitely a cheaper alternative than having two. Maybe for the type of wheeling he does, it would be just fine. I'm just saying that for times when this happens, I'll find another solution rather than pulling the winch off of the front and moving it to the back:

 

[Jim Oaks]

One of my Rangers (TRS-1) has front and rear receivers with a removeable winch. I went to my local welding supply shop and got some heavy welding cable and quick disconnect connectors and have them at both receivers to plug the winch in to. My Warn had actually came with instructions/dimensions should you try to make your own mounting plate. Winches usually weigh about 80lbs plus the weight of the mount. I've been fortunate to never fall on my ass with it in the mud.

I sell receiver mounts from Milemarker, but I'm out of town right now so I can't quote you a price so you could compare to making your own.

 

[Explorin94]

I have a hitch front and rear on my truck. I have used both and see no reason for 2 winches. Yeah the winch has some weight to it, but would rather carry it around the truck than spend the money on another one. I have the quick disconnect for power front and rear also and it is nice. I had some 6 inch "C" channel lying aroung and an old wollered out receiver that I welded together to make a mount for my winch. As to the winch receivers they are pretty much the same dimesions for any of the larger winches so any of them will work.