Installing Simbars winch mount and building a bumper need advice

[ArmyRover]

I have a Simbars winch mount for the RRC that came with the parts rover. I have decided it's time to get on to building a custom bumper and using the winch mount.

I just finished pulling the brush guard and bumper assembly off the front and mounting up the winch mount.














As you can see it sticks out quite a ways off the front of the rig. I'm debating taking it to a machine shop and having the holes redrilled to pull it farther in towards the body. Looking at the dimensions on the winch I plan to use (smitty built 8k or 10k) I don't see where room would be an issue for the winch with drawing the mount in. I plan to do a tubular bumper to mount off of the winch mount as one assembly. It will have a A-bar built in and light mounts as well.

So the question is do I leave the winch mount as is assuming that the british company that designed a built it knows what they are doing or do I fiddle with having it redrilled to pull it in closer to the body? To me it seems to far out and I feel that it's going to kill approach angles.

Also would it be acceptable to use the eyelets on the winch mount for the shackle recovery points?

oh and yes I know it's rusty I'll clean that up it's all surface rust where the factory coating was flaking off.

[cellulararrest]

You definitely want to get the winch as close to the body as possible. The farther away it is that worse your approach angle. Plus the easier it is to bend the mount on a hard pull.

[ArmyRover]

That's what I was thinking Chris thanks.

[cellulararrest]

haha missed this thread over on SNHLR.

[atvsmurf]

You should also consider reconfiguring the mounting holes... it would be much stronger with more than two bolts on each side... oh yeah, get it closer to the truck and up a bit higher as well... you may be better off doing a mounting plate from scratch...

[ArmyRover]

I did this as a quick photochop of what I'm thinking.

[ArmyRover]

I got the cutting done tonight.

I'll start the drilling in the morning picked up a cobalt craftsman bit for the old drill and got the hole alignment worked out so tomorrow I'll be able to drill and fit it up. Then start on the bumper portion. I also got her sprayed with extend to start neutralizing the rust. The rust is just surface but looks horrible lol.

I sprayed it after the pics.....








So wish me luck with the rest of it lol

[atvsmurf]

brush a little naval jelly on it for ~ 15 minutes... that'll take care of the rust...

[ArmyRover]

She's already turning a nice shade of black lol. Extend works well

[ArmyRover]

or maybe it doesn't she started looking like crap again by this afternoon. O'well I'll pick up something better tonight.

I only got the holes drilled and the pipe cut today apparently sears no longer stocks saws all blades for their saws all's at the store near my house. They did however offer to sell me a new saws all since it comes with blades. morons.....

Here's a few pics of the moved mount...

[ArmyRover]

I had the wife help with taking a few pics while I held up to options I'm looking at for the bumper.

my assistant mechanic inspecting the progress...











I'm sleeping on it trying to decide which way to go...

Oh and sorry for the crap quality of the pics my assistant hid the memory card for the good camera.....

[ArmyRover]

So does anybody like one more than the other? twin tube or tube and steel plate?

[GDEclassic]

I Like the twin tube, but what about your brush guard? I think you should chop up your factory bumper and fig a way to use it in conjunction with your brush guard. That wud be pretty cool. Im still concerned for your approach angle though... and judging from the photochop, is it possible the mount was bent upwards the way it was due to it not being strong enough when someone winched at an upward angle? Hope that makes sense. dont know how to word that. Also def. double check all your bolts and nuts (and lock washers) that they are a hi-grade. I believe they suggest grade 5 or better. The head of the bolt will usually have lines indicating its grade. I just went through a similar mounting delima. strength is #1 on the priority list obviously but you really want to consider operation and mount function as well. If strong enough those recovery eyelets shud work well. Im still working on good front recovery points.

[ArmyRover]

The mount is straight as far as I can tell. In the second group of photo's it shows it mounted up after the chop and re drilling of the holes, It came out good and looks nice and straight even though it's not bolted in. I just had some bolts stuck through to hold it in place. I'm using grade 8 bolts for the mount points. No reason to skimp there lol. I have been kicking around chopping the factory brush guard up to use it as part of the bumper.

The factory bumper is out at this point after moving the mount up and back I would have to chop the bumper into pieces and weld it back together to clear the mount.

ok so one vote for twin tube...

Thanks for the input

[ArmyRover]

Well I went an entirely different direction in the end and it still has some work ahead to finish it up but for now it's functional in a redneck sort of way lol...

I found that my design skills are vastly superior to my welding and fab skills. I learned lately that arc welding is a perishable skill that I hadn't used in 8+ years and I'm no where near as good at it as I was.






oh well with time I'll improve it