Winch in Factory Front Bumper

truckman1974 · Dec 28, 2014

I see this guy has installed a winch in the Factory OEM Bumper. Has anyone else done this and if so which winches fit in there? I think this is something I'd be willing to do.

Before I deployed to Africa I picked up a 12,000lb winch from Harbor Freight (pictured also below) to use in my enclosed trailer when hauling heavy things and needing to be able to have some extra help when I don't have enough A$$ to pull something up in there (last time it was a 1000lb gun safe!).

Anyway, I haven't tried it yet and have no idea of the quality of it to use exterior wise on the truck (never really thought about it till I saw this photo online). I know it'd serve it's purpose well protected inside my trailer from the elements....and I wouldn't be opposed to purchasing a new (real) quality winch if you KNOW it would fit in the space behind the OEM bumper.

Anyone have any experience with this? If so, please post pics and tell us what brand and model winch you have in there and if you've actually used it and it has stood up to the elements well.

Thanks!

gfulton · Dec 28, 2014

Warn makes a hidden kit that extends the bumper out about 6".....

zporta · Dec 28, 2014

that picture seems to have the bumper pushed out a few inches as well

UNBROKEN · Dec 28, 2014

More than a few I'd say. I bet it looks like crap in person.

HeavyAssault · Dec 28, 2014

I've seen the Warn Hidden winch system on the newer '11+ trucks locally. Not the best looking setup in my mind as I don't like the fat lip look.

truckman1974 · Dec 28, 2014

Yea, I didn't realize the bumper was so pushed out like that. I'm glad you all pointed that out. I don't foresee myself NEEDING a winch, but would like to have one just in case.....Maybe I can explore other options. I've even seen the kind that attaches to your trailer hitch via a slide in bar that has the winch attached to a plate. Maybe that's an option. I know they have hitches that you can get somehow on the front bumper. Not sure if they are well hidden though. I wouldn't want to ride around with that looking ugly either...

zporta · Dec 28, 2014

Or maybe mount one behind the rear bumper with a flip down license plate if you don't care a factory spare tire

ftast350 · Dec 28, 2014

You can get a receiver that mounts in the bumper between the tow hooks and then just mount that winch on a hitch plate. That way you can use it up front or in the back (as long as you run wire to both ends)

truckman1974 · Dec 28, 2014

I like that idea...

Dzchey21 · Dec 28, 2014

ftast350 said:
You can get a receiver that mounts in the bumper between the tow hooks and then just mount that winch on a hitch plate. That way you can use it up front or in the back (as long as you run wire to both ends)

thats the best way to do it anyway, more versitile because sometimes going back the way you came in is the better option LOL

gfulton · Dec 29, 2014

Dzchey21 said:
thats the best way to do it anyway, more versitile because sometimes going back the way you came in is the better option LOL

I believe they make a bracket to store the winch in your bed that is secure and lockable when not in use.....

truckman1974 · Dec 29, 2014

Dzchey21 said:
thats the best way to do it anyway, more versitile because sometimes going back the way you came in is the better option LOL

I wonder if I could rig up one of those hidden plate hitches for the front? Surely they make those for the front also huh?

truckman1974 · Dec 29, 2014

gfulton said:
I believe they make a bracket to store the winch in your bed that is secure and lockable when not in use.....

Any idea what its called (maybe a link)? Thanks.

UNBROKEN · Dec 29, 2014

truckman1974 said:
I wonder if I could rig up one of those hidden plate hitches for the front? Surely they make those for the front also huh?

You could do what I did with the roll pan and hidden hitch on my old truck...just weld a piece of metal to hold the plate onto an old ball mount and plug it into the front receiver. Worked really well and didn't make the plate stick out further like the flip up plate mounts tend to do.

truckman1974 · Dec 29, 2014

UNBROKEN said:
You could do what I did with the roll pan and hidden hitch on my old truck...just weld a piece of metal to hold the plate onto an old ball mount and plug it into the front receiver. Worked really well and didn't make the plate stick out further like the flip up plate mounts tend to do.

That's a great idea! Since it'd be an old mount I could even pop a hole in it exactly where the front plate needed to be so it wouldn't even be noticeable. You could still reach the pin to unhook the plate when needed?

Have any of you installed a front hitch on a 2012? Any recommendations, links, photos?

Would this be a safe way to mount a hitch (could the mount/hitch hold that much force or would I be severely limited)?

Thank you.

CATDiezel · Dec 29, 2014

I've seen one in person....

It's unbearable. I walked over to my f250 and ripped all the emblems and badges off of it due to embarrassment of my truck being in the same parking lot at the truck with the pushed out bumper and stood next to to chevy until he left.

I've never had that feeling or experience before or after that. It was a weird one time ordeal.

I did not want to ever see that "other Ford" ever again.

Anyways.....

No

ftast350 · Dec 29, 2014

truckman1974 said:
I wonder if I could rig up one of those hidden plate hitches for the front? Surely they make those for the front also huh?

Now that I've been looking I can't find em, I can only find them for the dodges.
They wouldn't be hard to make with some 2"x2", 3/8 " plate and a receiver.
I built one for my buddies Chevy granted we used 3x3 box tubing and cut off his bumper mounts but he had a body lift. It wouldn't be very hard to adapt it to bolt in between the tow hooks.