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View Full Version : Fabbing WK Winch Bumper Questions



Z
12-22-2007, 01:30 PM
I want to have a front winch bumper built for my WK. I want the bumper to be as shallow as possible.

AEV was able to embed a winch in a stock WK bumper. The stock bumper sticks out 3-4 inches from the grill, but a winch is 7-8" deep:
http://www.wkjeeps.com/mojave/2005_wk_mojave_004.jpg

Here's the front of my WK with the bumper fascia removed. As you can see there's a sheet metal crossmember tying the two sides together. This crossmember also holds the lower portion of the grill. Also, not noticeable from this picture, there's a good 6-10 inches between the rear of the crossmember and the front of the radiator.
http://www.travelerz.net/ZJForSale/WKFront-50.jpg

The only way AEV could have embedded the winch into the stock fascia is to cut into the crossmember, in essence, placing a winch box in the yellow area below, which would stick into the gap between the radiator and the crossmember.

http://www.travelerz.net/ZJForSale/WKFrontModified-50.jpg

I'm thinking of cutting away the front and bottom of the crossmember, leaving the back and top intact. This would give me an extra 2 inches of depth, so the bumper face would probably stick out in front of the grill by 4 inches, which I'd think would be pretty acceptable. If I didn't cut into the crossmember, I'm looking at 6-7" of bumper in front of the grill, which doesn't sound like a lot, but sure looks like a lot compared to the stock bumper.

So, if I do this, how would you secure the back of the bumper to the crossmember remnants? Lots of bolts, or would you weld two disparate metal thicknesses together?

Any other (appropriate) thoughts would be appreciated.

For those that have mounted your winch clutch lever facing downward (ARB bumpers do this, right?) - do you find this orientation a pain in the butt, or is it no big deal?

By the way, obviously the winch will be the type with the non-integrated solinoid pack. I should have enough room to embed the solinoid pack INSIDE the bumper, why don't winch manufacturers have a remote plug option, where the solinoid pack is secured out of the way and out of site and just the remote plug receiver is visible on the bumper? (Yeah, I know, they now have wireless remotes, but you still want to have access to the plug receiver for emergencies, don't you?)

jarrod
12-22-2007, 03:31 PM
AEV basically cut off the front cross member and welded in a new one with a winch tray. There is a thread on J.U.
Here is the link
http://www.jeepsunlimited.com/forums/showthread.php?t=778836&highlight=hidden+winch+mount

Z
12-22-2007, 03:51 PM
EXCELLENT! Thanks for that link!

canadian_driver
12-22-2007, 04:42 PM
can you make ur pictures smaller?

Z
12-22-2007, 07:58 PM
can you make ur pictures smaller?

I thought it was important to give as much detail about the crossmember as possible. Can you not download those pics?

ILikeMud
12-22-2007, 08:46 PM
Joel is just being a dick, Z, ignore him.

jsteves
12-23-2007, 11:50 AM
It acutally just hurts his head to try and take that much in all at the same time.

I like the crossmember in the link. It might even be worth it buy that from AEV if they sell it. Then you could use it behind whatever bumper you fab up.

ILikeMud
12-23-2007, 01:12 PM
It acutally just hurts his head to try and take that much in all at the same time.

:smt082

tywilson88
12-23-2007, 07:29 PM
that bumper/winch setup look great. has anyone done something like this w/ their zj

Z
12-23-2007, 07:38 PM
that bumper/winch setup look great. has anyone done something like this w/ their zj
Not that I know of, but the crossmember is pretty much the same (though not quite as tall) in the ZJ.

CANADIAN ZJ!
12-24-2007, 10:22 AM
http://www.grandcherokeephotos.com/albums/userpics/10156/grinding.JPG

http://www.jeepkings.ca/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=23466&d=1198505897

I got more if you want... usually the tow hook bolts, and or lower rad support bolts provide good starting point for a bumper mount. I then used 8 bolts sandwiching the frame wall (plate slid into the frame which I opened up)

tywilson88
12-24-2007, 11:49 PM
i actually cut off my whol stock front x member. and replaced it with a 1/4" piece of 2x3. i wanted to know if anyne has hid a winch behind the stock bumper?

Z
12-24-2007, 11:58 PM
http://www.grandcherokeephotos.com/albums/userpics/10156/grinding.JPG

http://www.jeepkings.ca/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=23466&d=1198505897

I got more if you want... usually the tow hook bolts, and or lower rad support bolts provide good starting point for a bumper mount. I then used 8 bolts sandwiching the frame wall (plate slid into the frame which I opened up)
Looks interesting, but you have to sign up/log in to view the forum contents.

CANADIAN ZJ!
12-25-2007, 02:57 AM
i wanted to know if anyne has hid a winch behind the stock bumper?

what would be the point of that? first tree you hit and the winch would crush the rad. the point of all that steel is protection, for the lights, rad etc. it's a lil further out than absolutely necessary but I'm happy with it for now. Will mod/hack up as necessary

Z, sorry bout the cross link...here ya go

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa221/CDN_ZJ/zj1.jpg?t=1198565803

again with the crosslink wtf! why do some pics post direct locations, and other are ghey and end up linked??? I'll try to get the finished pic up on a proper hosted site for the morning

tywilson88
12-25-2007, 03:01 AM
i dont know man, i just thought it would be cool, never seen i before...

and wow, what is that grill??? is that wood?

CANADIAN ZJ!
12-25-2007, 03:07 AM
lmao, no it's 1-1/2" HSS tube. It's overkill...but I had it layin around.

I Think Im gunna cnc a piece of 1/4" plate for the grill and fill it with expanded metal. I just have this attachment to the 7 slots...I dunno...I needed a grill so one night I came up with somthing, you need a starting point to improve from. since then the grill hasnt been high on my list of priorities...sleeving the frame and a belly skid are much higer on the list of priorities for now

Z
12-25-2007, 09:51 AM
Canadian - that looks great. I would appreciate any build-up pictures you have have taken.

CANADIAN ZJ!
12-28-2007, 04:50 PM
I have a bunch of good pics. They're at the office and I'm away for a few days, i'll post what I have next week

cheers

Z
12-28-2007, 05:04 PM
I have a bunch of good pics. They're at the office and I'm away for a few days, i'll post what I have next week

cheers

Thanks!

CANADIAN ZJ!
01-06-2008, 03:29 PM
didnt feel like re-posting the pics so here's the link to my photobucket gallery.
http://s202.photobucket.com/albums/aa221/CDN_ZJ/

the second last pic in there (plate.jpg) has a good explanation of my mouting system.

any q's just ask

cheers

macka
01-10-2008, 12:09 PM
are you armouring the bottom of the rad? I'm thinking of using the existing captured nuts to hang some real armour plate to protect the rad and oil pan.