WARN Multi-Mount Winch Attached to Front Receiver Hitch

Jakob1972

Is your plan to pack the winch in the cargo area then install it once you get to the trail? Or when you need recovery? It seems like this idea will work. But I don’t know if I would leave it attached while driving public roads in case something happened you know.
By the way Congratulations on your Badsquatch.

ztlm39

I had given up on getting my Bronco after waiting two years, and after receiving the Ford email saying I might not get one. Then two weeks later, Ford told me they were building my Badlands Sasquatch MIC Lux. Go figure.

Now that I have it, I wanted a winch, but did not want to interfere with any of the cameras or radar. So, I purchased the WARN Zeon 10-S Multi-Mount Winch kit. But I wanted to use it on the front as well as the rear.

After removing the modular bumper, I figured I could insert a 2 inch receiver hitch tube into the bumper frame tube, but the frame tube was not big enough for a 2X2 receiver. However, a Reese 8 in. Trailer Hitch Receiver Extension for 2 inch receivers fits, once you cut away part of the steel bumper mount that bolts onto the modular bumper and is used to bolt the bumper onto the frame.

Conveniently there are already two holes drilled on each side of the bumper frame tube. All I had to do was drill them out large enough to fit the 5/8 in x 4 in grade 8 bolt I purchased. I also had to drill two new holes in the trailer hitch receiver extension so they would line up with the holes in the bumper frame tube. And I shortened the trailer hitch receiver extension by 3/4 inch so it would not stick out from the bumper quite so far.

If I get tired driving around town with somewhat of a unicorn looking front end, I can easily remove it by taking off the front skid plate to access the bolt securing the receiver extension. Putting the front receiver back on when I go wheeling should be no more than a 10-minute job.

I drove on the highway and did not notice any effect on the adaptive cruise control.

One kink I am working on is that the extension rotates up and down a little around the pivot of the bolt since the extension does not completely fill the bumper tube. It might make a little noise on really bumpy roads, but I have not noticed any yet. I am thinking some kind of wedge could go in there to stop the travel. But I do not expect it will have any effect on recovery. I have ordered some steel hatchet handle wedges to try.

LARS2827

Nice setup! Could you weld some flat stock on the extension as shims?

Jakob1972

It would be nice to have a quick removable winch it has kept me from attempting a few obstacles it does stick out quite a bit. I was thinking of doing something like this before we switched to the Everglades.

ztlm39

I had given up on getting my Bronco after waiting two years, and after receiving the Ford email saying I might not get one. Then two weeks later, Ford told me they were building my Badlands Sasquatch MIC Lux. Go figure.

Now that I have it, I wanted a winch, but did not want to interfere with any of the cameras or radar. So, I purchased the WARN Zeon 10-S Multi-Mount Winch kit. But I wanted to use it on the front as well as the rear.

After removing the modular bumper, I figured I could insert a 2 inch receiver hitch tube into the bumper frame tube, but the frame tube was not big enough for a 2X2 receiver. However, a Reese 8 in. Trailer Hitch Receiver Extension for 2 inch receivers fits, once you cut away part of the steel bumper mount that bolts onto the modular bumper and is used to bolt the bumper onto the frame.

Conveniently there are already two holes drilled on each side of the bumper frame tube. All I had to do was drill them out large enough to fit the 5/8 in x 4 in grade 8 bolt I purchased. I also had to drill two new holes in the trailer hitch receiver extension so they would line up with the holes in the bumper frame tube. And I shortened the trailer hitch receiver extension by 3/4 inch so it would not stick out from the bumper quite so far.

If I get tired driving around town with somewhat of a unicorn looking front end, I can easily remove it by taking off the front skid plate to access the bolt securing the receiver extension. Putting the front receiver back on when I go wheeling should be no more than a 10-minute job.

I drove on the highway and did not notice any effect on the adaptive cruise control.

One kink I am working on is that the extension rotates up and down a little around the pivot of the bolt since the extension does not completely fill the bumper tube. It might make a little noise on really bumpy roads, but I have not noticed any yet. I am thinking some kind of wedge could go in there to stop the travel. But I do not expect it will have any effect on recovery. I have ordered some steel hatchet handle wedges to try.

ztlm39

My friend has already made fun of me for how far that sticks out. However, on the trail it is function over form