Hey guys,

I'm new to posting but not new to the forums, I've looked over almost all the pages related to the wonderful 2nd gen Ram. However, I could not find anything related to this.

I want to purchase a winch for my truck, but I don't want to go for the aftermarket bumpers (Road Armor, Winch Ready, Ranch Hand, etc)

I want to retain my stock bumper since I already have a nice push bar bolted to it, and I really like the looks of the stock. Cutting to the chase, I was wondering if anyone knew of some sort of winch cradle that can bolt onto the stock bumper, or any way of properly securing a winch to the stock components.

And just to be sure, a 8,000lb winch should be more than enough to yank this truck out of trouble, right?

2001 5.2 Quad cab 4x4

Thanks,
Pat

 

I really don't know of a way to properly have a winch mount installed to the frame of the truck while maintaining an existing push bar (or at least not without having the truck actually in front of me).

There are many options for mounting a winch without having to replace the bumper though. Hidden mounts, grill guards with winch mounts (Warn, Westin, etc.) are available, plus you could always do the front receiver hitch and portable mount deal.

As far as an 8000# winch being sufficient, the rule of thumb is the winch should have 1.5x the capacity of the weight of your truck...

 

The bar is a lot like yours on your red truck, only it doesn't have the light guards on the sides and it's one that bolts to the chrome of the bumper, not to the frame. So everything under the truck is free.

 

I would think you would need to beef up behing the bumper a lot. If you stuck and really yanking on the winch thats a ton of force on your bumper, if thats where your mounting it. Not saying it cant be done just saying your going to need better inforcement than factory, otherwise youll be stuck without a bumper in the mud lol.

 

Receiver mount winch cradle, and a front receiver is what you want. It also give you the ability to live the winch at home when you don't need it. (hanging that weight off the front of your truck DOES have an effect on fuel economy, and handling.) Not only that, but it also gives you the option of setting up your rear hitch for the winch as well.

Only bad point I have found for this option, is the strongest front receiver I have found is only rated for 9000 pounds.......

 

Yeah, but I think the problem you are gonna run into is that it's going to be in the way of anything you try to do for a solid winch mount. BEST option would be to replace it with one MADE for a winch (or at least has the capability of accepting a winch mount). The thing HAS to be securely frame mounted.



Yeah, that's why I would make that my LAST choice on a full size truck. I have that setup on my Grand Cherokee 4x4 with a Warn front receiver hitch (which is also rated for 9000# ROLLING capacity). I really like having a receiver hitch on the front because about anything you can bolt to or weld to a 2" square pipe you can stick on the front. I made my own light bar for use when the winch isn't on and am going to make a holder for four fishing rods in the spring. I'll basically have a "swiss army knife" for the front of the Jeep. Difference is, my Jeep weighs in at just a shade over 4000 lbs.
Remember, ALL the receiver mounts are rated for ROLLING WEIGHT and not "STUCK" weight...

 

I dont know about a winch with the stock bumper on a 2nd gen but I have seen 3rd gen trucks with winches and the stock bumper. I wonder if the place that makes the mounts for the 3rd gen trucks makes one for the 2nd gen trucks?

 

This is your basic "hidden winch mount" although I believe this one is for a Ford F-150. Advantages are it keeps your winch out of the weather, harder to steal and allows you to retain the front bumper.
Installation is usually to the existing holes in the frame where the bumper mounts. You would remove the bumper, install the mount and re-attach the bumper, usually with longer (and grade 8) bolts...

 

If you ever legitimately need to use the winch, 8,000lb might not work for you. My friend burned out an 8,000lb Warn winch pulling his Bronco II through some sand, and a Bronco II is about 2,000lb lighter than our trucks.

 

Yep, as I stated above, rule is 1.5x the weight of the truck (so assuming a 6000# truck that would dictate a 9000# winch MINIMUM), HOWEVER your friend would probably not have burned out the winch had he used a ****** block, which dramatically increases the pulling capacity of a winch (although it negatively effects the speed at which the winch operates - physics 101, LOL)...