I read a lot of horror stories and poor reviews on the Mile Marker winches on the off-road and Jeep forums, but they are all the electric ones, I've never read a poor review of a hydraulic one. I've known a few people to blow the PS pump running one, but I've known a lot more to kill an alternator running an electric one, regardless of brand. In my pic that shows my Hella lights on my little home-made light bar you can see my electric quick-connects. I tuck them behind the lower grill when not in use and stuck them out for the purpose of the picture...

 

fortunately, I've had good luck with the Mile Marker hydraulic. The only issue was a line that got cut and lost fluid. Somebody driving my truck didn't put the lines away properly and it dragged on the road. I never liked electric winches because of the power consumption. the hydraulics can be run all day as long as the engine is running. they pull less than 2 amps of power for solenoid. Typically, the best way with an electric winch is to have dual batteries, and a dual battery isolator is best so you don't drain your starting battery. the alternator certainly gets a work out with any electric winch to recharge the batteries.

 

Yeah, I run dual, the second is a deep cycle/starting battery on a Stinger isolator on the truck. In my Jeep, I don't use it often, it's basically a "hand me down Warn" when I upgraded the one on the truck. But don't you think for one minute I don't carry a jump box in that Jeep ALL the time...

 

Hammer, here are some pictures to show how the grill guard mounts to the bumper. Do you think this is strong enough for a winch?

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Those bumper brackets look quite a bit weak, but remember, the tow hooks are suitable to pull the vehicle so the mounts to the tow hook holes should handle it. But I question if the grill guard itself is strong enough. It's hard to tell, but it doesn't look like 1/4" and that's what I think it'd take them uprights to be.

You really need someone who knows their sh*t to look at it first hand, pics just aren't enough, especially when a failure could cause serious damage and seriously hurt someone or worse. Winches or even snatching a vehicle out with a tow strap is serious business and people are killed all too often when not observing all the safety procedures WITH equipment rated to do it...

 

Yea I will have one of my buddys look at it here. The guard is stout and made of steel. The guy made it custom for the truck and he makes all of the push guards for the cops here locally. It has already hit 3 deer and a car and is solid as ever. I could always beef up the mounts if needed.

 

Yeah, I just don't want to tell you go ahead and do it and you have a problem. I've been welding since I was 13, and ran my first winch almost 20 years ago, but I'm not about to try to make a judgement call on something that could potentially be dangerous to you if I can't look it over first hand...

 

I have to agree those brackets don't look like they would hold a strong winch. Depending on the pulling strength of the winch, there is a lot of energy that can be released suddenly and violently. Sure would had to see that come off like a ribbon on a Christmas present.