Hey guys,
I got a question here. I'm in the market for a winch because hunting season is coming around the corner and I thought it would be useful in other situations as well.
Anyways I went to a local shop and did some browsing on the internet looking for a mount kit for the truck. Now from o could find and what the parts shop tell me is warn has a hidden winch mount that goes behind your bumper. I like ot but the problem is I have a steelcraft grille guard on.
So really I'm asking is would it interfere with the grille guard brackets. Or does the winch mount go behind the frame because the grille guard bracket are bolted infron of the frame. If that's the case I would be okay right? If I have to I would need longer bolts.

If someone know this product or knows this area in general much help would be appreciated

Thanks, David

 

I would imagine unless the grill guard is just for show, it mounts to the factory tow hook holes, if so these are two of the places the hidden mount connects to. No go...

Two options are to either ditch the grill guard and go hidden or ditch the grill guard for one with either an included winch mount or an optional one. Well a third would be to get a winch bumper, but you'll lose the grill guard regardless.

I don't even think a receiver winch mount would work with the grill guard.

Problem is, the single strongest mount that is standard on the truck are the tow hook mounts, so anything weight bearing or added for strength will want to mount there...

 

I have the warn hidden winch on my 02. You have to drill out the tack welds on the inside tow hook reinforcement braces and remove the braces for the mount to fit between the framerails. This is also where the brushguard would mount, and ya cant fit both. This comes as a slight disadvantage because you lose a bit of the strength of the tow hooks, but then again, with the 8000 pounder and steel wire rope, I havent needed tow hooks. I also have a high capacity winch that holds fifty more feet of cable, and had to notch the back of the mount to make it fit. I love it. To heck with a brushgaurd.

 

 

 

The only disadvantage in the hidden mount is it cuts down the angle of pull in certain instances where you can't line up with what you are anchored to out in front of you. This may never even come up. I run into it once in a great while clearing trees from around the pond up at the farm.

But 95% of the time this won't come into play and it does make for a nice, tight look. Plus it makes the winch a LOT harder to steal...

 

That answers my problems. So basically I gotta ditch the guard, that sucks I just bought the damn thing and looks great. Unless I but those beefy bumpers or a guard that can have a winch on it. But then we're talking a lot of $$$. Hmm something to think about I guess

 

It's been my experience that if a grill guard does not have at least an option for a winch mount you're gonna find it's made of paper thin pipe and will be of very little use if you hit another vehicle, tree or even a good size deer.

Been many a post 'round here where someone hit a deer with even a name brand like Westin and it crumpled like yesterday's newspaper.

Here's Brandon Anderson's Westin Bull Bar after a little fender bender:



I mean if you bought a grill guard for looks, fine, but if you bought it thinking it's gonna protect the truck in case of mishap, unless it's along the lines of a Warn, Farm Hand, etc. it ain't happening...

 

I believe you on that one, I had a U-Guard bull bar on my truck recently then I rear ended a hyundai accent. There was more damage to me then him, he had a little golf ball size dent and a paint scratch where I had my bar pushed into my bumper. But thanks for the tip

 

I'm waiting for a pic of this truck with the grill guard, though... LOL...

IMO get the winch, even if it's an inexpensive Chinese made one and do what you gotta do for the grill guard, fab it up to fit with the winch, lose it, whatever.

First time you get stuck and have to pay for a flatbed to come get you will cost most or not all what that grill guard cost you.

I'm actually toying with the idea of getting a grill guard for my Grand Cherokee and cutting it and welding it to the outer edges of my receiver hitch frame. Would let me have a grill guard and keep the receiver hitch up front for my winch and all my other toys I slide on the front...

Something along the lines of what this guy did with a bull bar on his Grand Cherokee: