I'm not too certain on the hidden winch idea. I can garuntee about the heavy front end (whole reason I got stuck in the water) But if the situation does occur and your really stuck. You don't want your winch there. Keep it some place very accessible. Plus makes your truck more rugged looking! I personaly think that's a pluss. Not like Rugged rough but RUgged Pretty! But for adding weight too the back you might try to add a toolbox and load it with crap. I saw on Trucks along time ago they had a water filled bag with a bunch of ballasts to help with trucks since they had such an offset weight.That could help [&:]

 

The front is very heavy, when I buried my truck and the uhh s-10 lowrider had to pull me out [8D], It took a full size chevy and a 4-runner 5 tries to get me out and it was not on the first try. If I had a winch I am sure it ould have been a lot eaiser and that would have been worth the added weight imo.

 

what is the model winch on a power wagon i think it would be cool to mount it the same way on my truck...

 

good morning all, i just got home, here are the pics i mentioned, a couple of posters mention the weight, that was a concern, but the weight of this package is just under a hundred pounds. i think the big bumper would add to that considerably. the other query was hooking up the power, front or rear, as you can see in the pics the quik connects take care of that problem. like i mentioned this is the 9k portable, i put a draw tite front receiver on because i could keep my stock front tow hooks in place, with the warn front hitch you would have to lose them. i to was thinking of a hidden winch system, but that only works on the 1500, with this setup and my winch kit,(if you go to the warn site and look up winch kits i put together the medium kit from stock at the local auto parts store) i have a winching capability of 18,000 pounds, i would have to be in a whole lot of **** to need that, the setup will fit in the rear with the gate up but i haven't tried with it down.

 

Clever idea. Also the bumper i was looking at would be 300 pounds so your looking at a 400 pound increase to the front end. Hey mayfair when i got towed out of the water it took a bulldozer only 1 try! But cost me 300 smackers. Took another dodge, my moms ford. A bunch of chains and a come along and they didn't even get it too budge!

If I did get a winch it'd be mounted on the bumper. umm... For the rear I'd tie a rope to the drive wheel and to a pully then back to the truck. [8D]

 

Here is what I built for my truck....

I can switch it front or back AND I kept my stock tow hooks.
And yes it is strong enough to get the truck out. Hadthe front buried up to the axleonce while pheasant hunting, hooked across the road to a phone pole, jumped in the truck andwinched her out no problem.
With temps in the upper 90's I haven't seen any engine overheating problems at all and the weight isn't an issue either. I think it weighs about 130 lbs with the receiver. You could always throw it in the back and only put it on when you needed it.

I don't have a picture but I modified the original design to get the winch in closer to the truck. Just cut the reinforcing ring off and slotted the tube to let the winch plate bolt in further.

I am getting ready to make one for a guy who saw my setup at the stealership a month ago and I am going to make one extra so I could be persuaded to fab these for you guys if there is any interest.

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The winch in the power wagon it s M12000. They are sprecial built for Dodge, and have a Dodge logo all over it.

The Power wagon winch and mount wount work in the Cummins because the intercooler is in the way.

I will probly get an aftermarket front bumper, if I can ever sell my Trail Ready bumper. I even have a winch off of a powerwagon, sitting on my floor in my garage.

 

What is this a pic of ??




Bert, I remember when you were making that. It turned out awesome !!

 

Thanks Mayfair, I get a few compliments on it now and then.

 

mayfair, that is the front quik connect, the other is on the winch body, there is a rear quik connect that runs from the battery to a solenoid, the solenoid has a switch in the cab the turns the power off to the rear and on when you want it. the rear goes through 24' #2 cables,another thing with this quik connect system is the jumper cable system i bought with it from warn, 24' jumpers that plug into the front or the back and you don't have to fiddle under the hood.

bert, that is one nice piece of work, i am always in awe of you guys who can fabricate and weld like that.