Navigate: Biobug.org > Rover > WinchContact me
I'm amazed at current Winch prices. They've come down an incredible amount in the last 15 years!

Winch Selection

The rule of thumb I learned years ago was to have a winch that can handle about twice the vehicle weight. The Disco 1 weighs in at around 6000 pounds. Ideally we're talking about a 12k winch.

I opted for a Tiger Shark 9500 SR - which comes with a Synthetic rope instead of a wire rope. I uses a nicer solenoid/contactor pack that the lower end Warn Winches. Warn likes to build a cheap pack out of 4 contactors, while the TS has a single solid sealed contactor pack.
To mount the winch, I ordered a relatively inexpensive winch mount plate made of .2" steel.
To mount the plate, I built a new front bumper assembly that uses the existing reinforced bumper mounts.
Instead of shackles, I decided to use tow hooks with retainer spring clips.

Winch Mounts

Tischers Disco winch mount - A diy winch mount. This one places the winch low and out of the way. Not a bad option if you can weld.

$24 shackle mounts

Bumper Build - Phase one

I purchased the following to make the bumper mount.
1- 4" x 1.584" x .184 (3/16") C Channel, 36" long. - The core of the bumper.
4- 3/16" x 4" A-36 Hot Roll Flat - 12" - The four mounting tabs.
1- 3/16" x 4" A-36 Hot Roll Flat - 36" - used to build the upper mount plate and box in the tabs.

The design is pretty simple. The four 12" flats are the mounts.
I ground one end of each flat to fit inside the C-Channel. (Angle grinder and c-clamp.
I made a cardboard template of the grind and traced it onto the flat before grinding.

Each piece was test fit into the C-Channel as it was completed.
Next, I removed the front bumper and used the bumper to create a template for the mounting holes.
I had some 4" wide cardboard, which was perfect for templating. Placing it on the inside of the bumper mounts and marking the mount holes worked great.
All four flats were drilled on a drill press, making them reasonably accurate.

A quick fitting of the initial pair of brackets to check the fit.
They use the original bumper mounting holes. The hardware was replaced with new grade 8 bolts.

The C channel slipped over the ground plate ends on the first two brackets without any adjustment!
The outer flats were trimmed approximately an inch to clear the body mounts on the frame.
All four flats were bolted to the frame and the C-Channel was placed onto them. Once aligned, marked the locations and ground the surfaces to be welded to clean them up.
Then I finaly aligned the channel and I tack welded the flats to the C-channel.


Back in the garage, I welded the flats to the C-Channel.
After that, I cut down the 36" flat to fit in between the two inner mounting flats.
That was then welded to the flats and to the front of C-Channel to make a flat mounting surface for the winch plate.
The proto bumper was re-fitted to the rover and the winch plate was positioned.
More tack welding, and then I drilled and fitted a couple of the mounting bolts to ensure the positioning of the plate.
The plate was then welded on both sides and then stitch welded front and back to the bumper.
Two of the winch mounting bolts go through both the plate and the flat for strength.
The winch plate has four bolts - two that mount the winch and two that located the plate during welding.
The combination of multiple bolts and welding should keep it together for life.


With that completed, I used the remainders of the 36" flat to box out between the top and bottom of the mounting tabs.
After that, I drilled and mounted a pair of tow hooks to both sides - one both through the C-Channel and one through the flat that boxed in the tabs.



The winch plate welded and bolted to the top of the bumper.
Underlying the plate on the top is the cut down flat.
The tow hooks are bolted through the C channel and the flat that was used to box in the mounting tabs on either side of the winch.

Wiring

The winch requires a direct battery feed, but comes with long #2 wires for the job.
I ran these up through the bottom of the headlight cavity and through an access port in the body just in front of the main battery.

I cut the wires to length and reterminated them with a pair of #2 copper lugs from the hardware store.
I crimped these on using a ball peen hammer and my new winch mount as an anvil. (I also put some dielectric grease on the wire to help prevent corrosion inside the lug.
I tested functionality before cutting to length!





Last Modified 03/23/15 02:54