Rear Winch Installed

[SierraBronco]

Here’s the write up on the rear winch install we just completed using the APG rear winch mount.

With the triangulated four link and PB&J lower links (shipping today) it looks like it shouldn’t take too much to pinch the exhaust between the truss and the frame. We took the exhaust back with a simple flowmaster muffler on amazon. Tapped the frame and made our own secondary mount out of the factory brackets no longer being used. Now with all that room free’d up, why not throw a winch back there? So we did.

I’ll start off by saying the powdercoat on this mount is pretty awful. You look at it crosseyed and it flakes off. Pretty embarrassing. The mount itself lined up well enough and only required the use of a floor jack and mallet to get into place. APG says this mount is designed for a Warn S8 so naturally, that’s what we purchased. However the only way you’ll be able to get that to fit is to remove the hidden compartment under the floor. We took off the control panel and mounted it sideways to the skid plate holding the winch. Bonus-if we need to plug in the remote it is ridiculously easy to reach now. (In their marketing materials they say everything is very easy to reach. This makes sense if you have that compartment removed)

You’ll need to cut through your frame and rear bumper to run the winch line. Originally I had planned on bracing the frame but after looking at the design of the mounting plate and how it attaches to the sides I’m not worried about it. Also, you’ll need to get some new bolts and nuts in place of the receiver bolts. We used the Warn fairlead on the inside of the frame and a Yankum fairlead on the outside of the bumper.

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[PEGB]

Bad ass! Thanks for the write up! I’d love to add one someday. Is APG the only game in town so far?

 

[SierraBronco]

Bad ass! Thanks for the write up! I’d love to add one someday. Is APG the only game in town so far?

As far as I know, yeah

 

[GI_Jo_Nathan]

Good to see more people doing this.

For what it's worth I used the M8-S also, I didn't have to remove the storage compartment, only the heat shield that is no longer needed. One of the posts on top is snug up against the compartment, but it's plastic so I'm not worried about it. I also didn't cut the cross member. I only cut the factory steel bumper. The line slides over the top of the cross member without issue. I've used the winch over a dozen times without issue.

 

[SierraBronco]

Good to see more people doing this.

For what it's worth I used the M8-S also, I didn't have to remove the storage compartment, only the heat shield that is no longer needed. One of the posts on top is snug up against the compartment, but it's plastic so I'm not worried about it. I also didn't cut the cross member. I only cut the factory steel bumper. The line slides over the top of the cross member without issue. I've used the winch over a dozen times without issue.

Seems prudent for the solo runs or when not everyone has a winch. Can’t always winch forward and I didn’t want run receivers front and rear.

Did you just run the winch line up and over the crossmember? With my frame mounted spare coming down the crossmember and the clearance on the aftermarket bumper we decided it best to just go straight through so we wouldn’t need to worry about the rope. Worked for our application and accessories

 

[Felix808]

Nice job.
I almost hate to say it, but 3 pulleys will yield a reverse pull

 

[GI_Jo_Nathan]

Seems prudent for the solo runs or when not everyone has a winch. Can’t always winch forward and I didn’t want run receivers front and rear.

Did you just run the winch line up and over the crossmember? With my frame mounted spare coming down the crossmember and the clearance on the aftermarket bumper we decided it best to just go straight through so we wouldn’t need to worry about the rope. Worked for our application and accessories

Yeah it's been great for getting myself out of dumb situations. I've pulled myself out of mud holes at least half a dozen times. Normally it'll feel like there's a stump or something stopping me from going forward, so I wouldn't want to pull forward and risk breaking something. Going back out the way I came works great!

Yeah the radius on the back of the crossmember is pretty smooth, honestly not far from how the fairleads normally look. I used a yankum ropes fairlead also, I didn't want a hook back there bouncing around on everything. I was able to carefully remove the metal bracket from the end of the Warren synthetic rope, and the loop on the end works perfect on the yankum ropes fairlead.

Mine ended up pretty high on the bumper, I ended up installing a four-wheel parts spare tire bracket to raise the tire up about three and a half inches. So now I can use the winch no problem with the tailgate closed. Yours looks like it should work really well!

 

[EriktheCarbonizedGray]

That's pretty slick.

 

[CalvinT]

Normally it'll feel like there's a stump or something stopping me from going forward, so I wouldn't want to pull forward and risk breaking something. Going back out the way I came works great!

Yep! The way you came is almost always clear. Not true if you keep going forward. I've been considering a winch cradle to go in my trailer hitch receiver. I'll fabricate an extension cord with Anderson connectors at each end.

What size wire did you run to your winch?

 

[JerryG]

Having gone thru the installation do you think the APG is necessary or could a mount be fabricated for much less?

 

[GI_Jo_Nathan]

Yep! The way you came is almost always clear. Not true if you keep going forward. I've been considering a winch cradle to go in my trailer hitch receiver. I'll fabricate an extension cord with Anderson connectors at each end.

What size wire did you run to your winch?

Yeah that was my original plan, but decided I didn't want 80/100lbs of winch taking up space in the back of my 2door. Space is already at a premium.

I went with 0 Guage. With running all the way from front to the back I didn't want to take any chances. Also installed a 600amp fuse. Mostly because my cables are run along the frame and in theory could get pinched.

 

[CalvinT]

I'm thinking about a used Warn M8274. You can pick them up for a reasonable price and they can be rebuilt. Warn stocks parts since they still make them in Oregon. They also have phone support. A M8274 with synthetic line weighs around 55 lbs. It's taller than other winches but not as wide.

 

[woodsman44]

I'm thinking about a used Warn M8274. You can pick them up for a reasonable price and they can be rebuilt. Warn stocks parts since they still make them in Oregon. They also have phone support. A M8274 with synthetic line weighs around 55 lbs. It's taller than other winches but not as wide.

U can try it but the 8274 is Way big! ( i have 3 of them)..and it needs to be upright or the gear oil will leak out if on its side or back..

 

[GI_Jo_Nathan]

U can try it but the 8274 is Way big! ( i have 3 of them)..and it needs to be upright or the gear oil will leak out if on its side or back..

I think he means in a receiver mount. Yeah definitely way to big for the rear plate.

 

[SierraBronco]

Having gone thru the installation do you think the APG is necessary or could a mount be fabricated for much less?

I think if you’re fairly handy with a torch and welder you could definitely whip something up yourself with no problem.

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