Warn EVO Winch Modification for 2.7 RC Hidden Winch Mount

[Roofus]

Friends - Just a heads up for anyone attempting to install a Warn VR EVO with the RC Hidden Winch Mount on a 2.7L engine that you will need to modify the control box mount. On the 2.3 install, the control box does not need to be moved. But on the 2.7 install, the control box has to be moved to the side to make room for the relocated oil cooler and oil cooler coolant lines. The kit comes with a mount to relocate the control box, but this mount only works with the Rough Country winch and will need to be modified if you are using a Warn (and probably most other winches).

In brief, you will need to:
1) Remove the control box
2) Remove the control box base plate
3) Align the mount and base plate
4) Mark the mount and base plate and drill new holes in the mount and baseplate
5) Use a dremel to clean up the raised plastic on the interior side of the baseplate so you can fit lock washers and nuts
5) Use your own hardware to attach them together

My advice is to align the control box with one of the existing mounting holes on the baseplate so you can use a colored felt tip to mark the mount and baseplate. I then mounted the control box baseplate to the mounting plate, then fastened the mount to the winch plate. Additionally, I found some rubber plumbing washers that I drilled out to a larger center hole that I used to bridge the gap between the winch plate and the mount. This is due to the Warn EVO winch having a side to center gradient that will push the mount upwards and out. You can also bend the mount upwards to buy a little more room. When you are ready to tighten the mount to the winch plate, try your best to push the mount toward the winch as you tighten it down to the best of your ability. When you install the whole assembly it will be sitting very close to your intercooler. You want that mount pushed back as far as possible so that in an emergency, you can still reach your hand between the intercooler and the mount/control box to get to the plug where your winch controller plugs in. Pic of the hardware I purchased to mount the control box baseplate and control box mount below.

Happy to answer any questions that may arise.

Sponsored

 

[swooshdave]

Nice job. What did you use to cut off the frame horns? Did you have any issues mounting the fairlead?

 

[Roofus]

Nice job. What did you use to cut off the frame horns? Did you have any issues mounting the fairlead?

I know some used a sawzaw but that scared me. I used a $19 cutting wheel/grinder from Harbor Freight that worked just fine. I wrapped old hand towels around the brake lines and you just need good control when you get to the top left/right edge. If you cut the left, right, and bottom edges you can then bend the frame extensions up and wiggle them back and forth till the top weld breaks free. This is much smarter imho than trying to cut the top weld with a tool since it is so close to the brake lines.

If you use the fairlead that comes with the “S” line winches or the RC winch, they will fit just fine. Since I was running synthetic rope and needed the special fairlead that allows you to attach the rope at either end, it sat too far in and at an angle that wouldn’t allow you to loop the rope. So I bought this flat fairlead off Amazon and put it under my synthetic rope fairlead. So they are stacked and that provided enough room to loop my rope. Ucreative Aluminum Hawse Fairlead... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C1YWKPWX?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

[Roofus]

Also, I bought a .99 cent “beware of dog” sign at harbor freight that I stuffed between the bottom of the motor and the towels I wrapped around the brake lines to keep sparks from flying into the engine bay.

P.s. wear gloves if you do it

 

[lni]

Friends - Just a heads up for anyone attempting to install a Warn VR EVO with the RC Hidden Winch Mount on a 2.7L engine that you will need to modify the control box mount. On the 2.3 install, the control box does not need to be moved. But on the 2.7 install, the control box has to be moved to the side to make room for the relocated oil cooler and oil cooler coolant lines. The kit comes with a mount to relocate the control box, but this mount only works with the Rough Country winch and will need to be modified if you are using a Warn (and probably most other winches).

In brief, you will need to:
1) Remove the control box
2) Remove the control box base plate
3) Align the mount and base plate
4) Mark the mount and base plate and drill new holes in the mount and baseplate
5) Use a dremel to clean up the raised plastic on the interior side of the baseplate so you can fit lock washers and nuts
5) Use your own hardware to attach them together

My advice is to align the control box with one of the existing mounting holes on the baseplate so you can use a colored felt tip to mark the mount and baseplate. I then mounted the control box baseplate to the mounting plate, then fastened the mount to the winch plate. Additionally, I found some rubber plumbing washers that I drilled out to a larger center hole that I used to bridge the gap between the winch plate and the mount. This is due to the Warn EVO winch having a side to center gradient that will push the mount upwards and out. You can also bend the mount upwards to buy a little more room. When you are ready to tighten the mount to the winch plate, try your best to push the mount toward the winch as you tighten it down to the best of your ability. When you install the whole assembly it will be sitting very close to your intercooler. You want that mount pushed back as far as possible so that in an emergency, you can still reach your hand between the intercooler and the mount/control box to get to the plug where your winch controller plugs in. Pic of the hardware I purchased to mount the control box baseplate and control box mount below.

Happy to answer any questions that may arise.

First, thanks again for the great pictures. I did this install this weekend. I got stuck after mounting the control in the exact location you've done it. How did you handle plugging in the wired control, as the socket faces the intercooler fairly close and of you plug in the cable, the cord is against the intercooler?

I had to button things up, but don't have it wired to and controller, because it appears there is no direction to face the control box where there is enough room to plug in that cord.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Roofus]

I had to basically pound the entire thing into position and get the bolts going. Once I had everything tightened down I snaked the Warn cable down between the winch and the intercooler from up top. (I did NOT use the extension cable that came with the RC kit.) Then I got back under the truck and found just enough space to get my fingers in the gap to slowly get the connector into the port kind of at an angle and then kept working it in.

You will smash and scratch your hand to bits but it can be done. As an alternative, there should be a note in the box about getting a $100 mail in rebate/credit for their new wireless controller. If you didn't, reach out to customer service with your proof of purchase.

I'm still waiting on mine, but from what I can tell, the control box internals are ready for a wireless controller and the new wireless controllers should just bluetooth connect up. They used to come with wireless, but there was a recall and they just put wired controllers in the boxes during the period they were reworking the wireless units. Which is the reason for the $100 credit.

 

[xtreme_exploder]

I have the same winch install going on with my 2.7. I take it you did not have the plastic shroud with flaps on the back side of you intercooler? Mine does, and the control box is nowhere close to fitting like yours did. I also ended up have to cut the RC oil cooler mount and the remaining tabs on my oil cooler about 1.5" to move it back so it would clear the intercooler flaps.

 

[lni]

With the relocated control head unit, and the plastic shroud removed, there is almost no room to plug the cord for the remote in into the control head unit.

I wound up buying an extension cable and used a Dremel to cut the housing off of the cord housing, to make it the equivalent of a right angle plug, and sealed it with silicone.

Otherwise, without the smaller right angle connector, the cord presses against the intercooler, and will cause either the cord or intercooler to be compromised in a short amount of time.

 

[lni]

I've completed my install with a relocated control module, similar to what is explained in this thread.

I found that even with the relocated control unit and plastic intercooler shroud removed (I had it on my Badlands), when you have the remote control cord plugged in, it would rub against the intercooler, and either to cord or it intercooler would fail over time..l

I wound up purchasing this: WARN 100154 Winch Accessory: Waterproof Remote Control Socket Assembly for ZEON Winches https://a.co/d/h77uG0n

And I used a Dremel to remove the plug-in housing, to make a shorter right angle plug. I now am an inch away from the intercooler, and protected the plug with non-conductive silicone. It also then allows for a plug-in place from under the hood.

Wish I had taken pictures!

 

[Roofus]

I have the same winch install going on with my 2.7. I take it you did not have the plastic shroud with flaps on the back side of you intercooler? Mine does, and the control box is nowhere close to fitting like yours did. I also ended up have to cut the RC oil cooler mount and the remaining tabs on my oil cooler about 1.5" to move it back so it would clear the intercooler flaps.

I don’t recall plastic flaps but did this install 7 months ago so memory is fading.

Sponsored