Warn Hidden Winch - Rough Country Mount

[Roofus]

It might be a bit hard to see, but I simply created a "U shaped" metal sleeve that sits on the factory handle (it has some rubber to make it snug). It does not come "up" because I have it limit the vertical travel with the flange coupler on the rod. As for insurance, it is about a 1/4" hole - since there are other factory holes MUCH larger than this, I'm not honestly concerned about any issues for failure. I did paint to minimize any bare metal exposure as well, though some of that is likely to rub off with driving vibration.

Cool! I'll go scout Home Depot one day to see if I can put something like this together. And I've got your Amazon links saved as well. I've seen some weld a fork to the end of a rod like yours as a backup option that I may look into as well. Lucky our trucks are pretty awesome offroad and I haven't gotten myself stuck yet (knock on wood), so I haven't been sweating a solution to this issue just yet. But it's a good winter project before we start going out again in the spring.

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[ryannshit]

I've needed to use the winch several times on trails and never needed to release the clutch. Takes longer to unravel but not a big problem for me (so far).

 

[mvilla]

Here’s what I ended up doing to extend the clutch up into the engine bay.

I used a 1” disposal hose with a copper coupling at the winch end and the handle at the other. The handle is secured with a nylon barb fitting, hose clamp, and set screw.

The parts cost around $20 and it works pretty well. The one thing that could be improved is that when the engine heats up the hose gets soft and needs to be twisted way more than 180 degrees to disengage the clutch.

 

[Roofus]

Does your hood shut?

 

[mvilla]

Does your hood shut?

Yes

 

[Squatch]

I use a water/gas spigot tool for the clutch, but I'm looking to make something more permanent like this guy on a Toyo forum:

Credit:
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/250332-my-mod-get-winch-clutch-clean-simple.html

 

[604Bronco]

What’s the difference between the Warn power interrupter switch and the ones some of you are using (i.e. - Big red dial thing)? Or are they the same thing essentially?

I ordered one of the Warn power interruption switches, however I am getting the Rough Country 12k winch installed.

 

[ryannshit]

What’s the difference between the Warn power interrupter switch and the ones some of you are using (i.e. - Big red dial thing)? Or are they the same thing essentially?

I ordered one of the Warn power interruption switches, however I am getting the Rough Country 12k winch installed.

They solve the same purpose. I just use a battery disconnect from Amazon that shuts off power to the winch when it's not needed and it works well. Early on when this RC hidden winch kit was introduced someone went through a water crossing and shorted their battery through the winch connection.

 

[604Bronco]

They solve the same purpose. I just use a battery disconnect from Amazon that shuts off power to the winch when it's not needed and it works well. Early on when this RC hidden winch kit was introduced someone went through a water crossing and shorted their battery through the winch connection.

Thank you - Hopefully they've improved the design or something. I mean, it is a winch... it's going to get wet.

 

[Roofus]

They solve the same purpose. I just use a battery disconnect from Amazon that shuts off power to the winch when it's not needed and it works well. Early on when this RC hidden winch kit was introduced someone went through a water crossing and shorted their battery through the winch connection.

Doesn’t a relay do the same thing?

 

[ryannshit]

@Roofus I didn't look into that. For $15 this works for me: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B094JTVLX4?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

 

[Roofus]

@Roofus I didn't look into that. For $15 this works for me: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B094JTVLX4?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

I’m running a Stinger 500amp relay. Winch power and upfitter switch go into relay, ground out and power to battery out. My understanding is that until the upfitter switch is turned on and triggers the relay that the winch is cut off from the battery.

 

[ryannshit]

I’m running a Stinger 500amp relay. Winch power and upfitter switch go into relay, ground out and power to battery out. My understanding is that until the upfitter switch is turned on and triggers the relay that the winch is cut off from the battery.

Ok got it. I did not wire my winch to my aux switches.

 

[redone17]

I’m running a Stinger 500amp relay. Winch power and upfitter switch go into relay, ground out and power to battery out. My understanding is that until the upfitter switch is turned on and triggers the relay that the winch is cut off from the battery.

Pardon my electrical ignorance - but, I was under the impression that none of the aux switches were powerful enough to handle a winch. Does that relay make it possible?

 

[Roofus]

Pardon my electrical ignorance - but, I was under the impression that none of the aux switches were powerful enough to handle a winch. Does that relay make it possible?

That's correct. Power comes straight from the battery NOT the upfitter switch. The relay acts as a power interrupt/pass-through/trigger. The relay has 4 bolt/nut connections. 1 for power out, 1 for power in, 1 for ground out, and 1 for trigger wire. Setup is like this:
1) Run winch negative cable to the battery negative terminal.
2) Run winch positive cable to the relay.
3) Purchase a 2-3ft positive battery cable and run it from the relay to the battery positive terminal.
4) Run a ground wire from the relay to a convenient ground bolt.
5) Run an upfitter switch wire to the relay.

The result is that no power for the winch is running through the upfitter (which is impossible anyway) and when you switch on your upfitter it is triggering the relay to allow power to then pass from the cable you have connected to the battery through the relay and into the winch power cable. The relay acts as a gate, and the upfitter switch just acts as your garage door opener to open the gate so power may pass through.

Basically, I followed this guy's install and used the switch wire at the front grille.

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