Invisible winch mount Chevy Square body

46 Comments

1. 

   I'm planning on going the easy route and buying a prefabricated winch mount for my pickup that fits behind my stock bumber $200 versus$1000 bumber to mount it out front . Fab rats and Matt's off-road recovery uses badlands winches

2. 

   Made me think of Bob Ross with his paintings when you were marking up the template. Was expecting you to say those, ahem, "vent" holes for the winch were happy little accidents lol.
   One question, could you have mounted the winch guide behind the bumper too and just had the slot cut in the bumper? Then you'd need less boxing in to hide with a folding plate cover.

3. 

   I feel sorry for anybody that may hit you head on. That ain't going anywhere… at least not without a little force.

4. 

   The old everytime it's the right size wrench 😊 nice job a salways Steve, hope you managed to keep that cold too yourself 😄 happy days 👍

5. 

   I like your idea but I only have one concern that is wouldn't you get a lot mud and water splashing up on the winch and
   causing problems with the electronics?

6. 

   Looks great. Have you considered wiring an on/off switch for it to a more convenient location? Either to the cab, or at least above the radiator or something just so its easier to reach?

7. 

   Hey Steve can you explain your process and products used to refurbish the rust on the frame. Did you use a rust stop paint? Or did you sand it down and primer the metal?

8. 

   Get well soon! 🙂

9. 

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RXV-p_Ec6Q

10. 

    这样做的很好，充分利用了空间。我的意见是把绞盘的牵引绳放在保险杆里面去。车牌照还放在原来的位置，采用活动翻起式。

11. 

    Great project, Steve, Thank you. Also, at 20:08, thanks for emphasising the importance of Nut Ventilation, a subject, sadly, too often neglected. I think we will now all sleep happier in our beds :-).

12. 

    Nice job.

13. 

    Lol Steve! I totally understand what you mean about hiding your stuff. I love things to appear stock as well. Let me emphasize "appear". My daily driver isn't too special, but does have a turbocharger. People come up behind me in their mustangs or whatever thinking they're going to pass. I hit the initiate launch button (gas pedal) and BAM, now they're eating my dust. Its called a sleeper my friend. 😁 Great job on the sleeper winch project. Hope you get well soon also.

14. 

    Didn't realize you pulled the motor until you said it 😂😂

15. 

    I have to take my hat off to you Steve on your machine shop you have at hand. A real nice collection of machining tools for sure. .

16. 

    15 minutes of polishing bumper bolts after mounting your winch upside down so the gear reduction can't lubricate properly. Frickin' brilliant.

17. 

    I had my winch set up in a similar configuration inside a bull bar until I saw the same set up as mine which had failed massively trying to pull out of a deep mud hole. The 4 mounting bolts had torn out of the winch housing and the mountings had all buckled. I modified the mounting to rotate my winch 90 degrees so that the winch mounting is now facing the front of the vehicle and under tension the winch is pulling toward the mounting surface. The cable passes through a hole in the mount. As you would expect, having gone to all that trouble I have not had to use the winch since.
    Steve I would be very concerned that by adding the bolt ventilation holes you may have reduced the locating/holding ability of the front bolts and placed more stress on the two rear bolts, which are the ones carrying most of the load anyway.

18. 

    Very nice install.
    I'm enjoying the project.
    It looks like you had the room that you might have been able to put the fair lead behind the bumper where it would be out of sight too.

    Thanks for letting us watch.

19. 

    Can your bumper withstand 12000lbs, if you do a 90 degree side pull ?

20. 

    Cutting curves in 3/8 plate, I love that bandsaw!

21. 

    Hi Steve, could you put the fairlead on the inside of the bumper and leave the number plate area totally flat for a completely stealth winch?

22. 

    only thing i would do it come up with a little rubber collar so the hook doesn't beat the dickens out of the bumper. i like it,

23. 

    @31:30 Derrick over at VGG would be so proud. A guy not only gets a batrey with a go handle, but he's using the right tools to put a cable onto said batrey!

24. 

    Steve , one piece you are going to have to add is a bracket from the winch plate to the hawse lead and make it beefy as well . I know from experience that any side load on the lead will quickly result in one really bent chevy bumper . great fab work !

25. 

    Possible con – Is the gearbox oiling on that winch designed to be run upside-down? I only ask because we ruined a brand new Warn we mounted upside-down in our race trailer.
    But, I like the clean install in otherwise unused space.

26. 

    You'll need to find a way to secure the end of the line now. Yankum is taking preorders on a fairlead that allows you to secure the loop to the fairlead, pretty slick but 265 bucks. I think just a (metal of your choice) puck with a flange or taper bolted to the bumper or somewhere nearby would be less obvious than the hook flopping in the breeze and hunting for something to get caught on.

27. 

    Keep a spare creeper in the truck for winch maintenance

28. 

    You've been playing with cars for too long, Steve! Soon as I saw those bolts, I pictured you saying, "So let's go over to the lathe and we'll set them up in the ball turning attachment." I'm with you on the subtle/hidden placement, too. If you get a flip-type licence plate holder, make sure it's a flip-UP type! Enjoying the vids, thank you.

29. 

    Less is more… Going to look good stock.

30. 

    I always replace all of the cheap Chinese aluminum wire that comes in the box with good all copper zero gage cable, Otherwise the harbor freight work pretty good

31. 

    I'm just wondering if you'll relocate the on/off switch before, or after the winch gets used in anger … 😉

    Great video, as always 👍

32. 

    I like the way you use Cad Design "Cardboard aided design"

33. 

    Bolt ventilation ?!?!? Okay then.

34. 

    👍

35. 

    Your wife is going to steal that truck and bring it back home with a decal that says, Silly Boys Trucks Are For Girls!!!

36. 

    Your wife is going to steal that truck and bring it back home with a decal that says, Silly Boys Trucks Are For Girls!!!

37. 

    Great video

38. 

    Scratch is what you feed the chickens. Only thing I’ve ever seen made with it was rat factories!

39. 

    That is a great idea Steve. i do hope you feel better soon.

40. 

    Extra ventilation for the nuts!

41. 

    have you set the rad support on and checked for space

42. 

    "Not the best winch money can buy?" Your wifey bought it for YOU! There is no better winch that money can buy. 😎

43. 

    In the mid 70’s I worked at a welding and machine shop that made many custom bumpers for oil field trucks, log trucks, pickups, etc. The boss got the area distribution rights for Hickey sidewinders which were installed behind the front bumper out of sight and in a better center of gravity situation as far as installing a winch on an already 200-300 lb bumper. They were good winches.

44. 

    Wow I could have sworn there was an engine in that truck during the last video. The frame looks like it came from the factory…. cleaned up and painted…. nice!

45. 

    It’s like that spot was designed for a winch and I suggest pulling it out and tighten the spool or the first time you use it it will pull through the windings just a headache

46. 

    love it. I did the same thing on my 06 Ford Expedition. wench is custom mounted behind the lower grill panel. I bolted the mounting plate to the tow hook mounts on the frame rails. very simple, very low profile and kept the stock bumper. looks like a daily driver truck but off roads well too. nice job.