Front Bumper Modification
- Thread starter JeeperNC
- Start date
X-plorenow
Adventurer
Welcome! That is the $1m question. It can be done but most of the current JK bumpers on the market do not support the 8274. I believe that Hanson makes one, but it is not my favorite. I will post a link if I find one shortly.
Warn makes a mount that will work but it mounts it very high in front of the radiator. Most people go custom to be honest.
I am going to be working on a solution soon and will post my progress. Please let me know what you come up with.
Warn makes a mount that will work but it mounts it very high in front of the radiator. Most people go custom to be honest.
I am going to be working on a solution soon and will post my progress. Please let me know what you come up with.
Jpfan
New member
Warn offers a mounting system that works in conjunction with the factory bumper.
www.warn.com/truck/mounting-systems/winch_mounts.shtml
www.warn.com/truck/mounting-systems/winch_mounts.shtml
Bennyhana
Adventurer
To me the problem with the warn mounting system is that it makes the winch sit real high. The top of the winch is level with the top edge of the hood. I have a pic somewhere and to me it looks kind of goofy. Probably wouldn't be to hard to mod a bumper that has it sitting between the frame.
X-plorenow
Adventurer
X2, and almost completely blocks the radiator.
I would not use the mounting system or a stock bumper for this. I've seen to many people rip off the front bumper from a setup simular to theres. The easiest thing to do is to get the A to Z Fabrication front bumper if it is for a Wrangler. What kind of jeep are you looking to put it on? I've been in the jeep world for far to long and know a lot of places that might what you're looking for.
onetraveller
Adventurer
The warn mount uses the same mounting system that the winch mount bumpers use...so I'm curious about your claim that they would rip the bumper off. And the link you posted is for a TJ (1997-2006), not a JK (2007-present). Not that A to Z doesn't produce nice stuff, but it doesn't really help the OP.
Here's my Superwinch mounted above the stock bumper. Nothing touches the plastic. The winch plate mounts directly to the frame and the plastic bumper is cut to fit around it.
Mike
Here's my Superwinch mounted above the stock bumper. Nothing touches the plastic. The winch plate mounts directly to the frame and the plastic bumper is cut to fit around it.
Mike
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X-plorenow
Adventurer
I concur. The only thing that might get pulled off, and not from the Winch necessarily is the plastic over bumper. My only concern other than looks for the Warn mount is that it sits the winch up high and ends up restricting airflow quite a bit. I would prefer something that drops it down further between the frame rails.
onetraveller
Adventurer
My 2013 has a crossmember that connects the bottom of the frame rails. I'm not sure what year they started including that, but I know it wasn't their in 2007. I believe there is enough room between the rails to mount an 8274. The factory tow hooks mount directly to the ends of the frame rails and hold the front bumper on. So the distance between the tow hooks is a pretty good estimate for the distance between the frame rails. The reason no one makes a bumper that fits it is very few people are willing to spend the extra coin for an 8274.
Mike
Mike
redthies
Renaissance Redneck
Silly Rabbits!
X-plorenow
Adventurer
I have a 2009 and it has the cross member. I was thinking of replacing it with steel plate to mount the winch. I agree, for big market numbers don't make sense. I was thinking of possibly putting something out there for the niche market.
Bennyhana
Adventurer
I have the Warn mount on the front of my 2013. It's pretty stout and is not even touching the plastic. The bumperless pic shows the Warn main crossbar that the winch plate is attached to. The front mounts take place of the factory tow hooks. It makes for a pain in the ******** install but all in all very sturdy.
Even with the Zeon winch up there it sits a little to high for my liking but I'm looking at getting the remote mount for the control box to slim it down some. I have not noticed any overheat problems.
Even with the Zeon winch up there it sits a little to high for my liking but I'm looking at getting the remote mount for the control box to slim it down some. I have not noticed any overheat problems.