Pros and cons of a factory winch tray D1

[blakesrover]

I would like to get feedback on running a D1 factory winch tray and the pros and cons. I specifically would like feedback on over-all weakness/strength, recovery strength, approach angles good/bad, ect. And I hope to limit this to ones who have seen and/or used it in person. I have not, so I dont know much about them.

(Hypothetical use with a Husky 10 as I'm still exploring my options)

~Blake

 

[lake_bueller]

Blake...

I got your message on Dweb and forwarded it to the current owner.

Here's my take...
Works well with the winch. But it sticks way out there in front of the truck.

Approach angle wasn't too bad because it sits high enough (above the bumper?).

Recover points are nill. And there isn't a great place to attach anything. Jate rings would be your best option.

If I hadn't replacement my entire truck, I'd still be running with one on my Disco.

I hope that helps a little.

 

[blakesrover]

Yes that does help.

Do you think that a pair of dixon bate and backing plates would hold up being mounted to the tray?

~Blake

 

[One4adventure]

The factory winch mount was well designed IMHO
It does stick out but slides nicely over obstacles due to the clever bit of round welded on the front edges.
I have seen Dixon bates hooks on the front and I have also mounted Jeep style hooks on the inboard of the uprights below the tray. These were on a friends truck and they performed well enough until he tried a double pulley recovery using a single hook and he was hung up on an unseen tree stump in a mud hole.
If he had used a bridle to distributed the load it would have halved the strain and resulted in a more centered pull and a much straighter winch mount!!

If you can pick one up I say go for it, you retain the limited crumple zone on the disco which make the insurance guys feel better.

Regards,
Chris
www.landroveradventure.com

 

[blakesrover]

well you can be assured that i've checked almost every source from here to the pond...no dice. they dont manufacture them anymore so it's gotta come up used somewhere. thanks for the info though. I think it'll be a nice addition with the things i'm looking for.

~Blake

 

[One4adventure]

I do know that some of our members had to notch the winch tray to accept something other than the warn is was designed for, keep that in mind if you already have a winch when you purchase a cradle...not all winches will fit.

Cheers,

 

[roverdoc]

I have the factory winch tray....but not the brackets to mount to frame rail...can be easily fabbed....$150 shipped.

 

[lake_bueller]

Yes that does help.

Do you think that a pair of dixon bate and backing plates would hold up being mounted to the tray?

~Blake

That was the route I was considering. I don't know the strength of the tray in a "small surface area" like the dixon-bate. There was somebody on Dweb that had that set-up.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

I agree. I would recommend people cut a backing plate to be as large as can fit behind the surface being used. I'm not sure of the rationale behind the design where the backing plate is the same footprint as the DB. That goes for all uses of a DB with a backing plate, not just on the factory winch tray.

You want to spread the load over as wide an area as possible, and the footprint of the smaller DB is pretty small already.