DaveInDenver
Middle Income Semi-Redneck
Is it like a winch subframe that mounts in the bumper? Sounds cool.
Not mentioned is the vehicle your winch is mounted.
It appears you'll be pulling a helluva lot of weight.
If you were to use an appropriate size snatch block you'd alleviate some concerned angst.
Mickey
So, those were the bolts that mounted the winch to its plate and it was a “feet-forward” mount?
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Unless the front of your bumper has bent from the forces (which isn't impossible, but I would say unlikely), I'd guess it would be mounted like mine.
The overall view, two bolts through the fairlead cage, two upper ones directly through the bumper to the winch housing.
View attachment 455153
Those lower ones are extremely well supported, you'd have to run directly into an unforgiving concrete pole to distort them.
View attachment 455151
The upper ones have a decent amount of steel behind them but the holes are oversized and when you torque the bolts down with a thin washer it will dimple into the slot. I put grade 8 extra thick SAE washers under mine to support the fastener. For a 5/16" bolt those are 3/32" thick.
https://www.boltsandnuts.com/shop/5-16-sae-grade-8-extra-thick-flat-washers-zinc-yellow-39779
But even if you don't do this and let the washers distort they shouldn't be under any stress since the winch feet are being pulled into the bumper.
View attachment 455152
I forgot to reply to this. I had the Warn fairlead that came with the winch. Its powdercoated steel. I have since gone to a Factor 55 1.5" fairlead. Have yet to do a pull with it.Are you using a roller fairlead or have you gone to a hawse type?
I ask because I'm still using the old style fairlead that I fitted with Delrin rollers and I wonder if having the fairlead cage, which you have to drill to fit and ends up under two of the winch mounting bolts, helps increase rigidity of the bumper. Two of the bolts have in effect probably a 1/2" (maybe more?) thick washer under them and there's all that extra bracing tying the void in the bumper together.
I haven't seen any fastener issues other than some of the washers tend to deform when they get forced into a slot or oversized hole.
It's always seemed to me kind of a kludge to use those hawse fairleads on ARB bumpers, which weren't intended originally to work that way. So I could absolutely see the front face of them flexing is what I'm saying.