Winches are not simply devices consisting of a hooked cable used for pulling and lifting, but they are a lot more than that. They are an essential component to have in your vehicle especially a truck if you are used to going out for off-roading ventures, or you often use your truck for loading or unloading stuff, as it provides you with a lot of ease and utility.
There are usually two types of winches available in the market which are hydraulic and electric winches. You can install any of them depending upon your requirement, which allows you to then perform a number of tasks such as lifting, towing and pulling. I personally installed a WARN 26502 M8000 Series Electric winch on my truck, which I used to lift heavy objects and pull firewood logs to the road. For a good winch, all of the parts fit very well and the instructions manual makes the task even simpler.
Hence today we will guide you to installing a winch on your truck, and this apparently difficult task will then become quite easy to carry out. So here’s how we get it done!
Can you mount a Winch on the back of a truck?
It is important to understand that the advantages of rear-mounted and front-mounted winches are different, and it depends upon your requirement which type of installation you should get. If your priority is to pull and retrieve heavy equipment from dangerous locations, hauling other vehicles out of trouble or getting large objects out of the way to clear roads, then you should prefer installing the winch at the front of your truck. It is mounted just below the rig and has the advantages such as easy access and easy maintenance. It keeps everything under the eye of the driver so he can act accordingly if he observes something going wrong.
However, a rear mounted winch offers reverse leverage. It proves useful when you want to pull stuff onto the truck bed. Rear winch installation also prevents being in high potential dangerous situations, such as retrieving a damaged vehicle without the entire truck falling. You can also easily pull yourself out of tricky spots by using the rear mounted winch compared to front mounted ones as it allows better control and a firm pulling force. Therefore, rear mounted winches are better for self-recovery.
Importance of installing a Winch Bumper
When you’re pulling with a heavy force, your truck acts as the anchor for a significant level of tensile stress and weight, which can lead you to a destroyed axle frame. However, a winch bumper is what plays a key role in executing an effective haul when you’re pulling heavy, while keeping all other components of your truck safe.
Winch bumpers are composed of heavy-duty steel which makes them incredibly safe to use with high durability. They are designed in manner such that they substitute original bumpers of the vehicle and are specific to different models so that you can install them hassle free. Winch bumpers also keep your expensive winch safe from getting bumped or damaged by accidents. Winches well-installed at the back of trucks can prove to be life savers, but poorly installed ones can at the same time lead to high risks and turn out to be dangerous, hence there are some factors to watch out for while installing a winch at the back of your truck.
Measures to take for installing a Winch
You should prefer using a synthetic rope so you can bring about reduction in the overall weight of the winch system, and remember to re-coil your rope between uses so that its inner layers do not get damaged. Avoid wrapping your rope or cable around a tree as the high level of strain can pull out the broken trunk on to your vehicle and also kill the tree.
By the use of tool bags or heavy blankets, you should weight the winch down so that in case a cable gets snapped, you can prevent yourself from getting injured. Also you should take time to observe the mechanical and physical factors properly, as doing stuff in a rush almost always leads to disaster. Always wear gloves to keep yourself protected!
How do you install a Winch on your Truck Bed?
Having installed a winch directly on your truck bed gives you the best convenience of loading heavy items on the truck. It decreases your workload and simultaneously increases the utility of your truck. After taking the measures mentioned above and ensuring your safety, you are ready to install your winch by yourself.
Firstly you’ll need a mounting plate as trucks rarely come with one, while making sure that it is according to the model of yours, and designed to withstand the winch’s pulling force. Then place the plate at the desired location on truck bed and mark that by drill holes corresponding to winch base. Bolt the mounting plate securely through the marked holes and then plant the winch into the mounting plate. After that, align and secure the winch tightly into the base plate using bolts so that it does not move.
Use a steel mounting frame which enables four mounting configurations, so that you can mount it the way it suits you. After that, you need to provide the electrical connections in case of an electric winch. It can be powered directly from the truck battery when installed in front, but for truck bed installation you’ll need to disconnect the wire that runs from battery to base of rear bumper, and make a connection using that. Make sure to take care of the polarities of the connections to avoid any hazards.
Conclusion
Make sure to read out the instruction manual included with the winch before you start, so that you do not skip any step. We hope that this article would prove to be useful and make the process easier for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Will a winch drain my battery?
The winch will not drain your battery when it is not under use. However, make sure not to leave any loose connections and keep your engine on while using the winch.
- Do you need a mounting plate for a winch?
Yes, a winch mounting plate is surely needed if you want to install any winch.
3. What is the best way to mount a winch?
There are several options of mounting a winch, such as on the front or rear bumper of your truck, but installing it on the truck bed has the most number of utilities.