Mounting a removable winch to a trailer?

BigClay

BigClay

Knower of useless ZJ things
Joined
Sep 24, 2008
Location
Winston-Salem
I am looking for ideas on how to mount a 2" receiver on the front of my trailer so I can put my multi winch carrier in there if need be. Anyone done this? I don't want to leave a winch on the trailer all the time, but it would be nice to be able to slide it in the receiver should I need it.
 
Stuntman Autoworks said:
Weld it on?
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Most definitely. I wasn't clear, I am wondering if it needs to be on the floor, or if anyone has made a raised platform, etc. Really looking for pictures of what others have done.
 
Oh gotcha most mounts that the manufacturers make are just flush with the floor and extend forward of the deck. I added a winch for a guy at Church and I welded in c channel under the deck between the crossmembers and bolted it down through that. I would think if you just came off the front with a piece of 4" channel would give you plenty to weld to.
 
This is a crappy picture but this is something like I am thinking. This way the winch is not always on the trailer. Only probably I have is I have a 5 ton jack welded right to the center of the front of the trailer (on the outside), so this type of mounting won't work for me.

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Good point, didn't think about a car, was just thinking about my jeep.
 
this
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Stuntman Autoworks said:
May want to consider a roller in the middle of the trailer where the dove tail starts or at the end if it's a flat deck to keep the cable from rubbing grooves in the metal frame
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another good point, I have a wood deck, so it would gouge it pretty quick.

This brings up another question, is there any benefit to having synthetic line on a trailer winch?
 
I have a flat deck and winch mounted on the front with steel cable. I haven't found where a roller would be any benefit. My trailer isnt gouged at all and the cable has zero burs.

I think for durability, a steel cable would be best but not as safe as the synthetic rope.
 
rockcity said:
I have a flat deck and winch mounted on the front with steel cable. I haven't found where a roller would be any benefit. My trailer isnt gouged at all and the cable has zero burs.

I think for durability, a steel cable would be best but not as safe as the synthetic rope.
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X2. I have a dove and it rubs the break but didn't hurt anything.
 
rockcity said:
I have a flat deck and winch mounted on the front with steel cable. I haven't found where a roller would be any benefit. My trailer isnt gouged at all and the cable has zero burs.

I think for durability, a steel cable would be best but not as safe as the synthetic rope.
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My trailer sits higher than a typical car trailer and when pulling lower riding stuff up on it with a come along the cable rubs pretty hard. If my trailer was lower it probably wouldn't be a big issue or if you only used it a couple times a year then you probably wouldn't need to worry with a roller. But I have seen higher riding trailers like mine that get used alot with grooves worn into the frame. Mine doesn't have a roller but no often than I use it that way I doubt it will be a problem.
 
BigClay said:
This is a crappy picture but this is something like I am thinking. This way the winch is not always on the trailer. Only probably I have is I have a 5 ton jack welded right to the center of the front of the trailer (on the outside), so this type of mounting won't work for me.

View attachment 220562
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What if you make the winch mount on a post and weld a receiver tube vertically at the front of the trailer. Think of a hidden gooseneck ball when the winch is removed.
 
BigClay said:
another good point, I have a wood deck, so it would gouge it pretty quick.

This brings up another question, is there any benefit to having synthetic line on a trailer winch?
Click to expand...

I would worry about ruining the synthetic rope from dragging on things. The difference between rolling a vehicle up on a trailer and doing an extraction in the woods is that there is a significant difference in the amount of pulling force required between the two operations and safety/durability are more important in the woods. Unless you are planning on dragging things up on the trailer that don't roll then you don't even need that stout of a winch. I have a basic 4700# Warn utility winch bolted to the winch plate on my trailer. I believe it has 1/4" wire rope on it, maybe 50' worth. It is always more than enough to tug rolling vehicles up on the trailer.
 
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