I think I will be getting a in the bumper winch for my h3 and want to know if anything new is available? I have seen the Predator system and the DeFelice mount. Will there be any other new ones coming out? I am leaning toward the Defelice mount with a warn xp9000 winch as it stands now. All suggestions good or bad greatly appreciated. I do relize there have been threads on this but new products come out all the time.Thanks Steve

 

Just received my Predator Winch Bumper Kit today. Began the install and finally decided to call it a night and continue in the morning. The bumper and the winch are in. But tomorrow morningI need to put my plastic bumper and grill back on. And then I m off to Windrock in TN for some Off-Road Fun.

 

How about a group buy. Do you think we would have any interest?

CWO

 

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(sorry, I had to)

 

Have you considered installinga fronttrailerhitch receiver and getting a portable winch ona hitch mount? Setting up your truck this way will let you move the winch from front to back as needed depending on how you're stuck.

 

I'm up for a group buy...

 

I would think the portable winchs would not have enough capacity to free a stuck H3?

 

Maybe "removable" is a better word. Use the same winch bolted on a hitch mount instead ofattaching it directly to the frontbumper. Hitch mounts for wincheshave nice big beefy handles welded on to make carrying easy.

DrawTite has a front receiver out already for the H3, it bolts on to the frame in front just like the rear receiver does in back. My only issue with it is that it pokes through the front skid plate. I'd like to see a solutionthat pokes through the front bumper right where the front license plate iscurrently mounted. This wouldimproveapproach angle, retain the front skid plate, and look tougher too. It's not at the top of my modification list but if no aftermarket units like this become available, I mayhave onefabricatedtowards the end of this year.

With a front receiver, you also get a location to mount surf boxes, bike racks, ski racks andother hitch mounted accessorieswithout blocking access to the rear hatch.

 

Here is a picture of the Predator Motorsports Hidden Winch Bumper installed on my 2007 H3.


[IMG]local://upfiles/2078/21B8C21DB8BE4C26B072A9052F656900.jpg[/IMG]

 

Before I made my own winch mount, I thought about making the mount attach via hitch recepticle for that reason. Two things came to mind...
1) Getting zero gauge powercable to the rear and the problems that could arise from such a long run of cable at full draw. Then making a plug and a switch that could handle that much power so I didn't have a live 0 guage plug floating around back there.
2) Was I actually goingto lug150+lbs of winch through the mud and be able to hook it all up without falling in the mud myself.

After I made my mount, I was glad I went with the solution I did because the other thing that would happen is all the extra weight that would go up front. While putting on my winch I didnt think about the weight but with a 100lb winch and a 50lb mount and a 30lb brush guard, it really changed how the truck handles. I had to put 3 more turns in the tortion bars to compensate the ride heightfrom the weight.