Ok after geting stuck the otherday with several trees behind me but none in reach out front I'v decided to go with a REAR MOUNTED WINCH so I need some help on where and how to fasten it to my 500 sportsman ?? pics of your set ups would help !!! shoul it be low at the hich in the mud or high by the brake light out of the mud or ??

 

Bout the best and only way to do a rear winch is a hitch mounted one.

 

You can still make a mount for the rear hitch ........But make it a bit higher so it's out of the mud/water...........Caper...............

 

My buddy ( Butlerboy ) on this site fabricated a hitch to the front and his unit came with one on the rear.
He then mounted his warn winch to a reciver mounted to a plate. With a quick release electrical connect and a cotter pin he moves his winch from front to rear in less than 30 seconds.
I said he should market and sell his set up but he is not interested but I would say your local machine shop could fabricate something for you.
He told me harbor freight sold the electical connections front and rear for about 30 bucks plus the metal and paint. Cost him maybe 50 bucks and time.
Look him up and ask him to make you one...
You may get lucky.

 

I mounted one up higher on my 02 700 which was pretty easy. Best route is a cradle mounted on the hitch up higher. Cheapest route is to pick up up a foldable come-a-long. I have one that has a case and works great in a pinch. Also handy to have if your front winch fails.

 

Watch this space.

I am about to do this very mod on my 2010 500. I was brain storming last night and I'm waiting on word from my mate who is an expert in the winching field.

The winch in question is an old discontinued Warn A2000, with uprated solenoid, wireless remote and synthetic rope.

The plan is to hang it upside down below the rear storage compartment. To keep the motor on the opposite side to the exhaust the terminals will have to be reversed so it spools in over the top of the drum (when upright) rather than under the bottom.

Granted the setup would be better lower down on the frame but there's just no room and I want it permanently mounted on the frame and I also want to be able to use it to hawl loads onto a trailer so the receiver route is out.

I'll keep you posted

By the way, you can by a demountable receiver plate from Warn.

All the best

James

 

James I too want to still be able to use my rear hich for i pull a trailer around and pulla 4x8 sometimes with me hunting so i too could use the winch to pull deer,bear, the wife whatever onto trailer LOL!!

 

where there is a will there's a way,,,,,,,,cut a hunk of 1/4" steel off my workbench.

 

I made this up a few years ago....

jcdeyo25 Photo Gallery by David Kamps at pbase.com

John

 

i installed an HF 2k winch on my 500ho recently. it mounts to the 4 holes in the frame along side the rear "trunk". i did not have to drill any holes in the machine itself. i did lose the use of the "trunk", but i really dont care. it keeps the winch up and out of the water, which is when you need it most. a receiver-mounted winch is an absolute no-go in any situation where the reciever is going to be under water, or buried in mud; and its one of the lowest points on the machine. it works very well.