Going to install a winch but not really where it should go in the front. I have an 2003 4x4 auto. there are two likely spots but the winch and mount would block some of the air flow to the oil cooler. Is this a problem or not? Also, for custom mounting plates, what would be a good metal to use (thickness, type etc). Was gooding to use grade 8 hardware to attach everything.
Upper Spot on my AC.....
myurl

And the lower spot...
myurl

 

All of the winch mounts that I have seen on ACs are located in the lower spot in your pics.Other than that I am not sure about.I will have to go take mine out to measure it to tell you the thickness.But I believe it is 1/4" at least.I will post back later when I have the thickness.

Vince

 

Well I just checked mine and it is 1/4".I couldnt tell you what kind of steel to use though.

Vince

 

RogerL

The winch mounts on the lower spot. The 4 bolts you took off to remove the lower plastic plate are replaced with higher strength bolts and you bolt on a winch mount and a roller fairlead in its place.

The following two links are from Browns leisure world. the first one is the mount and the second one is the roller fairlead. They are about $75 and $60 respectively.

http://www.brownsleisureworld.com/Ac.../ATV/B07-A.htm

http://www.brownsleisureworld.com/Ac.../ATV/B13-A.htm

I just helped mount a whinch on a friends Suzuki Eiger and bolting on the winch is easy. Finding a location for the winch's electrical box (celenoid I think its called) is a real pain in the butt. Both my machines have a 2500lb Warn winch that I have used a considerable amount for all sorts of things and I have never had a problem with them. They were both installed by my dealer when I purchased the machines.

I have not had any problems with airflow through the oil cooler. I have discoverd that since the winch mounts in behind the bumper that if you hit something solid enough with your bumper there is a chance that the bumber support arms can bend. Allowing the winch to be pushed back into the oil cooler and damaging it. If you are running synthetic oil in the 400 I don't think you should have any problems with where the winch is mounted as the synthetic oil seems to make mine run a litle cooler.


Hope this helps and I love the photos.

 

Thanks y'all.
Roger