I am looking to mount my warn 2.5c winch. I was looking at my prairie and it looks like Kawasaki intended that you could mount it without buying a mounting plate. I have not trial fit it yet but it looks like if you cut the metal between the oval holeson the front bash plate the fair lead would mount up. There are holes in the plate back there and they look like they would line up. This would mount the winch about 2 inches lower than the ones I've seen with the mounting plate that bolts to those holes and lets the lead come out just above the bash plate. I wondered if anyone has tried this and if it is a good idea or bad idea. It seems like such a rip off to pay $34 dollars for a piece of metal that bolts to these holes jusst to raise it 2 inches. Maybe I'm being cheap but you spend $7000.00 on a quad then have to pay more for a piece of metal to mount the winch on. I saw a picture with the winch mounted like I decribed in a magazine. I can't remeber which one but I know I saw the lead coming out through were those oval holes are. Any info would be great before I decide to get out the saws all. Thanks.

 

You are right, the plate is too much $$ for just a piece of heavy steel.

Kawasaki had preproduction models with winches where the cable came out where those oval holes are. They changed it, as far as I know, because it was too low and the winch hook was hitting a lot more stuff on the trail, and geeting buried much to deep under muck in the mud.

As far as I know, everybody has either gone with that winch plate or with a multi mount. I suggest you get that plate and don't waste your effort, other people have tried and discovered that there was insufficient support on the stock frame without the mount plate.

I like the plate, and I welded a hook to it that makes a superior place to strap to a trailer and other people's winch hooks. It is awesome (for a hook).

 

nyroc exhaust modI mounted my winch in the stock mount with no cutting . you just line it up and you only get the two bottom bolts in . i went through the roller fairleed through the stock holes and into my winch . dont waste your money on a mount plate and you sure dont need to cut anything . mount your winch where the leed comes out the top and the free spool is on the right hand side it will work ive used mine plenty without any problems.02 6502500 warnnappa #7335epi black springk&n filter

 

Neat idea, trailride. You are the first guy I have heard of that did that. Doesn't seem like it would be supported very well doing that. I think that would make stresses high enough to fall within fatigue limits. It very well may not have broken, yet.

Some engineer somewhere designed that plate for a reason. Two bolts holding the winch in that manner definitely not a stable mount. I am not going to recommend that on my website.

DirtVH, if you look real close at a winch mounted (I have a pic in the 650 photos folder), you will see that if you didn't have a plate, the two lower winch bolts will bolt up to the Prairie exactly the same place as they would with a plate, then just bolt the fairlead with the two top bolts on the winch.

 

DirtVH:

When i first bought my winch, I also had the winch installed solidly to the front with the appropriate plates...First trip in deep mud, I get stuck and guess what...the closest tree in front of the bike is about 300 feet away and theres a nice 12 inch tree 20 feet behind the bike...I still got it turned around but it was a lot of work. This system was removed upon arrival to the house, and I then fabricated my own attachments and plates.

I made attachments for mine in both the front and back of the bike. The winch is mounted to a base that fits to my front or back attachment by the use of a pin and a quick disconnect for the wiring. If you look at my pic with the canoe rack installed, you can see that the canoe rack fits in the attachment mounts also, both front and back, and the winch can then be installed to the canoe rack, front or back, if required.

If you want more info or pics let me know.

 

hey NYROC what you just told him is the same way i have my winch mounted just the fairleed is on bottom. tried it both ways , seems this way works for me .

 

You want a deluxe front and rear winch mounting system. You got Cash! Go to .THIS link and view their system. Scroll down to find thumbnails of the Prairie. I found it searching for a Chain Saw carrier.