Hey Guys
Last weekend I put a Superwinch on my 98 Xplorer400 and I think it is a great winch but here is my problem. I would say my main type of ridding is manuvering over obsticles and the winch on the front is REALLY in the way. Right after putting it on I took it for a ride. The first time I droped it into a hole, I couldnt come up the other side because the winch mired into the other side before the front wheels could get to it and I wound up slightly bending my fairlead. I would love to be able to mount the winch up level with the front rack. Has anyone ever saw a mounting kit that would allow for that? Any other thoughts? I would even consider mounting it on the back if I could.
Any Ideas?
Andy G

 

I have mine mounted on top of my front rack for that very reason. I took a 1/4" steel plate and monted in inside a basket type of front rack. I cut a hole in the wire mesh of the basket and attached my roller fairlead to the winch. My switch (it is a Warn)that activates it is mounted on a plate that extends from the back of the basket to just in front of the handlebars so I can reach it with my left hand and still get to the gas with my right. I can be in water up to the headlights and my winch is high and dry. You really don't need any welding or great mechanical ability to do it. If you don't feel comfortable, ask some welding shops or metal fabrication shops around where you live if they can help. Also, by having your winch up on the front rack, it keeps it from constantly being bathed in mud and water. ATV winches are tough, but over the long run, it has to be better to keep your winch out of it. This may not be your solution, but I hope it gives you some ideas.

[This message has been edited by TxDoc2 (edited 11-27-1999).]

 

Wow Andy, you must be climbing some STEEP obstacles. I have only encountered this problem once on my Sportsman. It’s an RSE so it has the winch mounted behind the metal front bumper. I was preparing to hop a big log and the roller fairlead was the first part of the machine to contact the log. Of course it just dug right into the bark and could go no further.

The custom winch mount that Adam described where the guy cut out the plastic for the winch sounds pretty neat. There are a couple things to consider before mounting the winch anywhere other than where you have it though. First, you have to have easy access to the spool freewheel control, so keep that in mind. I understand all the reasons for high winch mounts but if you’re going to mount it high you should know there are some difficulties inherent with that setup too. While there are some riders who rarely encounter mud and use their winch just to climb rocks, I’d bet most of us use ours for getting out of mud holes, most of the time. In theory the very best place on the quad to pull from in this (and most other) situations is at the lowest point possible on the machine. And the very best anchor to pull to is a point significantly higher than the point you’re pulling from. This way you pull the quad up and forward at the same time. The reverse of this gets you into big trouble fast. Let’s say you have a rack mounted winch and your only choice of a pulling anchor is low on the base of a tree. While the winch is trying to pull you forward it’s also leveraging your front end down into the very goo that has you stuck. There are unique situations that are exceptions to this rule of course, but generally speaking you’ll always want to pull from the lowest point you can on the quad to the highest anchor point you can find.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

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FloodRunner, on the Wisconsin River

 

Are you into customizing? I saw one Sportsman where the guy stock the winch behind the plastic bumper, and roller fairlead was mounted where those holes are in the front where it says "Polaris". He made his own mount and did the cutting to bumper, but it was cool. You couldn't even see the winch except for the hook out the front.

I know what you mean about it hindering obstacle capability. My dad's Sportsman has a huge bumper which makes it even worse.

 

Thanks for the input everybody. Im not sure what Im going to do yet but I really like Adams idea about putting it behind the bumper.
Thanks Again
Andy G

 

Everybody who sees my winch mounted on top of the rack always brings up the "what if you are trying to winch to a low tree scenerio"? In real world, first-hand experience--it has never happend. If I am heading into a mudhole and feel like I have any chance of not making it, I will make sure there is a tree, not a stump, that I can winch to. Good Luck with your winch.

 

Hey TxDoc
What kind of quad do you have? Do you have any pictures of your winch?
Andy G

 

When the winch is on your rack you can always run a ****** block to a lower point on your quad.

 

Good point Boner. I thought of that too.
Andy G

 

AndG-I've got a little Honda 300 4 x 4 with 25" tires. I ride with folks who have bigger quads and 26 and 27" tires. Consequently, I do have to deal with ruts and if I don't get stuck, it is rare. Most of the people I rid with get stuck at some point, also. I do have a picture, and can get someone to put it on a floppy and send it to you. Let me know. Tell me what you have and I can get a friend of mine who is a welding foreman at a local company that builds large truck trailers to see if he has any good suggestions. He built something for me from scratch that is essentially a small Pull-Pal (which is for full-size trucks and looks like a plow that lets you have an anchor where there are no trees). I don't use my front rack for anything except to hold my winch and tow straps, etc. I just ride and don't haul deer or anything. Let me know, and I'll see if he can draw something which I can send to you.