I want to take the winch off the front of my '00 SP500 and put it on my wife's '03 HO. I don't want it to steer hard so I was thinking of mounting it in the rear. I'm going to make my own mounts and bumpers anyway, so fabrication isn't a problem. I guess I've heard two different theorys about which place is better, front or back.

Your better off trying to pull yourself back through where you've already gone instead of pulling yourself in deeper.

Or

Most of the time, your almost there, you just need the winch for that last few feet.

Yea, I guess I could use a hitch system, but I just don't see lugging a 40# winch and mounting plate around in mud that was deep enough to get stuck in in the first place.

Opinions?

 

Make it where it is a multi mount system. That way it can be on back or front.

Ronnie

 

A winch doesn't affect the steering at all really. Its better to have more weight up front. I say put it on the front. Alot of the time you don't make it though you still can aim the quad in the right direction of a tree . If you mount it on the back and you get stuck you can't aim your rear end of the quad to where you want it, so you might get an awkward pull. When you do mount the winch, mount it low, so it pulls the quad up and out of the mud. If you mount it up really high you will be pulling the quad through the mud or pulling the quad down into the mud.

Almost everyone who has a winch has one in the front only, its a system that has worked great for trucks, quads and other off-roads vehicles. Why change whats not broken, pulling from the front is the best.

If you do decide to mount it in the rear, mount it down by your hitch so you pull your quad out and not through the mud.

 

If you're going to build your own bumpers, build them to accept the winch front or rear. Wire the winch with quick disconnects. Move it where you need it, front or rear. Or for that matter move it from your 4 wheeler to hers. You can "store" it by mounting it to the bumper of your choice. If you are going riding where there is no mud to worry about, take it off and leave it in the garage.

I used 1-1/2" and 1-1/4" square tubing for my hitch and receiver. I hold my accessories in place with 5/16" hitch pins. I made a carry basket and a tow hook also for the hitch. I am going to make a smaller basket as well. You can order the quick disconnects for 6 gauge wire from Northern Tools. The versatility here is endless.

SurferSam

 

I'm with surfersam!! I am in the process of working up a plan to mount in the front or the rear with a quick disconnect system myself.

Surfersam, do you have any photos of your fabrications that you would be willing to share???

 

Ok the multi mount is a good idea but mounting it low is not, pulling forward is not.If you mount it low and you get stuck in the mud most likely the winch will also be in the mud(i have seen this). Yes mounting it low will pull you up out of the mud but it wont make that much of a difference because you pretty much sank so no matter where you mount it you will always be pulling up.Pulling back out the path you already made is the best way cuz the rutts are already there, you wont be pulling as much mud as if you did going foreward and it Puts less stress on the winch. I belong to a 4x4 club and have been mudding for 15 yrs with trucks and would think atv's work the same.
By the way the club name is
M.S.S.M
Mud Slinging Social Misfits

Check out our sight at www.diamond-s-mudbog.5u.com