To Mount or Not to Mount

I've decided to get a new front bumper to make my approach angle better. I've narrowed my search down to two bumpers. Both will basically give me the same approach angle. One bumper has the winch mount and the other one has the hitch reciever, allowing the use of the winch tray. I'm having a hard time deciding on which one. What are your opinion/advise. Thanks!

guther66 said:

I've decided to get a new front bumper to make my approach angle better. I've narrowed my search down to two bumpers. Both will basically give me the same approach angle. One bumper has the winch mount and the other one has the hitch reciever, allowing the use of the winch tray. I'm having a hard time deciding on which one. What are your opinion/advise. Thanks!

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Do a search. The winch tray sucks. The main trouble is you can't get the winch mounted after your stuck.
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=63614&page=2&pp=15&highlight=Front+reciever+mount

So mount it when you get to the trail head. I personally like the winch tray. If you have long battery cables you can hook to either the front or rear. Both have pro and cons though.

GirlScout1 said:

So mount it when you get to the trail head. I personally like the winch tray. If you have long battery cables you can hook to either the front or rear. Both have pro and cons though.

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Yeah..... mount the winch tray and loose the approach angle. Now of course you can choose not to mount so that you get the great approach angle and mount the winch when you need it. Oh... ooops..... I just realized: you might not be able to mount it when you need it (depending on how you're going to be stuck).
Anyways, which bumpers are you looking at?

Go for the bumper mount! winch trays twist and stick out way too far.
Why would you what to go backwards (rear mount). The whole idea of a winch is so you can go forward even if your rig cannot.

yeah, the last thing you're going to want to do is lug a 100 pound winch/cradle through mud or whatever to hook it up.

smilesyota said:

Go for the bumper mount! winch trays twist and stick out way too far.
Why would you what to go backwards (rear mount). The whole idea of a winch is so you can go forward even if your rig cannot.

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if you're riding along in the snow and slide over a bank it would be nice be able to go backwards.. pros and cons again..

jeepinandy said:

if you're riding along in the snow and slide over a bank it would be nice be able to go backwards.. pros and cons again..

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that's why you either:
a. carry snatchblox and have a very creative mind
b. stay away from banks
c. have buddy with a winch follow you

Kejtar said:

that's why you either:
a. carry snatchblox and have a very creative mind
b. stay away from banks
c. have buddy with a winch follow you

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hmmm... I'd like to see an illustration of opt (a) lol to late to think that hard....

jeepinandy said:

hmmm... I'd like to see an illustration of opt (a) lol to late to think that hard....

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It all depends on the terrain. I didn't suggest pulling yourself backwards (although I remember seeing someplace on the web a very convoluted multi snatchblock design that is supposed to achieve something to that effect). Anyways, you can often recover yourself pulling towards the front and at an angle. On a recent trip I had a trail give way from under me (it was damaged during our last rain season and it was slowly slipping sideways) and as I started to slide sideways off the trail in a really weird way, I had the guy who was following me, run around me, grab the winch and strap me to a tree up ahead. Then with a carefull use of a winch and throttle I pulled myself forward and sideways to get back to a more manageable position. ANyways, tray mounts do have their uses, but I think that if someone wants to play in the rocks (and being that the original poster is in Ut, which means somewhat close to Moab) the tray mount most likely would not be the best option.

lots of options in my opinion http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=65511&highlight=hidden+crossmember