My new homemade winch bumper.

I figured I would post up some pictures of the front winch bumper a friend and I built. Basically the winch bolts to the front cross member with 4 factory bolt holes, we reinforced the front cross member with a thick piece of diamond plate welded onto the bumper side supports. This piece has a lip at the bottom that the bumper also bolts to with 5 bolts. We used the factory tow hook bumper mounts welded onto the bumper. The Bumper bolts into place using all of the factory bolt holes and it also has 5 bolts underneath that bolt to the plate on the front cross member which the winch bolts to. It is pretty sleek for a winch bumper because the winch is mounted to the front cross member and not the top of the bumper. I should have taken pictures of the bumper off the Jeep.


The front face of teh bumper is not flat either, it has a slight angle.








You can see 3 of the bolts holding the bumper to the winch plate, 2 others go in through the back into the bumper with welded in nuts.


Here you can see the 4 factory bolt holes, and also 5 of the bolts that bolt the crossmember to the bumper. There is also a factory plate on each frame rail that bolts the bumper mount to that crossmember with 4 more bolts.

not a bad lookin winch bumper. looks good. makes me wish i had my own fab skills (someday, maybe, if i ever develop enough patience)

Looks good, it doesn't really look homebrew. Not saying i don't think you did it, just complimenting your clean fab skills. Sometimes the home fabricated stuff looks like a real hack job, but yours looks professional.

9lared0 said:

Looks good, it doesn't really look homebrew. Not saying i don't think you did it, just complimenting your clean fab skills. Sometimes the home fabricated stuff looks like a real hack job, but yours looks professional.

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Thanks for the compliment but honestly I did about 10% of the work. I was real good at fabbing when I was in highschool shop class but since I don't own a welder or a shop I have kind of lost my touch. My friend is the one who built me the bumper since he is a fabricator and his Dad has a nice shop with everything we needed.

9lared0 said:

Looks good, it doesn't really look homebrew. Not saying i don't think you did it, just complimenting your clean fab skills. Sometimes the home fabricated stuff looks like a real hack job, but yours looks professional.

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x2. even after your disclaimer post... i like it. i have hopes to teach myself fab work in the process of making a bumper. can't be that hard, right? :read::dunce:

asp387 said:

x2. even after your disclaimer post... i like it. i have hopes to teach myself fab work in the process of making a bumper. can't be that hard, right? :read::dunce:

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i said the same thing about shop class in H/S LOL.

jeepboy381 said:

The front face of teh bumper is not flat either, it has a slight angle.

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Nice looking bumper.

What is that you have for trim on your cut out fenders? And where did you get it? Thanks.

This is it. Mojojojo found this stuff on Ebay, it works great and stays on tight.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Trim-lok-lock-Door-Edge-Trim-black-RV-Camper-1-16_W0QQitemZ250046116600QQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

That is beautiful work. party1: :yelclap: That is exactly the winch bumper I would like to get for my XJ. The winch is completely hidden behind the bumper not in front the grill; Haws farelead; good lines/fit below the grill; A bumper that do not add an extra foot to the length of the XJ. I guess it is too late for some pics of how it fit into the cross member :dunno:

techno1154 said:

That is beautiful work. party1: :yelclap: That is exactly the winch bumper I would like to get for my XJ. The winch is completely hidden behind the bumper not in front the grill; Haws farelead; good lines/fit below the grill; A bumper that do not add an extra foot to the length of the XJ. I guess it is too late for some pics of how it fit into the cross member :dunno:

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A picture of how the winch fit onto the crossmember or the bumper? My crossmember had 4 holes factory drilled that the winch bolted right into, I just added a thick piece of diamond plate to the factory crossmember to reinforce it.

Looks good. I want a winch bumper... But I also want a winch.


BTW.. your missing the nut for your steering stabilizer.

xtimmax said:

Looks good. I want a winch bumper... But I also want a winch.


BTW.. your missing the nut for your steering stabilizer.

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it took me.........3 years to get a winch and a winch bumper....i know your pain

xtimmax said:

Looks good. I want a winch bumper... But I also want a winch.


BTW.. your missing the nut for your steering stabilizer.

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I also wanted a winch and a winch bumper, it took me 7 years to get one! Yeah I know that bolt is missing, I have new steering in the shed waiting to ne installed. I beat the hell out of that stabilizer bolt with a huge hammer and couldn't get it out. I have been driving with it out for a while and it still has not come loose. I just need to put some heat on it and it should come free.

Nice clean job. :yelclap: I really like the cutout for the engagement lever.

My only concern is that I don't think the winch is designed to be pulling against the feet in the manner that (I think) you have yours mounted (bolts in tension).

lapisxj said:

Nice clean job. :yelclap: I really like the cutout for the engagement lever.

My only concern is that I don't think the winch is designed to be pulling against the feet in the manner that (I think) you have yours mounted (bolts in tension).

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It should be fine, it mounts the same way that the factory winch option mounts on an XJ. It seems crazy to me that winches don't completely rip apart being as there are only 4 bolts holding them on.

The front hoop is worthless w/o some kind of kicker!

dude! thats freekin awesome Josh! i like it alot ! can't wait to see it in person. i dig the diamond plate bling as well. nice touch.

mojojojo said:

dude! thats freekin awesome Josh! i like it alot ! can't wait to see it in person. i dig the diamond plate bling as well. nice touch.

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Thanks Rod, hopefully I will make it to the next M&G. If not I will for sure make it to the next May run you are planning.

I like it. Nice and low profile for a winch bumper.

What type of winch did you end up going with?

We passed your "hot tub" at TSF last trip. At least now your prepared for the next time.

ive got some good pics of the extraction too, hehe. but anywho. i like it. fits the style of the XJ beautifuly.