Suck Down Winch

[Ghost]

Who has one? Where did you mount it? Is your XJ a buggy or full bobied? I need one and after looking at the front of the XJ I'm just not sure where to put it...??? Goat I have seen yours and IMHO with my XJ the pasanger seat is not an option. Thinking either trying to do something with my current winch bumper that removed the front crossmember or mounting it to the pasanger side frame rail. Photo's would be great. Thanks!

 

[Lowrange2]

Seems I saw one on the passenger side frame rail, thru a pulley on the axle then to a hook on the drivers side frame rail. I need to do the same thing after trying the left side of TNT. It unloads a TON with long arms.

 

[Jump This]

I guess the question would be, do you already have a winch on the front?
Dont' most people just put a mount on the front axle for the cable and use the winch for 'suck down' duties?
Or are you talking about just adding another smaller winch strictly for suck down?

 

[Ghost]

I guess the question would be, do you already have a winch on the front?
Dont' most people just put a mount on the front axle for the cable and use the winch for 'suck down' duties?
Or are you talking about just adding another smaller winch strictly for suck down?

Yes I have a winch on the front. The only way to make it work would be to run the rope through the back of the winch bumper and then over something, a pulley maybe and then down to the axle. When I tried it like it was it did not suck it down like I wanted it to work. So the consensus was that I needed it more over the axle.

 

[vetteboy]

I had a small Harbor Freight winch mounted under the passenger side frame rail, to a pulley on the axle, and attached to the driver side frame rail near the trackbar bracket.

It actually worked pretty well although you need to keep an eye on the cable routing.

I'll see if I can find some pics later today.

 

[asp]

I had a small Harbor Freight winch mounted under the passenger side frame rail, to a pulley on the axle, and attached to the driver side frame rail near the trackbar bracket.

It actually worked pretty well although you need to keep an eye on the cable routing.

I'll see if I can find some pics later today.

So why did you take it out?

 

[Ghost]

I had a small Harbor Freight winch mounted under the passenger side frame rail, to a pulley on the axle, and attached to the driver side frame rail near the trackbar bracket.

It actually worked pretty well although you need to keep an eye on the cable routing.

I'll see if I can find some pics later today.

That would be great! What did you use as a pulley? Something from a hardware store or did you use a snatch block?

So why did you take it out?

I think he redid his front end.

 

[vetteboy]

That would be great! What did you use as a pulley? Something from a hardware store or did you use a snatch block?

The cable that comes on the HF winch is junk. I respooled it with ~20 feet of 5/16" line and ordered a pulley from McMaster-Carr...just a simple little metal job with a bronze bushing for the roller.

I think he redid his front end.

Yeah, when I did the coilovers I never put it back on there, and I ended up using the frame attachment point as my new mounting for the trackbar brace.

The piece of angle welded to the frame with the 3 studs in it is where the winch used to go:

 

[Ghost]

This might help as to why my winch does not work well as a suck down winch too.

Ok here is the font axle showing the bottom of the winch bumper.

Another View: Winch bumper is to the left.

This is where I am thinking I should put it.

Vetteboy is that 4" .25 angle?

 

[Ghost]

Did some tinkering and looking.

Was thinking this is too much but I can build it to clear everything. It would also tie both frame rails together. Not sure if that is what I will do or not. Thoughts?

 

[John D]

I like that, but is there really that much room? It has been a while since I had a 4.0L in mine so I don't remember.

 

[Ghost]

I like that, but is there really that much room? It has been a while since I had a 4.0L in mine so I don't remember.

Well I just finished cleaning up a piece of angle to see how I like what Vette did. I think It could work. I think my limited skills will butcher it up. LOL! Yes it could work but it will have very tight clearances to the TB, which I will be changing in the future, and the oil pan. There is less then .25" between the back piece of angle and the oil pan. I was thinking about using the two TB bracket bolts as the spot to tie it to the frame.. They are present on both sides since the xj was built for both right and left hand drive. That is 2" x .125 I think. I know its not 2" x .25.

 

[John D]

The oil pan (motor) shouldn't move too much if your motor mounts are solid and connecting the two sides at the track bar mounts should lessen the frame flex. How much room is there from the track bar to the winch?

 

[Ghost]

The oil pan (motor) shouldn't move too much if your motor mounts are solid and connecting the two sides at the track bar mounts should lessen the frame flex. How much room is there from the track bar to the winch?

In the vertical plain there is about .50 - .75" from the TB to the angle. I did not measure it before I took it down and did this:

There is about 4.5" of distance between the UCA mount and the winch. I only have about 3.5 - 4" of up travel in my shocks. It clears the drag link and everything else there too. I think I'll think about it tonight and decide finish it tomorrow.

 

[Ironmanandy]

Hey man, That is a tight fit. even to put it on the axle. just wondering, if you can rig a winch under there why not make a roller under your regular winch and use the winch you already have down behind your tie rod. If you get stuck, unhook and yank.... psh if you get stuck. lol

You could run that lil baby winch. ( i cant see it cuz its camo lol) on the rear as a suck down. I know your front winch sits in front of the axle but still can be made to work.

just my thoughts as you asked for them lol. sorry we cant get to gether next weekend gotta do the family thing
A

 

[Ghost]

Hey man, That is a tight fit. even to put it on the axle. just wondering, if you can rig a winch under there why not make a roller under your regular winch and use the winch you already have down behind your tie rod. If you get stuck, unhook and yank.... psh if you get stuck. lol

You could run that lil baby winch. ( i cant see it cuz its camo lol) on the rear as a suck down. I know your front winch sits in front of the axle but still can be made to work.

just my thoughts as you asked for them lol. sorry we cant get to gether next weekend gotta do the family thing
A

I have thought about using the current winch but the rope spools on the bottom from the front. If I remove the hook and send it backwards it comes from the top. That puts the rope in the harmonic balancer. I was thinking tonight that if I were to weld two grade 8 bolts to the angle instead of welding it to the frame rail I could use the ps TB holes as a mount point. Of course that will interfear with your cross brace and TB that I want to run..... leave to me to give you a challange and not run things that are normal. :moon:

 

[Lowrange2]

Glenn, call me crazy but why couldn't you some how or another come off of the motor mounts with a piece of tube and have the winch mounted directly over the axle?

Basically run a piece of tube from mount to mount under the oil pan. Hug close to the oil pan and make a flat mount for the winch to bolt to.

I haven't actually climbed under it to look to see if this is possible. I'd say you're running enough lift to have clearance. You are clearing 62" tall tires, after all.



Another idea, though completely insane, popped into my head just now.

How about plate the whole oil pan and mount the winch to that?



It just seems to me that the winch would have to do SO much work to pull the suspension down from that angle... Seems that it would do good to hold the suspension at static height and not let it unload. Would it be able to compress the suspension with that set-up?

Also, how do you plan to run the wiring on that winch. (Since the solenoid is in the remote)

 

[Ghost]

Glenn, call me crazy but why couldn't you some how or another come off of the motor mounts with a piece of tube and have the winch mounted directly over the axle?

Basically run a piece of tube from mount to mount under the oil pan. Hug close to the oil pan and make a flat mount for the winch to bolt to.

I haven't actually climbed under it to look to see if this is possible. I'd say you're running enough lift to have clearance. You are clearing 62" tall tires, after all.



Another idea, though completely insane, popped into my head just now.

How about plate the whole oil pan and mount the winch to that?



It just seems to me that the winch would have to do SO much work to pull the suspension down from that angle... Seems that it would do good to hold the suspension at static height and not let it unload. Would it be able to compress the suspension with that set-up?

Also, how do you plan to run the wiring on that winch. (Since the solenoid is in the remote)

Actualy the winch will be hooked to the opposite side and go through a pulley welded to the axle in the center. It should not be too tough on the winch to suck the front in down. As for the oil pan...well I'd rather not risk ripping the oil pan on the trail. the angle was an attempt at a cross bar. It is what I had laying around. It is very tight under the front of an xj and even tighter when you have a front 60.

 

[John D]

I guess the question would be, do you already have a winch on the front?
Dont' most people just put a mount on the front axle for the cable and use the winch for 'suck down' duties?
Or are you talking about just adding another smaller winch strictly for suck down?

Yes I have a winch on the front. The only way to make it work would be to run the rope through the back of the winch bumper and then over something, a pulley maybe and then down to the axle. When I tried it like it was it did not suck it down like I wanted it to work. So the consensus was that I needed it more over the axle.

Why won't it work like this?

 

[Lowrange2]

I couldn't do that because my bumper is WAY out in front of my axle. There's like a 3 foot difference.



Do you understand what I mean about pull strength.

Seems like to me it would take nearly twice as much force to pull the suspension down with the setup you're planning instead of pulling straight down. Basically, finish it and let me know!