VR10000s

[The Saints]

Well, this weekend I finally got my new winch. Since I can only do so much 4 wheeling I decided to go with the entry level Warn. I decided to go with the VR 10,000 lb. synthetic rope winch. Now I am glad. I mounted it yesterday and spooled in the rope and love it. If I knew how I would post pictures, however, you can see them on Face book.

 

[Jamesiam]

Facebook, James likes this

 

[pods8]

Cool.

I'm in stage 1 of adding a winch to my truck. I figure as I'll soon be taking the little ones (currently 2yrs and 9mo) out more that ponying up for a winch might be good insurance. Its not an excuse to drive through things I otherwise wouldn't have before but if I do get stuck being able to potentially self extract verse needing to hike out miles with the little ones (or split up the family) starts having appeal.

Anyways I've got a 2500 dodge with the hemi which is the same platform as the powerwagon. Also just so happens I came across the main cradle for the winch a little while back so I picked it up. It designed for a rebadged warn M15000 and the bolt pattern should fit most other winches, winch selection TBD at a later date.

I was missing the side brackets and also the rollers were beat up and bushings/pins bent. I was visiting my parents over the 4th and had access to more fab equipment so I set out to make up the side brackets (big thanks to RamRider for crawling under his rig to get me dimensions ). I tossed them under the truck this weekend however I realized I didn't take into account where some machining ended on the cradle bracket would interfere with the bracket I made up so I had to pull it out and trim back my bracket. To be continued once I've got that modified:

The rollers aren't on the carrier right now, I'm replacing them with some 1" AL6XN pipe drops I picked up, some UHMW Polyethylene collar bushings I turned, and 17-4 stainless pins. Should stay rust free.


Here's a picture from RamRider of what a completed installation looks like with the hood opened up looking down behind the bumper. The rollers in the cradle bracket are right behind a slot in the bumper.

 

[The Saints]

its always fun to go through the mental process that goes with purchasing a winch. So much to think about that you.......never would have thought about.
Now Im worried about theft. Since I have an aluminum bumper, I cant weld the bolts to it, but I can weld a bridge between the bolts on the heads, so in order to remove them, I'll have to grind off the bridge on both bolts. Or, does somebody know of security bolts rated for bumpers??

 

[pods8]

I think depending on your area its an over rated concern in my mind unless everything grows legs. Someone will need to roll up with an actually wrench and go to work taking it off and then lug away a 60lb winch. Bear in mind a VR series warn isn't super high end either so on the used hot market its likely a couple hundred dollar score. Most thief's with tooling to pull a winch handy are likely gonna go after rims or such in my mind.

That said assuming you don't require a higher rating bolt on the winch you can use tamper resistant socket head cap screws: http://www.mcmaster.com/#tamper-resistant-socket-head-cap-screws/=ifp3hf Looking at the warn manual it only calls for grade 5 bolts so I'd think the tamper resistant screws would be just fine.

 

[craig333]

Kinda depends on where you live. I did put a lock on my hi lift but figure most of the thieves around here don't even know what one is yet alone how to use it. A winch is a little more valuable but you don't hear about a lot being stolen.

 

[The Saints]

how about using red locktite on my bumper / frame bolts? do you think that would be a deturant?

 

[pods8]

how about using red locktite on my bumper / frame bolts? do you think that would be a deturant?


Locktite and just properly torqued bolts helps. I know those frame bolts I installed for the brackets I made when torqued to 80ft-lbs with just blue locktite for a 15min or so took a little leverage to get going again.

But now you're talking about someone taking off your whole bumper... that's a motivated thief my friend.