After looking through the various winch options, I don't really like any of them. The factory kit requires cutting up the front grill and the winch is in a place it's difficult to get to to free spool, most other kits do not include the crush cans, and while I like the sarek setup, I don't want the winch hanging out there for the 99% of the time I'm not off road. That leads me to think a receiver setup might be ideal for me, also allowing me to move the winch to the rear when that would be beneficial. That said, I haven't seen it done on a new defender, anyone seen a front receiver setup or had one fabbed?

 

I think you're wrong... the factory winch tray is exceptional. Just put one on mine. A front end receiver doesn't exist that I'm aware of for L663 and you'll be hacking up the front end just as much or more to have a front tow receiver as you would a good winch tray.

 

^^ Have to agree with Nash. It’s one thing to put a receiver on the front of a body-on-frame Wrangler. Putting one on a 663 couldn’t be any less intrusive than putting a factory or LK8 winch tray there. Here’s my LK8. The mesh grill removes quickly by hand with 2 acorn nuts, then all the controls are easily reached.

 

After the roo-bar mount, this LK8 option is my favorite. Badassery. Better than the pedestrian-safe plastic OEM by a mile. This is the stealth one @NoGaBiker ?

 

Dis you DIY and if so how was it?

 

Does that retain the crush cans?

 

Crush cans retained. The black plate that the winch lead is mounted to is steel, and the mesh is either steel or aluminum. And yes, it's the Stealth model.

I hired it done. My local LR shop is old and very experienced, but had never done a winch on a 663; they are a LK8 dealer and were on the phone with them a few times. Took a day and a half of shop time.

I have installed four or five winches on the fronts of JK Wranglers, but when I read the instructions for this I said no way, no how. Not about to try to DIY. Even had I been successful I can guarantee I wouldn't have enjoyed the job, and I'm at a stage in life where I only tackle mechanical jobs I think I'll enjoy.