So I have this idea, tell me why I should not do this.

I have what appears to be a generic Lucky8 winch bumper. It looks like the more basic of the two without the bull-bar. What I would like to do is cap off the top opening where the winch would normally stick out the top of the bumper, so that it would be flat. I would possibly weld on a bull-bar or light bar mounts to that section. The use a hidden winch mount, (not sure which one) to mount a HF Badlands 9k or 12k. I would still use the original fair lead on the bumper.

Will this put the winch too low with the angle of the line feeding through the fair lead?

 

This is the Lucky8 bumper I was able to take off of a donor Disco I had a while back. I do not like the look. In my opinion its too narrow and I want to place the winch lower and farther back.


I am not a great fabricator but I am trying. I am going to attempt to weld in the fair lead cutout and cut out a new one lower int the new fab section, and partially cap off the top of the winch opening. Then I have two options, either install a hidden winch mount or cutout the winch mounting plate Andre-weld it lower and farther back. I’d also like to weld in solid shackle points instead of using the Terrafirma style slide on ones.

I know I could just go out and buy a Casey customs bumper (which is the one I like), but this give e the opportunity to mess around with dabbing and welding. Plus it was virtually a free bumper. Not a big fan of the steering guard either but again it was virtually free so it may get used.

 

ambition to design & execute is a major part of achieving your goal. Get after it.

that said; very handy to have the proper tools.
Having someone local you trust to perhaps review or answer any questions is a plus.

keep in mind that truck is very heavy. Rule of thumb for winch capacity is 1.5x your truck weight. You want to feel confident about that fabrication.

 

Keep in mind if your line of pull is below the mounting point of the bumper you are going to torque the bumper mounts so they need to be solid. The bolts are good for a minimum 2500 lbs each, so 10k lbs for the long through bumper mounting bolts that hold the crush cans to the frame, probably more like 5k lbs each or 20klbs.

 

Yeah, original bumper is too thin, nice upgrade adding lower portion.

I believe the original crush can bolts are 3/8's...upgraded mine to 1/2 inch (grade 8 naturally). Holes in frame rail accommodated 1/2 just fine, if memory serves me right, don't remember doing any reaming.

Know you're in the early stages of development, but, another thing you may want to consider...is area where fairlead will be mounted, you'd want this surface flush/vertically flat.

 

Thanks for the info. As far as the fair lead opening I thought I could get a way with it angled down slightly like the Goliath steel bumper.

 

Here is the semi-completed bumper. There are a few more thing that need to be worked out like swivel shackles, and I'd like to find a way to incorporate fogs into the lower section. Eventually once I think its all worked out I may powder coat it also.