I have just install the Terrafirma Hidden winch mount and everything is wired up. I'm stuck trying to figure out how to mount the fairlead hawse. Mine is 3/4" billet aluminum and if mounted to the winch mount I can refit my bumper no prolem. So clearly there is a gap from the front fascia to the winch mount.

For those who have fitted a hidden winch mount how did you handle the space/gap from the winch mount to the bumper? Did you do a flush mount or was it raised/surface mounted on the bumper?

This is the closest thing I could find to an answer from a Disco3.co.uk post. Image below. Any thoughts, suggestions, pictures welcomed.

 

This is the Hawse fairlead that I used. It was all a huge pain, but I figured it would be even more of a pain to try to cut out the outline of another Hawse fairlead to try and flush mount. So... I just cut out some bolt holes and surface mounted this one. I actually think it turned out really nice. I did have to find some longer bolts though because the ones included with my winch plate weren't long enough. I managed to fine some grade 10 ones online and ordered a couple of different lengths. I also had to drill out the holes of the fairlead a bit which was a huge headache because that is some really hard steel. I'll try to find pictures when I'm at a computer.

 

Ah, just reread your post from a computer vs. a phone and realized more specifically what information you were after. The picture you pulled off disco sums it up pretty well... My front runner hidden winch mount actually came with square tube that fit around the fairlead bolts.

Basically, I purchased some very thick, long, grade 10 bolts and fed them through the winch plate from the back to the front (so the head of the bolt is at the winch plate and the threaded part of the bolt is sticking out to the front of the car). I then put a lock washer on and nut and tightened each bolt down to the winch plate. Then, I tried to mount the bumper again and figured out where the bolt would stick through. I cut holes for the bolts and refit the bumper. I then marked the bolts at the point where the bumper was and took the bumper off. Then, I subtracted the thickness of the bumper and made another mark. Next, I measured from that mark back to the winch plate and cut my square tubing to that length. I noticed in the picture that somebody else simply used round metal tubing. Regardless, make sure it's large enough around to fit over the nut and/or washer that you affixed to the winch plate.

Fit the metal tubing/spacer over the bolts. Then, fit the bumper back on, put the hawse fairlead I described above on, and put some locking nuts on. If there's excess bolt, grind it off.

 

Hidden Winch Mount

 

Thanks a lot for confirming this. I'm source the needed hardware and will complete things with a similar solution. For now I've just put things back together with the fairlead attached to the bumper only. I will not be winching any time soon (guess I'm just a poser for now ) so this should be fine.

 

Also,

Don't know if you'll get any benefit from it at this point, but this writeup helped me.

Hidden Winch Install - Land Rover and Range Rover Forums

 

Thanks, yes I have read that thread and used it as my primary guide on this install.

 

I ended up using long bolts and the thick Nylon spacers (1x1/2x3/8) from Lowes stacked. I was able to completely fill the gap and now there's no flex in the bumper when sugging up the winch line.

 

Sweet! Is that a front runner sump guard I see?

I see you installed the winch with your freespool lever pointed up. I think I tried that originally, and I can't remember if it was just really hard for me to access (I'm tall) or whether it simply wouldn't fit (I had a 12.5 Superwinch Talon), but I ended up clocking it with the freespool lever pointed directly forward. It's worked well so far, but confuses others for a few seconds when they can't see the lever.

 

Front Runner sump guard indeed...got it on sale for $328+S/H.

I also contemplated clocking the freespool gear housing. To be honest (and I didn't measure) it looks like more interference on the front than top. I can turn it (thought a little tight) but I may look into clocking it later it if proves to be an issue.