I have had the bumper installed for several years and now I decided I need to get a winch in there. Does this bumper have to come off or can you get it there with the bumper mounted? Its going to be a real pain if that bumper needs to come out.

The bumper definitely has to come off to install a winch. 3 bolts on each side, wiring (turn signals, off road lights) and it should come off... You'll need some friends or an engine hoist.

-Charlie

That is not what I wanted to hear. That bumper was a beast to get on there. It was a very tight fit and I am not sure I will be able to pull if off that bracket. It was wedged very tight.

I am looking at it now and there are the 3 bolts you speak off holding the bumper to the brackets on each side.

There are also 2 bolts that go from frame to bracket. Can this come off with the bracket still attached and only remove the 2 frame bolts per side.

Well I think I found the answer. There is a 3rd bolt that goes on the end of that bracket and i dont think there is anyway to back it out with the bumper on.

The brackets on each side should have the two lower tow-hook bolts, the rear horizontal bolts, front vertical through bolts - and if you are winching, the front bolts on the weld-in frame caps.

If the inner side of the frame wasn't cleaned really well (down to flat metal) or the frame was previously tweaked, the bumper could be very hard to get on/off.

This didn't work for me:


This did:


The brackets on each side have 5 bolts each, mostly there to strengthen the frame ends (the rear-most bolt is behind the last crush section of the frame):


I did the frame end caps later:


-Charlie

I have the welded in end caps

I was in a similar situation a few years back. It's a good looking bumper, but a complete ***** to mount and dismount. I told myself if i ever had to take it off, I wouldn't be putting it back on. ...and I planned on adding a winch, so, yeah.

I swapped it out with an Addicted Off Road front bumper and have been living happily ever after since...

Any other off-road bumper in my future will be lightweight (as much as possible for being steel.) And an open design or all tube. It just makes life a lot easier. you can also keep a better eye on how the line is spooling up.

Good luck on the install.

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Leave the brackets on the frame & remove the bolts to take the bumper off. I did it last year to sand & re-paint because it was starting to rust after 3 NY winters.
Yes it can be a tight fit. I put a 60 grit sanding disk on my angle grinder & sanded the brackets, the frame, the inside of the bumper, any place that made it difficult to slide the pieces together. But not too loose because you want a solid fit. I also used a 1" chip brush & axle grease on install so it would slide together easily & not scratch the paint off causing rust. I've taken this off & put it together by myself with a floor jack & 3ft 4"x4" pressure treated piece of scrap wood from my deck. It's 89lbs not 200. It definitely helps to have a second set of hands though. I've been on the ground, on my back with both feet in the air holding the bumper in place (along with wood & a floor jack) while tightening the bolts to the bracket! LOL It WAS easier having my GF hold the bumper in place while I tightened! LOL

@Road Bull "wahwahwah!" LOL :-)

I’m about to venture down this road as well. Appreciate the information in this post guys

Update. The bumper came off easily. Getting it back on was not terrible but did require 2 people and some effort.

Good info.

I'm hoping to take advantage of the Shrockworks group buy coming up soon.

Soemone please make a link under group buys. COLE_T had posted a thread under the 3rd gen though, I can't cuz I'm new here.

I guess I'll be looking at getting all the wiring and winch and etc etc done on initial install.

What winch did you end up going with in this bumper? I've got the same one and some day I plan on stuffing a winch in there, but I've found that some 8,000+ lb winches will be an awful tight fit in there.

I went with a Warn M8000. Fit just fine

That is why I am doing mine upfront. I don't want to have to take mine off at anytime. Ha

Anyone mind filling me in on how the winch mounted into the bumper? Finally received mine and was curious to see how the winch mounted in the bumper as there isn't a winch plate where I would assume there normally would be on most aftermarket bumpers... The instructions seem pretty vague. Thanks in advance.