2015 TEP Hidden Winch Build/Install

[Jetboy]

I built a Hidden winch mount for my 4runner this weekend.

Overall it's pretty straight forward on the 5th gens. Lots of room to work with inside the bumper. I left the solenoid pack on the winch but remoted the plug to a box near the drivers side firewall. Inside I set it up with a rocker on/off switch, a relay, and then the remote plug. I also bough a wireless controller, but it was DOA. HF junk. I'll test the components to see if it's fixable at home. Otherwise I've already cut it apart so I can't really return it.

Anyway here's how I did a hidden winch mount. Pretty similar to most of the aftermarket ones. The set of 5 tabs on the bottom to fit all the bumper plastic and under bumper cover were a PITA to measure and replicate. The rest was pretty easy. I haven's seen how the retail hidden winch mounts are replicating them - I'd be curious. It was almost worth just running the aluminum bumper through a band saw and bolting the entire lower half onto the bottom. If I did it again I might just do that. It would be faster for sure.

You can see the rope coming out from under the license plate. Fits Like a glove. I'll put a hinge on the plate I just didn't have one yet.

 

[chudiddy]

Brilliant. Well done!! Now make a kit so we can buy direct.

 

[longeuayms]

Great Job!
+1 for plans or more pics so we can try it. Your set up came out looking very stock. Now if you could only get some mounting points to stick through the original front fender!

 

[High_Country]

Right on, man! Looks great. It's funny - you go through a lot of work to make something as NOT noticeable as possible but it's great. I want the exact same thing. I'd love to be able to run a winch when I wanted without a) being noticeable and b) having to buy a replacement bumper or hack into my stock front bumper cover.

Any details on how you bolted it up? What'd you use for steel - tubing, channel, etc? Also, is the plastic bumper braced from behind at the fairlead?

Do you feel like what you've done is stout enough?

Again, good job. This is exactly what I'd like to do.

 

[Jetboy]

Brilliant. Well done!! Now make a kit so we can buy direct.

I thought about it. My problem with doing it is that there really isn't a big market for 4runners. I'd probably be lucky to sell 1-2 per month. For that small of volume it'd be hard to get the price per unit down to what it might otherwise be. HWMS and BudBuilt have a pretty comparable product at a reasonable price.

The actual steel cost is maybe $50? The only thing I can see that isn't really available would be a weld up yourself kit. And if you've got metal working tools, you can make your own in a few hours without a kit. You can pull all the measurements off the internal bumper once you pull the front plastic off. I just cut the plate by hand with a plasma cutter - it's faster for a 1-off if you have steady hands and can color inside the lines.

I'm happy to help anyone who want's to do their own with whatever tips I can. I haven't used it enough to give it a full review strength wise though.

 

[Jetboy]

Right on, man! Looks great. It's funny - you go through a lot of work to make something as NOT noticeable as possible but it's great. I want the exact same thing. I'd love to be able to run a winch when I wanted without a) being noticeable and b) having to buy a replacement bumper or hack into my stock front bumper cover.

Any details on how you bolted it up? What'd you use for steel - tubing, channel, etc? Also, is the plastic bumper braced from behind at the fairlead?

Do you feel like what you've done is stout enough?

Again, good job. This is exactly what I'd like to do.

Thanks.

It bolts up to the 4 bolts on the flange on the end of each frame rail - each frame horn has a plate with 4 locations to bolt the factory aluminum bumper to. It also attached to a welded in nut on each side of the frame rail that is unused. They are 12 x 1.25 bolt holes on the outside near the end of the frame rail just above the factor tow loops.

The plate is 1/4" and the front is 2x1/4" flat bar. The flanges on the mount are 3/8" x 4" flat bar. The square tube is just 2x2x3/8 square tube. The underside you can't see (and I don't think I took pics of) uses a series of small angle to re-mount the tabs that are riveted to the original aluminum bumper. I drilled the rivets and replicated the locations with small angle pieces. The two outer braces are a ***** to locate properly. I ended up re-assembling the entire plastic front clip and then tacking them in place, then back apart to weld. Keep in mind that this is NOT an engineered product. I drew a very quick approximation and then used mostly scrap metal I already had leftover from other projects. I'm neither a mechanic, engineer, or welder. So don't rely on my choice of materials for anything other than how I ended up doing it.

The other issue is the plastic bumper cover on the Trail is 2 layers deep with a gap to span. I used 1.25" 1/4" wall round tube sections about 1" long to space out the fairlead so it sat flush with the outer bumper cover plastic. It's pretty important to have that fairlead mount be robust. I added some bracing behind, but don't have a pic with the spacers in there. It requires a handful of mockups before final welding.

 

[gm350reratliff]

Very well done! I've been contemplating adding a winch to my 5th gen as well.

I have a hidden winch plate I fabbed for a '04 Exploder ( customer's vehicle) around here that I've been thinking of modding to fit my 5th gen.

 

[Jetboy]

Just wanted to put a quick update here:

I put on a license plate flip up bracket. I used one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Draw-Tite-Fol...56179&sr=8-6&keywords=license+plate+flip+down

But before i put in on I removed the springs so it simply sit down via gravity. It doesn't have any rattle or flop though, so I'm happy with it. Fits nicely by screwing into the stock plastic front plate bracket.

I also mocked up some deck plates to see what would fit for access to the clutch lever. These are 4 and 6" sizes. Neither fits great, but the 4" is the only one that could feasibly work. I think I'll look for a better alternative. Anyway here's how they look compared to the plastic cover. I also have a few 8" laying around, but they are way too big.

There's also a couple pics of how and where I wired in a remote terminal for the wired remote control. There's a master switch with a relay and fused power. That way you won't have an accident with the wireless remote if someone grabs it out of the glove box not knowing what it does. The box is a target/walmart cheap waterproof camping box and is mounted on a small bracket I made by braking a piece of thin gauge steel and drilling a few holes. It's basic, but it works and fits.

 

[Dirty Brigade]

Awesome project bro. Looks really clean.

 

[Apex Overland]

[MENTION=118321]Jetboy[/MENTION] can you post more pictures and measurements up if you have them. That one picture looks to be 10" from flange to the front of the tray. Was that 10" making contact with the back of the bumper, i.e. mounting the fairlead strait to the tray?

Thanks

 

[Jetboy]

I'll try to get some measurements. I'm outa town for a bit, but I'll try to remember when I get home.

The problem with the trail edition is the silver bumper plastic sits another 3/4" out from the inner plastic. My winch mount was built to sit against the inside of the inner plastic - it was so close that I had to grind out a bit of plastic to get the clips to sit correctly when it was re-installed. I then used a couple short pieces of round tube to space out the fairlead to the correct distance for the silver plastic part. It's not ideal. If I were doing it again I think I'd just make a bump out in the middle so the fairlead mounts directly to the plate and just cut out the inside white plastic bumper.

 

[Apex Overland]

I'll try to get some measurements. I'm outa town for a bit, but I'll try to remember when I get home.

The problem with the trail edition is the silver bumper plastic sits another 3/4" out from the inner plastic. My winch mount was built to sit against the inside of the inner plastic - it was so close that I had to grind out a bit of plastic to get the clips to sit correctly when it was re-installed. I then used a couple short pieces of round tube to space out the fairlead to the correct distance for the silver plastic part. It's not ideal. If I were doing it again I think I'd just make a bump out in the middle so the fairlead mounts directly to the plate and just cut out the inside white plastic bumper.

I don't have to fool with any of the second layer of plastic garnish stuff. SR5 for the win?!?!? :shrug:
If 10 inches sits flush to the back of the bumper I'm good to go!
I just found out from a buddy that harbor freight sells a universal winch plate...
Universal Channel Winch Mount
That might make a great starting platform.

 

[DesertCanyons]

Winch mount and recovery points

That's really nice work Jetboy. This makes a winch on the TE an affordable possibility. I wish I had the tools and skills to work with metal like that.

I can see the OEM recovery points under the winch mount. Did you consider adding two thick plates as recovery points through the front valance? More cutting of the stock bumper and valance would be required but it would make adding shackles and recovery lines a lot easier.

 

[02105]

Hidden hitches are awesome. Well done!

 

[itsdchz]

WOW!
I must say, I love your design, detail work, and overall clean install!

VERY nice. I wish I could have you make one for me as well!
Thanks for sharing!

 

[Keith_PDX]

Great job! I wish someone would make a front hitch that mounts that way. Remove your license plate and there is the receiver. This way it does not impact approach angle yet would allow you to carry a bike rack up front or even use a multi-mount winch system.