Bud Built Hidden Winch

[ebg18t]

So the BudBuilt Hidden Winch mount came in.

Weighs about 25#. Welds and bends look good. Nice even powder coating.

Here is what it looks like right out of the box:

This plate will mount inside the stock front reinforcement. So once you remove the front reinforcement (4 bolts each side) you need to slip the Bud Built plate in between.

Depending on the age of you truck you might have some rust/corrosion like I did on the stock front reinforcement. I wire brushed the inside but still a tight fit.

Once you know everything will fit together you need to mount the winch to the plate, then slip the plate back into the front reinforcement. The reason being as 2 of the winch mounting holes are between the bottom of the winch plate and top of the stock reinforcement.

So time to mount the winch to the plate.

I will upload more pics and details once I have another chance to work on it.

 

[gshadow325]

you need to finish this install NOW!! LoL

just what i was needing. can you take pictures of the vehicle with the bumper off and reinforcement off? then reinforcement on with winch plate on?

why?

i have a curt front hitch reciever and from the pictures i am 99% sure they can both work at the same time. I didnt want a hitch mount winch. i want my cake and eat it too. so depending on what i see in your pictures is when i am going to call shannon to make my order for a 4th and 5th gen winch plate

 

[ebg18t]

Here is the plate mounted to the truck. I wasn’t feeling well so I just used my phone. Didn’t want to take out the DSLR.

Here is with the bumper back on.

I trimmed out the whole lower grill. Looking back I should have left the sides in and just cut out the center. But maybe I can make something to cover some of the crap on the side. Unfortunately without some grill material in the lower grill you can see all the stuff off to each side.

Product is good quality and fits well. Corrosion and rust will make the install slightly more difficult. I ended up breaking loose 3 of the 4 front OEM reinforcement bolts/studs (on the passenger side) when I slipped and twisted the setup. The bolts were just not that strong. So I was off to Ace to get some grade 8 hardware to replace them. In reality it made the install easier.

I haven’t finished the wiring yet. I would suggest that anyone looking at this setup get a winch with a removable solenoid kit vs the integrated. I am keeping my solenoid attached to the winch, but slightly sideways. I have a wireless remote anyways so I only need limited access.

When it comes to the free spool lever. You will want to trim the inside of the bumper cover a little. That crisscross pattern on the back will interfere with most winches once installed. Or you can re-clock it if needed. Currently i have access from the top and front. So it works just fine.

If I was feeling better I would have taken more/better pics. But honestly glad the install is done. I would highly suggest having friend help. I completed it by myself, but would have been easier with a 2nd set of hands

 

[gshadow325]

Pictures are not showing up for me. Let me try a browser instead of tapatalk

Edit:works on Web view

 

[kevinpt]

When I installed my front mount hitch I broke off one of those studs on the frame and had to replace with grade 8 bolts. I feel safer having at least one more grade 8 bolt on the front. Really like the look of the winch mount. I would get some plastic grill mesh off eBay to fill the hole

 

[ebg18t]

Pictures are not showing up for me. Let me try a browser instead of tapatalk

Edit:works on Web view

Did i post a picture that answered your earlier question?

When I installed my front mount hitch I broke off one of those studs on the frame and had to replace with grade 8 bolts. I feel safer having at least one more grade 8 bolt on the front. Really like the look of the winch mount. I would get some plastic grill mesh off eBay to fill the hole

That is what i was thinking. I just need to figure out how to attach the mesh..

 

[kevinpt]

That is what i was thinking. I just need to figure out how to attach the mesh..

zip ties?

if you get a thicker plastic mesh you can drill holes in it and use zip ties and have nothing show on the front

 

[ebg18t]

zip ties?

if you get a thicker plastic mesh you can drill holes in it and use zip ties and have nothing show on the front

I was just looking at the black expanded mesh and pondering using black silicone to hold it in place.

 

[kevinpt]

I was just looking at the black expanded mesh and pondering using black silicone to hold it in place.

that might actually work. metal or plastic mesh?

 

[gshadow325]

Did i post a picture that answered your earlier question?



That is what i was thinking. I just need to figure out how to attach the mesh..

Yes and no, kinda figured it out. But not 100% sure. The winch plate mounts to the inside of the frame rail bolts right? Meaning there are 4 studs on each of the frame rails. Two towards the outer sides on each frame rail, then two on the inside side. And it uses the inside top bolt/stud? Iirc, the front hitch uses the outer two studs on the frame rails. If that is the case I am good to go.

How about some hood open and look inside from top down pictures?

Mesh grill painted black will look nice, then a nice daystar RED winch hook anti rattle isolation thingy. Suttle details lol

 

[noshortcuts]

question for my install

Hi, I'm glad to see this installed on a 4th gen.
I just ordered this for my 2006 limited.
I'm concerned about the fit of the winch with the radiator tubing in the way. See photo. It looks like maybe you unclipped it and pushed it back behind the Winch. Is that right? What is that tube anyway and what does the "H" knob accomplish? Thanks for any guidance on this.

 

[ebg18t]

The hard pipe just unclips and I pushed it back a tad. I wrapped the hard pipe in rubber hose where it contacts other things like the winch selenoid and the center support.

 

[noshortcuts]

The hard pipe just unclips and I pushed it back a tad. I wrapped the hard pipe in rubber hose where it contacts other things like the winch selenoid and the center support.

Great! Thank you for that and the whole write up. Your pics and description will be especially useful once I get all the parts together.

 

[outrnm]

Great thread and thanks for posting! I am about to order one, as mount+winch comes to about 100lbs in the front vs 250lbs for SW full bumper setup which is huge i think.

Next is winch selection, i am down to warne Vr8000 vs Smittybilt XRC 10 Com anyone else can weigh in for a good winch with wireless and synthetic line for about $700?

 

[noshortcuts]

Great thread and thanks for posting! I am about to order one, as mount+winch comes to about 100lbs in the front vs 250lbs for SW full bumper setup which is huge i think.

Next is winch selection, i am down to warne Vr8000 vs Smittybilt XRC 10 Com anyone else can weigh in for a good winch with wireless and synthetic line for about $700?

I picked up the Engo EPF 10,000S for $439. It is claimed to be 64lbs. but feels heavier. The Engo 9,000s was arguably the best tested here: Massive Multi-Winch Shootout - Four Wheeler Magazine and I've found some good reviews (mostly in jeep forums).

Now if my Bud Built would ship!

 

[nytefog]

If the winch mount had been offered earlier I would not have gotten the ARB bumper. I needed to replace the bumper with either OEM or aftermarket so I went with aftermarket because no hidden winch mount was available for the 4th generation runner. It was only by a mount. I was one of the people bugging bud built for a hidden winch mount for a while. I get a email from bud built telling me the hidden mount was almost ready, but I had to get a bumper. I'm bummed because I would have liked the look of the stock from bumper with a winch mount that's not on a front hitch receiver. Maybe someone, or something will kill my ARB. I like the look of the bumper but if their is a next time I plan on a more sturdy bumper that is not produced to crumple for airbag compatibility. I had a ARB on a Land Rover Disco and that bumper was not air bag compatible and the strength of that bumper was much more heavy duty then the new airbag models.....

For all that have the bud built front hidden winch mount I'm jealous of you, haha . It looks great when the winch looks as if its a factory option!

 

[ebg18t]

I picked up the Engo EPF 10,000S for $439. It is claimed to be 64lbs. but feels heavier. The Engo 9,000s was arguably the best tested here: Massive Multi-Winch Shootout - Four Wheeler Magazine and I've found some good reviews (mostly in jeep forums).

Now if my Bud Built would ship!

I ran the a Engo with good results on my last rig. You should be good to go with it.

Great thread and thanks for posting! I am about to order one, as mount+winch comes to about 100lbs in the front vs 250lbs for SW full bumper setup which is huge i think.

Next is winch selection, i am down to warne Vr8000 vs Smittybilt XRC 10 Com anyone else can weigh in for a good winch with wireless and synthetic line for about $700?

I looked at the Smittybilt winches in the past.. Kinda hit or miss. People either love or hate not much in the middle. Personally I didn't trust it.

Engo is a great budget option. Warn VR is also a decent budget option. Both of those selenoid so would be easier to relocate than my TJM seleniod.

 

[outrnm]

went with Engo

 

[ebg18t]

went with Engo

I think you will be happy with it. They are a tad loud & slow, but they just work. Plenty of power for hard pulls.

 

[ebg18t]

For all that have the bud built front hidden winch mount I'm jealous of you, haha . It looks great when the winch looks as if its a factory option!

I wanted to get winch setup for our next trip this fall. So I was either going to get the Budbuilt setup or have to go ARB since it is readily available.

Since budbuilt kept telling me it was almost ready since April and nothing was actually ready till October I was getting antzy and almost canceled my order with him as I was running out of time. Luckily it came thru, otherwise the ARB would have been ordered.

I like the low key oem look of this mount. I have 2 D2 led lights sitting at home that I will be mounting to the left & right of the winch inside the bumper. This should help clean up the look too. I do have some expanded mesh that I plan on cutting to fit the opening once the lights are installed. I will try to post a new pic in a few weeks.