I have, and there a couple of things I don't care for with the receiver
mount winches.
1. The receivers are only rated to 5000 lbs, so you have to use dual
receivers if you want to use a larger winch. Then if you want dual
receivers in the rear, you're probably looking at some custom work (don't
remember ever seeing a dual receiver hitch).
2. When you get stuck, then you have to get out, go pick up the 90-100 lb
winch and mount from the bed, carry it up to the front through whatever
material you happen to be stuck in, hoping you don't fall. Then you have to
balance it in one hand while you clean the mud out of the receivers or
remove the caps. Then you have to try to get it mounted, probably while
standing in mud or on a slope. Basically the problem is that the worse the
spot, the more likely you'll need the winch, and the harder it will be to
get it mounted.
3. If you try to avoid #2, you can mount it when you're on dry level ground.
The receiver mounts I've seen are pretty low, so you're driving around with
a winch hanging out in front below the level of your bumper, killing your
approach angle and putting the winch in the muck. Like I said, this is just
the mounts I've seen, I suppose it would be possible to figure out how to
put a quick mount up higher. It's going to be above the frame, so it'd be
tricky to do it right without breaking anything.
I've never actually used one, this is all just based on carefully thinking
about what would have happened if we would have had a receiver mount winch
when we got stuck. Have you seen one in use? Am I just exaggerating the
problems that you run in to getting the winch mounted?
---------------------------------------------------------
Jason Bleazard jbleazard@home.com Toronto, Ontario
current: '95 Dakota Sport white 4x4 Reg. Cab V6/3.9L/5spd
current: '98 Dakota Sport black 4x4 Club Cab V8/5.2L/Auto
RIP: '95 Dakota Sport black 4x2 Club Cab V6/3.9L/Auto
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-dakota-truck@buffnet4.buffnet.net
> [mailto:owner-dakota-truck@buffnet4.buffnet.net]On Behalf Of Bernd D.
> Ratsch
> Sent: Thursday, May 13, 1999 8:01 AM
> To: dakota-truck@buffnet.net
> Subject: DML: Re: Winch bumper (was Lockers used with a manual trans)
>
>
> Have you considered the Receiver Winch Mount? You don't need to have the
> winch mounted up front anyway...just the receiver.
> This way,. you can remove it from the front and install it in the
> rear...since most of will get stuck one way or another, the likely hood of
> always needing the winch up front wouldn't be feasible.
>
> (This is also the setup that i've been seeing more and more often with the
> offroad clubs.)
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