Why Install Off-Road Bumper And Winch? Much Of This Information Applies To All Vehicles.
About The Author - Muddy Ruttzz
Stock Gladiator Rubicon is extremely capable. Install a off-road bumper and winch and you are ready to "self-recover." It goes sideways out on the trail, get unstuck and keep going. These are parts you can install yourself with a few tools most folks have in their garage. This is my installation experience.
Which Bumper and Winch Did I Choose For Our Gladiator? I like Made In USA When Possible
I have installed 2 bumpers and 2 Winches. Narrowed my choice in Bumpers down to just a few that are Made In USA. On my Wrangler I installed the Mopar Steel Bumper and that is a quality product. Required a separate winch plate. For the Gladiator I went with the Warn Elite Full Width Bumper. I liked the looks and winch plate is built in to the bumper. The winch, a Warn Zeon 10 -S. Expensive but also Made In USA. Has some great features.
Decided To Add A Bumper And Winch? Here Are A Few Considerations
Bumper - Choose one you like that is compatible with your vehicle.
Winch Plate - Required to mount winch. Some models have it built in, some it has to be purchased separately.
Skid Plate - Is stock front skid plate compatible with your winch? If not that will be another item you have to purchase. Its a must for going off-road.
Recovery Points - Rated Recovery Points are a absolute must on a off-road bumper.
Winch - How much do you want to spend. Folks say cheap winches work very well. I wanted a USA Made so I went with the Warn Zeon.
Winch Capacity - Determined by the weight of the vehicle. 10,000 lbs is plenty for my 5500 lbs Jeeps.
Winch Line - Synthetic not Steel Cable. Steel is heavy and dangerous. Synthetic is just as strong as steel, lighter and exponentially safer. Rope Sleeves protect from abrasion.
Safety - Most important! Prevent injuries to people and damage to vehicles while winching. Every off-road recovery is different. Take a class, watch all the instructional videos. It will potentially save lives.
These Are The General Steps Involved In This Bumper And Winch Install. See My Video For More Details
I'm sharing my experience. This Blogpost will give you a idea what its like to install this bumper and winch. It is not a definitive guide. My video has more details. If you choose to take on this project refer to the official instructions that came with your bumper.
Step 1: Pick Up And Unbox The New WARN Bumper And Winch
Warn Elite Full Width Bumper came in a huge heavy box. Warn Zeon 10-S box was not so big but pretty heavy. Picked them, took them home and started the install. Check out the pictures below.
Step 2: Remove The Stock Plastic Bumper - Easiest Part Of The Whole Job.
This Gladiator came with the Mopar Plastic Bumper. That gets removed and tossed. You could try to sell it. I don't think its worth much and there are already a bunch listed for sale. Don't forget to save the Fog lights. Disconnect lights, loosen nuts, remove.
Step 3: Prep The New Bumper - Remove Skid Plate (If Present)
A box of hardware comes with the Warn Bumper that has to be installed to attach bumper. Add fog lights now if you have them. If you have a winch it might have a fairlead. Install that now also. Remove any front skid plate. Warn Bumper Requires the matching Warn Skid Plate.
Step 4: Trim The Frame - Install Brackets -
A small portion of the Frame has to be trimmed off. I used a grinder with a cutting blade. You will also need to mount Skid Plate Brackets if that is to be installed.
Step 5: Attach The New Warn Bumper - Get Help
I did this by myself. I don't recommend it. It is not safe. Get 1 or better yet 2 people to help you. Bumper is heavy and awkward. Its possible to drop it on yourself. Bolts have to go through the frame and have nuts installed. Torque all the nuts and bolts according to the instructions from Warn.
Congratulations - Your New Off-Road Bumper Install Is Complete!
Step 6: Install Winch In Your New Bumper
This is pretty straight forward. Feed your power cables through, set the winch in, tighten the nuts according to spec. It can be tricky to find the proper routing for the positive and negative leads. Its not rocket science. Make sure they don't come in contact with any moving parts. Install plastic conduit to keep them from getting damaged.
Installing Winch Line: Super Important To Get This Absolutely Right. See Warn Install Videos
Its critical to get the winch line installed correctly. Study the directions and watch the Warn Winch Line Install Video. I added added a Factor 55 Flatlink to the end of my line. I like the way they fit and its a high quality US made product.
That Concludes General Overview Of A Warn Elite Full Width Bumper And Zeon 10-S Winch Install
This Blogpost along with my Youtube video should give you a good idea if you want to tackle this project and what you would be up against. Most important is reading and understanding the directions that come with whatever bumper and/or Winch you decide to install.
Optional Winch Electric Disconnet Install
I think its a good idea for a winch to have a electrical disconnect that cuts the power. It should be installed on the positive lead. Here is a separate video showing
how I installed mine. How To Install A Winch Battery Disconnect
Click here to See my Zarges Blogpost.
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