Building my own winch bumper

mundungus said:

I’m gonna build my own winch bumper for my D90.

I’m planning a tubular design, and intend to use the winch tray that came with the winch as the base. I want some opinions as to what height is best to mount the actual winch.

On a defender, the end of the chassis is basically square box section with vertical holes drilled through. The mounts on the bumper are tabs that fit over and under the box section, and vertical bolts go through the lot.

So with my current winch tray, it seems that the natural options are to either mount it under the box section, or on top of the box section. I.e. so that either the bottom of the winch will sit on the same plane as the bottom of chassis box section, or the same plane as the top of the box section.

I’ve noticed that pretty much all the pictures I can find of tubular bumpers, the winch sits on the top plane. Whereas pretty much all traditional shaped (square) winch bumpers the winch sits on the bottom plane.

Is there are functional advantages/disadvantages of each? Or does it not really matter and its just cosmetic?

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mundungus said:

I’m gonna build my own winch bumper for my D90.

I’m planning a tubular design, and intend to use the winch tray that came with the winch as the base. I want some opinions as to what height is best to mount the actual winch.

On a defender, the end of the chassis is basically square box section with vertical holes drilled through. The mounts on the bumper are tabs that fit over and under the box section, and vertical bolts go through the lot.

So with my current winch tray, it seems that the natural options are to either mount it under the box section, or on top of the box section. I.e. so that either the bottom of the winch will sit on the same plane as the bottom of chassis box section, or the same plane as the top of the box section.


I’ve noticed that pretty much all the pictures I can find of tubular bumpers, the winch sits on the top plane. Whereas pretty much all traditional shaped (square) winch bumpers the winch sits on the bottom plane.

Is there are functional advantages/disadvantages of each? Or does it not really matter and its just cosmetic?

Click to expand...

mundungus said:

Yeah, I remember. I took copies of some of those, they show the mounting points really well.

Your's was on the topmost plane by the look of it.

Have you got any up close pics after it was fitted, either with and without winch by any chance?

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wickford90 said:

bumper pics

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waldershelf said:

Nice pics shame we can't see the whole bumper

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PickUp90 said:

My tubular winch bumper bolts to the two front chassis rails and the box section underneath, consider this extra mounting if you are thinking of using it to jack from, pics if wanted.

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wickford90 said:

Happy now!!!!!!

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wickford90 said:

give me half an hour and i will take some. anything in particular.

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