jefe4x4

jefe here.
A few years ago I installed a Curt receiver hitch on the front of my rig, along with a winch mounting plate that went in the hole, with a 9K Lb. MileMarker electric winch bolted to the plate. I knew it was a stop gap. What with my Lance camper on the back, the winch would hardly pull the truck on the flat at 10,000 Lbs. The rule of thumb is 1.5X the weight of your rig should be the rating of the winch. Well, that leaves room for a 15K Lb. , 16.5K Lb. or even a new China winch with a 16,800 Lb. rating. I use my winch a lot and want a real pull-upgrade this time.
I read all the former threads here on the subject (and related replacement bumper threads) and was not seeing what I really needed: a winch mount without all that extra stuff and weight of a replacement bumper.
I thought it would be easy to find a suitable winch mount. But NO-O-O, low sulfur breath.
I spent hours on the net and found a couple possibilities:
1. A Sterling winch mount that will accomodate any of the above winches.
Base model for 94-02 Dodge, #88DBWP with specialty winch mount plate-$615 plus shipping. The woe is it's in Florida, a spell from California.
www.truckwinchmount.com for a description.
2. An Ames "Retriever Guard" essentially similar to above for $499.95. www.f-250accessoryguy.com/product/55-3000/

I looked at every version of Ranch Hand, Warn, MileMarker, Southwestern, and many others and didn't like what I saw. Most were not rated above 12K Lbs. Most were Way heavy. Some were WAY expensive. Too much crap. Some hanging so low as to reduce your approach angle. I just want a rig to mount a big-'ol winch to, not a heavy, flashy new bumper with a lot of tubing and wire mesh hanging around.

So, who here has experience with either of the two products listed above, and/or who has had a good experience with any that I've missed. If so, post some pics.
regards, as always, jefe

jefe4x4

Here I am answering my own post. Now I know why there are so few winch mounts for Dodge trucks. Nobody is interested! Plenty for Ford and Chevy.
After another long sit in front of the computer I found, by degrees, what I needed.
I ordered and received a Warn Winch mount, pn#60420 from All OEM Parts, Inc. $177.16 for a '94-'01 Dodge full size. On the invoice they changed the name to "Winch carrier, blk". It showed on the thumbnail pic to be complete. Nope. Just the very heavy duty, boxed cross member to bolt the winch to and subsequently bolt to,
Warn Grill Guard, pn#30092, $264.59, no tax/no shipping which are two boomerang shaped vertical plates, bolted to the frame and to each other with a pair of cross tubes. The advertising literature said it could withstand the rigors of the 15K lb and 16.5K lb Warn winches. This is just what I wanted. So, I called Warn to get more info and the answer man said, no, it would be better to stop at a 12K lb rated winch. He said, "the larger winches would pull my truck apart". So, with some confusion, I find I also got the wrong winch carrier, maybe. Pn#62027 "Winch mounting plate" is the one for the smaller winches. It's a little lighter than my industrial strength #60420, and not made for more than a 12K lb-er.
I'm now shopping for a big winch. I found a
Warn 12K lb winch, pn #17801, for $1160.35 + ship from Tweetys
Warn 15K lb winch, pn #47801, for $1275.95 + ship on Ebay
Warn 16.5K lb -er, pn# 68801, for $1441.48 + ship from Tweetys
I will post some pics of the changeover when I get all the parts in hand.
Strong and light. That's what I'm looking for.
regards, as always, jefe

rpausewang

jefe4X4, I've been down this road myself. I have the front receiver and intend to make my own winch carrier. The receiver I have is from draw-tite and has good heavy steel mounting brackets. When I finally get a winch I will beef up the receiver and build my own carrier. As you stated there isn't much out there for the Dodge, that's why I will build my own. If your mounting system is weak it will not take long for the winch to scrap it. If you have the proper mounts and bracketry you will be ok.

jefe4x4

Ron,
If you are going to use a receiver hitch to support the winch, don't waste your time. Even a solid 2" bar is not enough strength to avoid torque side loading with a 16.5K lb puller. My current 2" receiver is very strong, but, IMHO is only good for 'straight ahead' pulls. My poor 9K winch stalled about half the time I was trying to pull trees over or pull big oak logs up cliffs to the road.
I had considered adding two more square tube receiver hitches, welded on the frame brackets on the outside of the receiver hitch, and add some triangle gussets to make it a much more bullet proof '3' point attachment. But, Noo, I wanted a factory made solution, which will prove itself or not. I'll let you know.

rpausewang

I understand what you are saying. My plan was to add a 3/8" or 1/2" plate to the top of the receiver cross tube. Install one of the top measures below the frames cross member. I would weld the plate steel the entire length of the cross tube of the receiver and drill holes in it to match the holes in the trucks cross member. I do believe there are four or five holes you can use for bolting the plate to the trucks cross member using grade eight 1/2' or 3/4" bolts.

The plate steel would extend to the front of the receiver tube and extend to te rear of the cross member at least six inches. Also add a piece of plate to the bottom the same and solid two inch square stock on angles from the receiver ends to the receiver ball mount tube. On the the back side box it entirely and incorporate the frame mounting brackets. This would strengthen the front more than just a winch bumper that mounts to the side of the frame. If my thinking is wrong there should be welders on here that can correct me.

chainzaw

That is like asking cummins if i should make 500 hp with my truck. They will advise "No, you will kill yourself and others!"
16.5k lb is a lot of power and would not be advisable to beginners because they would tear their trucks apart with it. However, considering that you have plenty of experience with winches and are in need for a power increase i would say go for it. You've done your homework and found the right mount for the winch. Our truck frames are stout. Just use caution.

(Edit) When i bought my front bumper w/ winch mount i asked reunel if i should worry about the frame and bumper if i ever reached 12,000 lbs. He says "If you reach the winches capacity it will stall. You can't pull the bumper off!"
Jefe, much the same if you have the right mount.

Captain

after alot of pokeing about I myself chose to get the 16.5 warn. The only thing I can say I dont like about it or any winch is the cables are really underated for what the winch can pull. for a mount I ended up going with a new front bumper. i was going to get buckstop. plane simple not flashy and kept good aproch angles but they have skyrocketed in prices. I went with a tdk.

jefe4x4

After a couple false starts (with wrongly numbered parts arriving), the winch project is done. It has worked out great.
I used Warn's foot forward mount, #62077, and their mounting system for an '01 Dodge.
I found a hardly used Warn M15,000 lb. winch ($900) and bought grade 8 hardware to install. With 90 ft. of 7/16" wire rope, it's not going to break.
My goal of adding as little weight up front as possible was achieved. Also, having 1.5X the pulling power as to weight: truck/camper on=9800 lbs. was achieved. The only thing left is to install some kind of tow loops on the vertical members down low. I have some 9/16" U-bolts left over from a leaf spring job and may just weld them on each side. Tow hooks need not apply.
The winch has so much pulling power, I have to 'dead-man' the truck to a tree when pulling heavy weights, as the whole truck will just slide on all 4 locked up wheels.
I'll try to get a pic up on this thread to show the results of the install.
regards, as always, jefe