Table of Contents
What is a Winch?
A winch is a device that we usually use for hauling or hoisting. Typically, a winch consists of a rope, drum, motor, and a gear train. We use winches to haul or hoist heavy objects, and they are very useful especially when you are stuck somewhere.Here, in this article we have discussed thoroughly how to mount a winch in truck bed.
How to mount a winch in truck bed? Copy the profile of the ribs on the buck and sandwich 2 plates, find a bit of round bar and set it so it matches the ribs top and bottom. Drill and tap the top plate with the holes centres of the winch, bolt them through the buck, and bolt the winch to the top plate. Bigger the plates the better you can spread the load.
The winch consists of several parts. Let us discuss the different parts of winch:
Cable wire: Generally winches feature a chain or a steel wire wrapped around the drum. The length of this wire can range from 9 meters to 36 meters in length.
Motor: The motor powers the entire winch; with the help of motor we do measure functions easily. Motors of winch come in different models; sometimes, they are electric and sometimes they are hydraulic. However, some winches feature manual motors also, but they are very time consuming and take really a long time to operate.
Gear Casing and Gear Train: This part of the winch is what converts the power taken from the motor into pulling movement. It gives the motions that haul or hoists an object
Drum: There is a horizontal cylinder called drum that keeps the wire wrapped around it conveniently and prevents any entanglement caused by the wire. The drum tends to spin while winding the wire in and out.
Mounting the Winch
Step 1: Choose A Mount Plate:
The first step will be to choose a mounting plate, for which you have to purchase a mounting plate for your vehicle as trucks usually do not feature an in-built winch mounting plate.
Choose a specific type of mounting plate that is designed for your truck.
The rating of the mounting plate should easily withstand the winch’s pulling rating that you are going to install.
Always make sure that the mounting plate is compatible in size.
Step 2: Mount The Mounting Plate:
For this you need to align the winch perpendicular to the centre line of the vehicle at the required location. Now mark the location of the winch base holes so that you can easily trace it while securing the bolts. Now you can secure the bolts and install the mounting plate.
Make sure there are no electrical wires in the way
Step 3: Mount The Winch:
For this you simply need to mount the winch into the mounting plate and secure tightly with bolts. Make sure the winch is mounted into a suitable steel mounting frame using the four mounting configurations. Let us know them in detail.
Foot down: The four mounting holes of the winch are at the bottom in foot down mounting configuration.
The four mounting holes of the winch face towards forward direction in this mounting configuration.
Foot down OR foot forward: With this configuration, you can mount the winch either in foot down position or in foot forward position.
Foot forward and foot down: In this configuration, the winch features both foot forward and foot down position; four bolts are used for foot forward mounting position and two bolts are used in the foot down position. You cannot mount these winches in the foot down position only.
Step 4:Checking the Electrical Connection:
Most winches that you find in the market are electric-powered, so you should check the electrical connection while mounting the winch. The best way to install a winch is to mount it in the front of your truck and connect it to the car’s battery for further functions. Let us discuss the steps to connect the winch to your car’s battery.
Connect the positive wire that usually comes in red colour, to the positive post on the winch.
Then, connect the negative wire that typically comes in black or brown colour, to the ground post on the winch.
Carefully take both wires from the front into the engine section.
You should keep the wires out of any significant heat sources. Make sure it is not connected to any objects where the wiring can rub or get pinched.
Now attach the positive wire from the winch to the positive post on the battery and the negative wire from the winch to the negative ground post on the battery. You should follow the additional instructions in the installation process (if it is given) of the winch you bought.
Safety Tips
The most important before installing any winch is safety. Here are some tips to ensure your safety. For more information on safety tips and precautions, please refer to this guide.
Always make sure to keep the area clean before you start working with the winch. Remove all the objects lying around before they cause any hazard to you.
Wear Gloves while mounting the winch. Remember, you are going to deal with some heavy equipment, and your hands might get caught onto something in the process. So, it is always safe to wear gloves to protect yourself if any missteps happen.
Avoid wearing loose clothes as they could get trapped in the winch’s moving parts and cause injuries to you.
Recommended Products
Now, you may ask what kind of winch is perfect for your truck and where can you buy a winch for your truck. Well, we have an answer to it. WE have done a thorough research online to find out best truck bed winches for you. You can purchase best products at amazon.com at an affordable range.
Here are some product suggestions of winch kits that you can check out if you are really searching for winces for your truck bed.
Champion Power Equipment-12003 ATV/UTV Winch Kit, 2000-lb.
REINDEER 12V Winch 3000 lb Load Capacity Electric Winch
CXRCY Electric Winch 13000 lb Load Capacity 12V Truck Winch
WARN 26502 M8000 8000-lb Winch
Conclusion
If you are planning to hire someone to get the winch installed in your truck bed, then it can be really expensive, so you can follow the above steps to install it on your own. You can purchase the mounting plates and winch kit from amazon.com at an affordable price. If you are not comfortable with it, you can purchase from nearby hardware stores. However, you can check out the products that we have suggested for having a brief idea about winch kits. Last not least, with this article now you would have a clear idea on how to mount a winch in truck bed