I have also heard the Classic is weak. I seriously considered the Enforcer at one time but eventually decided against it. First of all, it only hurts approach angle. Secondly, you can't see the spool on the winch so rat's nests develop much easier. My .02. If you don't wanna 'wheel your truck and don't plan on having a winch it could work

 

The weakest part of any bumper you put on that truck will be your frame horns. They're made to collapse in impact to give the airbag time to deploy before the engine crossmember hits.

If you DON'T defeat that function when you mount the bumper, then the winch that's strong enough to pull your 5000lb truck out of the mud will ALSO be strong enough to either bend the frame or rip the bumper off.

The original bumper is only made for a 2 1/2mph impact, so its mounting plates are SUPER weak. If you DO defeat the crumple zone, you're also defeating that warranty.

 

I have to disagree with Steve. True the accordian front section of the frame is meant to collapse, and also ABSORB an impact, up to a given point, better than the older style frames. this would also work in conjuction with the air bag. However, looking at the thickness of the steel in the accordian section, let me just say I believe it is more than up to the task of holding a winch mounting, or maintaining integrity under a heavy tow type pull.

 

I have a classic and trees, deer, and Hondas wouldn't say its weak.

 

The warranty is power train only. But I was wondering, you said the winch is capable of tearing the bumper off??? How is it possible then that 92-96 trucks can have a winch??? I mean, as far as the crumple zone is concerned, would it not be presumable that warn, ramsey, and the other winch bumper manufacturers would have engineered their bumpers to compensate for the weakness of the horns???

 

don't fear the accordian frame. I am going to do my custom mount and Milemarker 10500 pound winch and bolt it up and will let you know how it holds up to winching, my guess, no problems

 

Yeah that's some pretty damn thick metal right there and I'll be impressed if you manage to stretch it out. And if you do, oh well, now it's a regular frame! Arent the top and bottom of the horns just regular flat metal? If so, i dont see how the accordian sections on the side really help it absorb an impact anyway. Worthless addition to the frame IMO.

 

I have a Kennesaw Mountain front bumper that I like alot. But, if I were you I would stay away from them. I also have a home made roof rack. I have pics of both but I don't know how to post them since there not on a website. I like this website alot but to me it's not real user friendly.

Brian

 

I have a warn 9000 lb. and the winch bumper mounts to the factory bumper mounts. It has not bent anything and the truck has been dragged sidesways a few times also. Strait as an arrow.

 

hmm, what bumper mounts are you talking about? i hope its not the little brackets welded to the inside of the frame that mine has, because i bent those pulling out a jeep the first day i had the bronco by hooking to the bumper (bad idea). The tabs bent instead of that bumper, which isnt very thick, so i wouldnt trust them at all, especially since i bent them back by hand using an axle shaft. I trust that you're talking about something else?

 

Doesnt the accordian section frame still have the origional C clannel on the outside, top and bottom? So the accordian piece just boxes the frame and makes it stronger than the 80-92 frames? . I really dont know, Im not an engineer, someone correct me if I mwrong.

 

just top and bottom, both sides are accordian.

 

Yeah I had a kennesaw mtn wincher bumper on my 90 model. That thing was KILLER. Its like quarter inch plate steel boxed, beefy as anything!!!! I'm trying to get something a little more aesthetically pleasing this time around. Oh, a hint on those wincher bumpers, if you have the push bar add on, the two vertical plates that go up, at the very top you can weld on the hi lift mounts hi lift sells. Its a perfect fit. I also welded four light tabs for hella lights. Its killer.

 

how exactly is it mounted??? Something like (i think its juice) has planned??? Oh, btw, juice, you have got to get pics when that is finished. That is a killer idea. Oh, and since we are on the juice, how exactly is that gas can racks reciever mounted on the bumper??? Did you remove the gussets that run from the frame to the outside of the bumper??? I looked at mine, but they appear to be in the way of being able to mount any kinda tube in there.

 

Seems to me the front accordain section is roughly 12 long. I think mine is accordian all the way around, but this is thick metal as well. There are tabs for the bumper to mount to and tabs further back for the front swaybar. I posted a couple pics that kinda show this stuff in the Reptillikus post "front recovery". that frame piece is strong enough for a winch mount, just don't want to be mounting the winch to the welded tabs or bumper. I'll do pics of the whole install of my milemarker and mount. The hard part with the mount is tying it in real sturdy to that accordian section, still thinking on that, but I will come up with something good. Don't want a winch dangerous to anyone.

Suftroml, on the gas can carrier, the whole rear bumper has been modified, but not for the gas carrier. There are some closer pics of it at my Superford listing, at the bottom in tech photos, but basically there is a 6 inch piece of receiver tubing "standing up" inside the bumper. Those gussets run from frame to outside of bumper. the receiver piece is INSIDE of the very thick bumper cradle area. I had a piece of 1/4" plate welded to the bottom of the 2 x 2 x 3/16" receiver piece and this is bolted down through the bottom of the thick bumper cradle via a 1/2" bolt. There are also 2 5/16" bolts through the rear of the bumper with a steel plate on the other side of the reciever, and one more 5/16" bolt that acts as the "pin". Unbolt the pin and out comes the gas can carrier unit. It is VERY study and makes no noise. I can get you a couple of closeups if you want, "showing" is probably better than "telling"

 

Suftroml---If you want some pics of my roof rack post your e-mail address. I got the design from a member on MBB. It works very well.
Brian

 

My email is SUFTROML@msn.com That would be awesome, expecially if you cou;d get closeups of the mounts for the roof rack. Thanks for the info juice. I saw the pics on your site, thats why I was asking about the reciever. I snuck a peak again and figured kinda where you put yours.

 

yo,
I've wondered about this a lot since a tower wouldn't pull me off a sand dune by the front end. And later, I asked my fav 4x4 store owner and he wouldn't rec. front tow hooks or winch/bumper for my 96; nor would he install it.
I just read Warn's notes:
"NOTE: Warn Industries designs and manufacturers several different mounting systems to accommodate our recreational vehicle winches. When properly mounted, these systems do not interfere with the factory air bag system. This opinion is based on analysis by our engineers and a limited number of crash tests. When installing a winch mount on a vehicle, the installer should take care to ensure that placement of the mount does not interfere with the factory air bag sensors. In addition, the vehicle sensors should not be moved or modified in any way. It is not practicable to test every possible vehicle and winch mount combination, and Warn has not attempted to do so. We recommend that the user check with the vehicle manufacturer and a reputable, qualified mechanic to determine whether a particular installation may interfere with the air bag system. The consumer should then make a personal decision as to the appropriateness of this accessory for the particular vehicle. Warn cannot and does not guarantee the proper operation of the vehicle's air bag system if the winch is mounted contrary to the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations."
So, what is Ford's recommendations? other than this in the Owner's Guide ..refers to front bumper......:
"Never use a tow bar that attaches to the
bumper when you tow your vehicle. This
could damage the bumper and cause an
accident."
and did Warn test late model Broncos/F series?

and look at what Autofab did!:
http://www.autofab.com/front.htm

Anyhow, I've asked a few folks who say they have used the winches and been towed out by the front (as well as those here) and they say they have not had any damage to the crush zone area (accordion section) or the SRS.

 

You can see in this AutoFab pic that the '92-96 horn is accordioned all the way around.

 

What I meant about "tearing it off" was that a winch mounted ONLY to the bumper would do that - have you ever looked at the 4 tiny bolts that hold the bumper onto the plates that are held on by 4 BIG bolts to the tabs welded to the frame horns?

The aftermarket winch mounts have a leg that runs down under the bumper and bolts directly to the frame, but it's still not very strong IMO. The worst feature of those mounts is that they put a $1000 winch out in front of your truck with virtually NO protection. That's why I put mine behind an 8" hot-rolled channel.

 

Gotcha. Sorry bout that. I didn't even think about mounting it to the factory bumper. I'm probably going to replace the front bumper with a beefier unit. My last one was all quarter inch cold rolled steel, mig welded, and very beefy. I'm wanting something that is at least quarter inch (3/8s would be nicer) bolted straight to the frame. No bends around anything. After all, when the winch pulls it wants to pull straight off the frame, much like a tie rod wants to travel in a straight line, so when the tie rod bends and you turn it bends more.

 

I have the warn combo kit on my 81' and seems pretty good, will fit a warn M12000 in it... It also has spots on the sides for tow hooks (where my PIAA lights are in the photo are the tow hook mounts)and uses the factory holes through the bumper to mount ***mind you our frame horns are different** so not sure how yours would hook up...
http://www.f150world.com/showownerpic.asp?u=1684&n=44026&pos=1

 

Here is a picture of my winch bumber if it works.

 

shrink your picture and reattach it.

 

This bumber seems to be alot stronger than a warn, but overhangs alot