Front winch mount

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I am wanting to install a square receiver type winch mount on the front of my 99. My thinking is having a mount on the front like the one on the rear will give me more flexibility with a winch and more applications. Has anyone had experience with one of these on a RAM? Who makes the best one? Reese, Drawtite, Warn, Ramsey, ? What do they cost? Are they difficult to install? I have not purchased a winch yet thinking your answers will help me determine which mount and winch are best. Thanks.

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I have installed dozens of Draw-Tite brand hitches so I have become partial to them for the simple bolt on installations in most cases so I have the Draw-Tite Front Mount receiver hitch which has a 9000# line pull limit and 500# tongue weight rating which is plenty for a few bikes and/or a descent winch. I paid $135. 00 with S&H from a mail order company (receipt at home) and it arrived in about 1 week. Installation was easy for me since I don't have the lower air dam which would need cutting for the reciever tube. You lower the sway bar, remove a couple of bumper bolts and put the hitch on. The only problem I ran into was the license plate hung down to low so I made a new bracket that slides into the receiver and bought a lock for it. I still want to make a service step and a 4 bike rack for. Warn and Ramsey both have web sites that might have information on their products. http://www.drawtite.net/ http://www.ramsey.com/ http://www.warn.com/Home/

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99 2500, QC, SLT, 4x4 ISB, 5sp, 3. 55sld, Infiniti am/fm/cd, HDTcase, NW Running Boards and Mud flaps, Draw-Tite Front Mount Receiver Hitch, Tekonsha Brake Control, SRW and Husky Liners.

 

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Those websites were very helpful. What does the Warn 9000 weigh? Can you drive with the winch mounted? Thanks

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Ninearrow, DO you have factory tow hooks? If you do NO ONE makes a front hitch that will accomodate them. I had to fabricate my own front reciever to mount my winch. I had purchased a Draw Tight and it was a nice unit, but I returned it as I was not willing to remove my hooks. Yes you can drive with the winch mounted, yes the front reciever mount gives you much flexibility. I don't have the address at hand, but I have a good supplier for the cable and quick disconnect plugs you will need to wire your truck for rear winching. E-mail me if your interisted. Happy Rammin & Winchin, Dave

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Dave Hauser, 96 3500 4x4 extended, auto 4:10 LSD, K&N, tow hooks, fog lights, custom front reciever hitch and mount for 8000 Ramsey winch, alum diamond plate box and running boards, Dodge dually mudflaps, tow 18' flatbed, 69 Vette, 89 HD FLHS

 

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No one makes a front hitch?? Maybe just the reciever, but if you are willing to put a new bumper on look at www.prozap.com , I have one with a front reciever and dodge tow hooks.

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P. Campbell 1998. 5 ISB 2500 auto green/driftwood

 

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Peter & Ninearrow, the Prozap bumper is the nicest looking unit I have seen to date, and it is nice that it will still accomodate factory equipment. Looks like they used the holes in the crossmembr, that are also used for the tow hooks, to mount the bumper. Nice touch. This or any other bumper replacement was WAAAY overkill for my use as I don't off road with my dually. That leaves the folks with factory tow hooks who just want a SIMPLE front reciever hitch two choices, remove hooks or build/have someone build a custom hitch.
I put my Ramsey REP 8000 and mount on the old bathroom scale and it is 85 lbs. The 9000 is probably a few lb more and depending on the mount yours will weigh more as I fabricated my mount out of aluminum, and kept everything down to the bare essentials as I did not want to "pack" any more weight than necessary to the back of the truck. I beleave all the winch web sites give the specs. for all there products so you can do the math.
I dug up the catalog for: Waytec Inc. P. o. Box 690 Chanhassen, MN 55317-0690 (800) 328-2724 www.waytekwire.com Great catalog, great prices on elect supplies, I purchased a 100' spool of 2ga battery cable, quick disconnect plugs, weather caps for the plugs, and some heavy duty jumper cable clamps to make 3 sets of jumpers out of the leftover cable and it cost less than the harness setup sold by one of the winch makers. I guess it all boils down to what each persons requirments are, how much expertiese/equip are available and personal likes and dislikes. This is what I like about this forum, everyone building on each others successes. Happy Rammin & Winchin, Dave

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Dave Hauser, 96 3500 4x4 extended, auto 4:10 LSD, K&N, tow hooks, fog lights, custom front reciever hitch and mount for 8000 Ramsey winch, alum diamond plate box and running boards, Dodge dually mudflaps, tow 18' flatbed, 69 Vette, 89 HD FLHS

 

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Good info here. I am thinking that since the tow hooks will not work on the truck with the front recvr, that I can pass on the hooks on the next truck and just use the recvr as a my mode for hooking up to stuff if needed. Thats what I have done on my rear hitches for years. Since the Sport I ordered does not have a front air dam... I am good to go for the front recvr. Thanks again for the usefull info guys.

SCOTT
Just Rammin' today

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LIFT IT FLIP IT OR...
RAMIT!

 

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For those without factory tow hooks, Warn makes a front receiver and removable winch. They also have the wiring harness that allows for use in the front of the truck or the rear.

I have the receiver installed in the front but haven't purchased the winch yet. The front receiver is also good for manuvering a trailer easily.

If you have a Cabela's outdoor catalog, they sell the Warn winch, receiver, and accessories.


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98. 5 2500 4x4, QC, SB, Cummins ISB, Auto Trans, SLT,
3. 54 w/ LSD, Horton Fan Clutch

Falcon, Colorado

 

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Phil,
Where and how do the factory tow hooks mount to? You last post makes it sound as if the warn hitch will live with the DC tow hooks.
Man, they are far from cheap, but from the
picture I've seen of them, they look huge.
I have the Warn mount on the front of my 2500. I used it for trailer spotting and for my warn winch of course. .
I'de like to get a tow hook or two so I could use the pully for a double line pull. I've had the winch for 20 years now and a few times the double line pull came in handy.

Bob


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Bob,
I'm not sure if factory tow hooks will work with the warn front receiver. I have the receiver, but not the hooks. It was my impression from the posts above that the factory hooks seem to preclude any other type of front mount receiver.

Maybe some of the others posting on this subject could comment. I'd like to have the factory tow hooks too but dis not think they would work with the Warn front receiver.

--Phil


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98. 5 2500 4x4, QC, SB, Cummins ISB, Auto Trans, SLT,
3. 54 w/ LSD, Horton Fan Clutch

Falcon, Colorado

 

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Just a thought for those that want a tow hook you can make or buy the receiver hitch with a tow hook welded/attatched instead of a trailer ball. BTW - The Draw-Tite front mount has recovery loops welded at each end for attaching a strap with hooks, a block and tackle or tying a rope too.

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99 2500, QC, SLT, 4x4 ISB, 5sp, 3. 55sld, Infiniti am/fm/cd, HDTcase, NW Running Boards and Mud flaps, Draw-Tite Front Mount Receiver Hitch, Tekonsha Brake Control, SRW and Husky Liners.

 

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bobk, go to the Prozap web page (link a few posts above) page 2 photo album, and the photo shows a good pic of the hooks and mounting hdwr. It appears that the hook braces mount the same place as your warn mount. I had the same problem with the Draw Tight. Note the heavy brace on the pass side coming accross the crossmember. Dave

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Dave Hauser, 96 3500 4x4 extended, auto 4:10 LSD, K&N, tow hooks, fog lights, custom front reciever hitch and mount for 8000 Ramsey winch, alum diamond plate box and running boards, Dodge dually mudflaps, tow 18' flatbed, 69 Vette, 89 HD FLHS

 

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Looking back at Phil's email I missed the
"out" in the "without"... .
I guess in my want... need... to get darn good tow hooks on the front of my truck I miss read it... ;(

Thanks Dave, in looking at the photo on the prozap site, I can get an idea on how come the DC hooks cant be installed when there is a front hitch. The photo is too dark to see any great detail, but where it mounts on the fram is evident.

My buddy has the Draw Tite, looked at it and looked over the hoops when deciding whether to go with the Warn or someone elses.
The hitch it self is fine. The Warn is a bit less "wheeldy" and more simplistic. Because of the way it mounts, the side plates that come from the cross tube and go to the frame of the truck are shorter on Warn's than Draw tite's and Reese's
So I stuck with the Warn, figuring the shorter side plates lent more stability when
winching off to the side.

For the times I need a double line pull, I wouldnt trust the hoops they have on the DT (sorry BV, just MHO) and that would get away from my greedo of placing the other end of a double line pull off of the hitch.
A hitch is made to have a pull thats in line with 2" receiver welded into the torrsional (sp?. . oh fudge lets get real. . all my spelling stinks!) cross tube. I trust the tie point (tow hook) when they are on the frame of the truck, not on the hitch which loads it unsymetrically during a double line pull.

 

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btw. .
Wrangler Products sells the 12v heavy current connectors that are used on the winch wire harness for quick disconnects. I've bought a few sets from them for my other trucks over the years. You can order custom lengths.
1st rate stuff.


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the Warn unit is very well-made, measured so exactly that there's scarcely room for the paint layer(s). mounts to factory bolt-holes in frame, and required floor-jack and drift-punch to press into place and align holes. for add'nl safety for tuggage, a drawbar without a ball, but with a shackle thru the hole makes a very good reliable attachment point-- I once used a loop-ended piece of 5/8 wire rope to get a water-jug delivery truck out of a ditch, by simply poking the loop into my receiver and slipping the hitch-pin thru it. for winch electricity, your local welding shop can fix you up with some 1-or 0-guage welder cable and the appropriate male+female quick-disconnects... much mo'cheapah than the cable-sets that these other guys market, and you can spec your own wire size, rather than what the company's accountant numbered out for max profits. I made a small bracket of 2x2x1/8 angle-iron to take the 2 female 3/8" fittings (manuf'd by Tweco) and used self-tapping 1/4" hexheads to attach inside the big rectangular hole in the bumper. coded them red&black, and did same for the monster jumper cables that mate to them. ---long post, eh,? life is full of details, isn't it----happy clattering--rich

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98 12-valve qc2500 4x4/kill-switch, K&N,silencer ring hanging in garage, 4"straight-thru w/nasty 5" chrome slant-cut outlet,PrimeLoc,Warn Front receiver, 19. 5"Ricksons w/Goodyear Unisteel "UPS Truck" tires, camper shell, Westin step-rail/nerf bars, diamond-plate rail caps, bedliner, Tazmanian Devil mudflaps and floormats--"%$*#)%$^#"-(translation:"TAZ LIKE DIESEL")

 

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If anyone is interested, I am going to take some pics of my winch setup tomorrow. I will scan them in and e-mail them to you if you contact me. I will try to show as much detail as possible. Happy winchin & rammin. Dave


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Dave Hauser, 96 3500 4x4 extended, auto 4:10 LSD, K&N, tow hooks, fog lights, custom front reciever hitch and mount for 8000 Ramsey winch, alum diamond plate box and running boards, Dodge dually mudflaps, tow 18' flatbed, 69 Vette, 89 HD FLHS