RNAV
Member
- First Name
- Lee
- Joined
- May 4, 2020
- Threads
- 3
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- 21
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- 37
- Location
- O'Fallon IL
- Vehicle(s)
- 2020 JLU Rubicon
- Thread starter
- #1
I've seen folks ask for winch plate recommendations for installing the Badlands Apex winch with factory steel bumpers, so I thought I'd report my results and share some install tips. All in all, I'm pleased with the quality and ease of installation for all of the products mentioned. I was hoping to have enough clearance to not have to trim the winch clutch handle, but unfortunately this particular combination did not give me enough clearance.
The Maximus-3 mount is high quality, comes with all necessary hardware to include M8 flange nuts to hold the torx bolts in place after removing the factory steel bumper winch filler plate, and includes easy to follow install instructions.
Tip 1: On my particular vehicle, a factory tab welded onto the driver's side frame rail was poorly welded and the seam prevented the Maximus-3 plate mounting holes from lining up. An angle grinder to the excess weld joint tidied things up and fixed the problem.
Tip 2: There are 2 different sets of 4 winch mount holes that align with the Apex winch. Use the rear-most set as indicated in the photo. I initially used the forward-most set, but the steel bumper began to touch the winch body while tightening down the bumper, so I had to take the bumper back off and relocate the winch to the rear-most holes. The power cable out of the controller will compress more than you'd think, and causes minimal grill deflection.
Tip 3: Use the square winch mount nuts (they slide into the body of the winch), flat washers, and lock washers included with the Apex. If you use the Poison Spyder spacers like I did, you'll need longer bolts (the ones included with the Apex are too short). Get:
4 x M10-1.50 x 35mm hex cap screws, grade 8.8 or higher. I went with grade 10.9, Fastenal part #210128773. Use the flat washers and lock washers included with the Apex on these 35mm bolts. Don't get 40mm because they are too long; they'll impact the winch body before fully torquing down the winch. This could lead to a bad day for you later on.
Tip 4: I found I needed longer fairlead mounting bolts. Get:
2 x M12-1.75 x 50mm Socket Head Cap Screw, class 12.9 (only because I wanted the black oxide finish), Fastenal part #2139658
2 x M12-1.75 lock nuts, Fastenal part #2140171
Tip 5: Once you get to Step 18 of the Maximus-3 instructions (Insert spacer plates to bumper stud bolts), STOP, disregard the remaining instructions, and do these steps:
a) Install factory torx bolts & M8 flange nuts from the Maximus-3 kit into the empty winch filler plate holes BEFORE mounting the bumper.
b) Reinstall bumper.
c) Route winch wiring to battery area.
d) Reinstall skid plate.
There is no room to hold the front center flange nut for the winch filler plate hole in place to install the torx bolt once the bumper is mounted. It's super easy to do with the bumper off. Work smarter, not harder.
Tip 6: You don't need to fabricate a mount for the Warn power interrupter solenoid. You can use an existing ground point to mount the solenoid (see picture). Before you relocate the factory wiring harness as shown in the photo, prep the new ground location to ensure good grounding. Initially I got a CEL. Then I took a wire brush and cleaned up the ground post & sandpapered the nut -- good solid ground and CEL went away.
Tip 7: Prep wiring that you will be connecting to the Warn solenoid. Use glass cleaner to lube the rubber boots, slide onto the wires, then connect the wires to the solenoid terminals and slide the boots over. Connect all wiring to the solenoid posts prior to mounting the solenoid: Power lead (don't connect solenoid power to positive battery terminal just yet), aux switch cable lead, ground lead, and power cable from winch. Mount the solenoid, then complete wiring connections from the solenoid leads to a) battery ground terminal, and b) Aux 4 or Aux 5. As the last step, connect power lead from solenoid to battery positive terminal.
Tip 8: Set up your Aux switch (3 or 4) to latched, ignition. Personally, I prefer that the switch reset every time the vehicle is started, that way if you forget to kill power to the winch the vehicle will do it automatically whenever you turn it off.
Tip 9: You do need to tension the winch line. The instructions on how to do this found on page 11 of the Apex owner's manual.
Results:
The Maximus-3 mount is high quality, comes with all necessary hardware to include M8 flange nuts to hold the torx bolts in place after removing the factory steel bumper winch filler plate, and includes easy to follow install instructions.
Tip 1: On my particular vehicle, a factory tab welded onto the driver's side frame rail was poorly welded and the seam prevented the Maximus-3 plate mounting holes from lining up. An angle grinder to the excess weld joint tidied things up and fixed the problem.
Tip 2: There are 2 different sets of 4 winch mount holes that align with the Apex winch. Use the rear-most set as indicated in the photo. I initially used the forward-most set, but the steel bumper began to touch the winch body while tightening down the bumper, so I had to take the bumper back off and relocate the winch to the rear-most holes. The power cable out of the controller will compress more than you'd think, and causes minimal grill deflection.
Tip 3: Use the square winch mount nuts (they slide into the body of the winch), flat washers, and lock washers included with the Apex. If you use the Poison Spyder spacers like I did, you'll need longer bolts (the ones included with the Apex are too short). Get:
4 x M10-1.50 x 35mm hex cap screws, grade 8.8 or higher. I went with grade 10.9, Fastenal part #210128773. Use the flat washers and lock washers included with the Apex on these 35mm bolts. Don't get 40mm because they are too long; they'll impact the winch body before fully torquing down the winch. This could lead to a bad day for you later on.
Tip 4: I found I needed longer fairlead mounting bolts. Get:
2 x M12-1.75 x 50mm Socket Head Cap Screw, class 12.9 (only because I wanted the black oxide finish), Fastenal part #2139658
2 x M12-1.75 lock nuts, Fastenal part #2140171
Tip 5: Once you get to Step 18 of the Maximus-3 instructions (Insert spacer plates to bumper stud bolts), STOP, disregard the remaining instructions, and do these steps:
a) Install factory torx bolts & M8 flange nuts from the Maximus-3 kit into the empty winch filler plate holes BEFORE mounting the bumper.
b) Reinstall bumper.
c) Route winch wiring to battery area.
d) Reinstall skid plate.
There is no room to hold the front center flange nut for the winch filler plate hole in place to install the torx bolt once the bumper is mounted. It's super easy to do with the bumper off. Work smarter, not harder.
Tip 6: You don't need to fabricate a mount for the Warn power interrupter solenoid. You can use an existing ground point to mount the solenoid (see picture). Before you relocate the factory wiring harness as shown in the photo, prep the new ground location to ensure good grounding. Initially I got a CEL. Then I took a wire brush and cleaned up the ground post & sandpapered the nut -- good solid ground and CEL went away.
Tip 7: Prep wiring that you will be connecting to the Warn solenoid. Use glass cleaner to lube the rubber boots, slide onto the wires, then connect the wires to the solenoid terminals and slide the boots over. Connect all wiring to the solenoid posts prior to mounting the solenoid: Power lead (don't connect solenoid power to positive battery terminal just yet), aux switch cable lead, ground lead, and power cable from winch. Mount the solenoid, then complete wiring connections from the solenoid leads to a) battery ground terminal, and b) Aux 4 or Aux 5. As the last step, connect power lead from solenoid to battery positive terminal.
Tip 8: Set up your Aux switch (3 or 4) to latched, ignition. Personally, I prefer that the switch reset every time the vehicle is started, that way if you forget to kill power to the winch the vehicle will do it automatically whenever you turn it off.
Tip 9: You do need to tension the winch line. The instructions on how to do this found on page 11 of the Apex owner's manual.
Results:
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