Balor
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Billy
- Joined
- May 25, 2024
- Threads
- 4
- Messages
- 59
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- 43
- Location
- Kissimmee, FL
- Vehicle(s)
- VW
- Thread starter
- #1
Anyone know or have videos installing a warn winch on a rubicon?
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I Did. Just wanted first hand experience from you guys on the forum.Billy, have you done a search on YouTube? There should be tons of them available.
I'm sticking with the Rubicon steel bumper and I'm looking at the warn winch.installing a winch is pretty basic...pick your bumper and winch plate. Warn has good instructions on wiring....
that is what I did and I used a maximus-3 winch plate which makes for an easy clean install. Maximus3 has good instructions..pretty much as simple as pulling your bumper off and installing it and then installing the winch and installing the bumper back on..I'm sticking with the Rubicon steel bumper and I'm looking at the warn winch.
Thank you Jadmt, this is the I was looking for.that is what I did and I used a maximus-3 winch plate which makes for an easy clean install. Maximus3 has good instructions..pretty much as simple as pulling your bumper off and installing it and then installing the winch and installing the bumper back on..
Thank you Wagabond for this outstanding information.I used the Maximus-3 winch plate which was very straight forward.
This was the video I studied before hand:
and this one gave me some more of the torque specs.
If you are going for the same winch plate, I only loosened the bumper support bracket on one side. This allows a little more play with the elongated holes when trying to get the 8 bumper bolts aligned when putting it back on.
The inner bumper bolts are tricky to get to after mounting the winch, you need the tight combination of 18mm deep socket and right length of ratchet extension to work it.
Retightening the bumper support bracket was an exercise in tightening one ratchet click at a time due to very limited space.
As it is a piece of safety equipment I did use a torque wrench for the first time, to give me piece of mind.
Loosening the skid plate brackets is recommended, as you’ll likely drop the nut for the winch plate at least once, and need those loosened to retrieve it from the bottom.
Wiring - I bought the blue sea cut off switch and bracket for it from American Adventure Labs, but haven’t used it yet as the posts on it are too big for the connector ends on the wires from Warn.
I used a spring grabber tool (like this https://www.amazon.com/ANRANK-Flexible-Grabber-Pickup-Spring/dp/B07PLVG1ZC) to poke down next to the airbox and bend the inner fender to then clip the cables and pull them up through the gap. No need to remove the grill or the airbox like some videos suggest.
Terrymo thank you for the video and informationFirst I always check Youtube for videos by @Tech Tim from @Northridge4x4. Then I’ll look for Quadratec videos with “Hey Robbie here…”
Thanks azjl#3painter tape to keep nut in winch...
Install rope on drum before installing winch.
Have a helper.
I have been debating this same set up since I bought my 25 Rubicon. The maximus plate seems like the best option. Thanks for posting the videos !I used the Maximus-3 winch plate which was very straight forward.
This was the video I studied before hand:
and this one gave me some more of the torque specs.
If you are going for the same winch plate, I only loosened the bumper support bracket on one side. This allows a little more play with the elongated holes when trying to get the 8 bumper bolts aligned when putting it back on.
The inner bumper bolts are tricky to get to after mounting the winch, you need the tight combination of 18mm deep socket and right length of ratchet extension to work it.
Retightening the bumper support bracket was an exercise in tightening one ratchet click at a time due to very limited space.
As it is a piece of safety equipment I did use a torque wrench for the first time, to give me piece of mind.
Loosening the skid plate brackets is recommended, as you’ll likely drop the nut for the winch plate at least once, and need those loosened to retrieve it from the bottom.
Wiring - I bought the blue sea cut off switch and bracket for it from American Adventure Labs, but haven’t used it yet as the posts on it are too big for the connector ends on the wires from Warn.
I used a spring grabber tool (like this https://www.amazon.com/ANRANK-Flexible-Grabber-Pickup-Spring/dp/B07PLVG1ZC) to poke down next to the airbox and bend the inner fender to then clip the cables and pull them up through the gap. No need to remove the grill or the airbox like some videos suggest.