Is 1/8" strong enough to mount a winch onto? I'd rather not weld on the base plate, since it may not be replaceable, and holds the fairlead. I may be able to go through as much as 1/4, but it would be a PITA.

For a third gen wagon? Maybe. I'm used to dealing with heavier rigs, soooo... 1/8" would probably do it.

 

BUT, all that being said; I personally wouldn't chance it. Winching is one of those times you don't want to be worrying about what is going to snap. Plus there is so much potential for things to get seriously broken under alot of force, that I just don't think a little convenience is worth chancing it. I'd go 1/4" personally.

 

It all REALLY depends on how the winch is mounted as well. Some pics would help alot so we could see HOW the force is being exherted....

Thanks, Will. I don't have a lot of bumper left to mount to, so I was thinking of welding some 1/8" steel under the front lip and 1/16" on top for the rear. That would recess the winch nicely into the grill area, which I'll eventually replace with expanded steel. As you can see from the pics, there is no room to raise the winch, due to the hood. If I go 1/4, then that just means having to fish it into that hollow bumper from the backside. Tough...but doable.

 

 

 

Honestly i'd be more worried about if your winch is even capable of pulling your car out. If you get so stuck that you need a winch you'll be fighting more than double the weight of the car. At a very minimum I'd wager a 4500 would be as small as you really want to go, a 5000 or 6000 would be better.

 

I'd also go 1/4 inch, If you don't have a welder that will penetrate 1/4" I'm sure there is someone else on this board near you with one that will.

 

Now that I think about it, 3/8's might be better.

Honestly i'd be more worried about if your winch is even capable of pulling your car out. If you get so stuck that you need a winch you'll be fighting more than double the weight of the car. At a very minimum I'd wager a 4500 would be as small as you really want to go, a 5000 or 6000 would be better.

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OK Ive used a 2000 lb come along to get unstuck, your saying this 3000 lb winch wont help ??? it could be run threw a pulley then its a 6000 lber, and anyway aint it a cutie

With a pulley, yes, its a 6000 lbs winch, but if its designed for 3000 pounds I don't foresee it lasting too long without the cable snapping

I have one of these mounted to a reciever for my lifted car. straight pull it was working pretty hard. with a snatch block (pulley) It pulled my car up a nearly vertical 30" bank off-camber (for testing purposes). truth is I never used it for actual recovery, And the plastic cover broke off it riding around in my car. Also, with the cable provided and the snatch block, it only left me with 16' of pull, which isn't much. Also, fyi, the larger the wheel in the pulley, the less work the motor will have to do to pull the weight....

Have snatch block...will use!!!

It is quite the cutie, eh Scott?

I'd rather go this route, than add excessive dead weight. My welder will handle 1/4" just fine, Noah, so added with the bumper's thickness, it actually will be about 3/8.

1/8" would probably bend and tear under much stress - let alone a 6000 lb line pull with a snatch block. No way I would run that anyway. It would likely hold for a half dozen recovery's and then be pretty much hosed after that much of a work-out. 1/8" is really thin stuff. I can bend and shape 1/8" flat-bar with a small hammer and an anvil - not something you want to be putting a hell of a lot of stress on.

 

1/4" would hold if it's gusseted properly and the thing was bolted down well. Hell it's own mounting plate is only like 3/16" by the look of it - if anything the spool would tear free of the mounting bracket before the 1/4" bolt-down plate failed .

 

I agree that more winch than that little toy is better, but it's better than nothing at all and sometimes just a bit of pull along with the vehicles own power is all you need. You aren't likely going to yard it out of a sink-hole burried half-way up the doors but then your rig probably can't get itself that stuck in the first place unless you find a nice big pit of quick-sand to fall into .

 

GD

Agreed...1/4" is the way to go, and it will only be used for an assist. Hopefully the remote has the range to work from inside.

I have a 3000 lbs Warn and have pulled many toyota and a few jeeps out at reiter but yes 1/4 is the best to use

I have a 3000 lbs Warn and have pulled many toyota and a few jeeps out at reiter but yes 1/4 is the best to use

 

That's because of the name brand. :-p