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Jay's custom front skid and winch build

13K views 51 replies 18 participants last post by  jayloop 
#1 ·
I'm about to get the ball rolling on a front skid/Bumper mount winch setup (winch design courtesy of Omelet). Here is roughly what I am looking to achieve...I'll post progress here as I move along!

 
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#6 ·
Re: fabricating front skid/bumper mount winch

Sign me up! That would be awesome
 
#9 ·
Re: fabricating front skid/bumper mount winch

go ahead and fab two...send me mine whenever it's ready! :thumbsup:
 
#11 ·
Re: fabricating front skid/bumper mount winch

I'll take your 4x skid when you fab a custom one omelet:thumbsup:
 
#14 ·
While it would probably look good from far away it wouldn't match up close and that would bother me. I'm weird like that. Besides, the paint guy already has the hood off painting it!
 
#19 ·
Re: fabricating front skid/bumper mount winch

The Jeep is still in the shop for hood paint so tonight I did a little more rendering. I figured if I'm going to have the bumper cover off and hacking it up I might as well get some shackle mounts in there. I'm also about to start a quad bi-xenon retrofit into headlights and upgrade my fogs, so I drew them in while I was working in Photoshop/Lightroom/paint. Here is a rough draft of what I want to achieve. Of course, the slots won't be this wide or the skid would almost be useless, but it gives me a place to start.

Ther fairlead for the winch will be integrated into the skid instead of above it. The shackles will mount behind the bumper cover, which will be cut around them. They will then be reachable through the slats.

I'll get rid of the Hellas behind the grill. They will be useless after I finish the lights and it will clean everything up in the front with them gone. I might do a black Saguaro grill insert instead.

This design will probably change about 10 more times before I finish it, but that is part of the fun! Feel free to give any suggestions/comments on the design as I'm open to input at this point. Otherwise, stay tuned!
 
#20 ·
Re: fabricating front skid/bumper mount winch

That looks like it will be really cool. Alot of fabrication but really nice. What about making the skid plate fit right into the notch in the middle of the bumper where it curves in. That will give it a clean look and not disturb the flow of the bumper. It will just look like it is black in the middle for the most part.

PS: I can find those lights a good home behind another grill I know of on a silver jeep when the time comes lol.
 
#21 ·
Thanks BigTicket, I like your idea. I am looking at wider for a few reasons. I would like to keep the same width as the cowl and grill. The wider it is the more protection I will have underneath. I will also need to have the shackle mounts further out than inside of that recessed area. I'll let you know first when the Hellas come out!
 
#22 ·
Re: fabricating front skid/bumper mount winch

That does make sense. I like the idea of it for sur. You could do like a tapered design when it comes wide underneath the vehicle to fit right into that slot. Yet, I agree that it will not help for mounting the shackles.

I do agree with keeping the body lines with the hood cowl, down the grill, to the skid. Will you be form fitting the skid around the curvature of the bumper?
 
#24 ·
Re: fabricating front skid/bumper mount winch

Omelet has done the legwork for the winch cradle dimensions, I will just add a second fairlead for the winch cable to run throught the skid. I'll weld or bolt in the shackle mounts on the crossmember just before where it will be cut out. I'm going to fab the skid out of a thin sheet of steel that will be easily workable as far as bends and such. I'm going to have a local professional shop do the final piece after I get the prototype piece exactly how I want it and dry-fit properly.
 
#28 ·
Lol, you might all change your mind by the time I'm finished with this, it could turn out looking like a sh!t sammich!
 
#31 ·
Re: fabricating front skid/bumper mount winch



I don't know who you are trying to kid here look at your jeep I know it won't be that because it will never make it on the jeep if it is. I firmly believe that... :thumbsup:

So anyways we can get you and omlete up here and get to some fabricating :D
 
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