Need advice: EcoBoost winch mount
08-23-2012, 03:56 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Need advice: EcoBoost winch mount
BACKGROUND
I bought a 2012 F150 Lariat EcoBoost 4x4 with the tow package and offroad kit. I want to add a 12-16,000# winch to the front. I'll have to buy some sort of winch mount and/or offroad bumper to mount it. I expect to do only occasional, relatively mild offroading, recovery of snow-stuck vehicles and things like stump pulling. I'm new to this topic so want to do the right thing and avoid any common pitfalls.
A possible Winch mount I've found is the Warn Gen II Trans4mer: http://www.warn.com/truck/mounting-s...r_Gen_II.shtml
A possible offroad bumper with winch mount I've found is the Road Warrior Stealth Winch Bumper: http://www.roadarmor.com/products/Bu...-number-66130B
Both of these say they have F150 EcoBoost versions.
QUESTIONS
(1) It looks like mounting a winch will add 100-150 pounds to the front of the truck. Replacing the front bumper with an offroad bumper will add another approx 250 pounds. How does this affect handling, traction, payload capacity, etc.?
(2) If I replace the stock bumper with something like the Road Armor offroad bumper how does that affect the frame in a front-end collision? Or the crumple zone designed into the truck? Or the airbag system?
(3) In looking at offroad bumpers I've seen a wide variety of bars and grilles. Where I live I need to worry about rocks, sand and desert bushes, but not deer, moose, trees, or heavy brush, so I'm thinking that just the bumper without additional bars and grilles would probably serve my needs. It's questionable about whether I'll ever add a bank of offroad lights. Am I missing something by considering only a minimal bumper?
Any advice or wisdom you can share would be appreciated. Thank you.
I bought a 2012 F150 Lariat EcoBoost 4x4 with the tow package and offroad kit. I want to add a 12-16,000# winch to the front. I'll have to buy some sort of winch mount and/or offroad bumper to mount it. I expect to do only occasional, relatively mild offroading, recovery of snow-stuck vehicles and things like stump pulling. I'm new to this topic so want to do the right thing and avoid any common pitfalls.
A possible Winch mount I've found is the Warn Gen II Trans4mer: http://www.warn.com/truck/mounting-s...r_Gen_II.shtml
A possible offroad bumper with winch mount I've found is the Road Warrior Stealth Winch Bumper: http://www.roadarmor.com/products/Bu...-number-66130B
Both of these say they have F150 EcoBoost versions.
QUESTIONS
(1) It looks like mounting a winch will add 100-150 pounds to the front of the truck. Replacing the front bumper with an offroad bumper will add another approx 250 pounds. How does this affect handling, traction, payload capacity, etc.?
(2) If I replace the stock bumper with something like the Road Armor offroad bumper how does that affect the frame in a front-end collision? Or the crumple zone designed into the truck? Or the airbag system?
(3) In looking at offroad bumpers I've seen a wide variety of bars and grilles. Where I live I need to worry about rocks, sand and desert bushes, but not deer, moose, trees, or heavy brush, so I'm thinking that just the bumper without additional bars and grilles would probably serve my needs. It's questionable about whether I'll ever add a bank of offroad lights. Am I missing something by considering only a minimal bumper?
Any advice or wisdom you can share would be appreciated. Thank you.
Last edited by billf; 08-23-2012 at 03:58 PM.
