Custom G500 Winch Bumper
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1991 Defender 110, 1992 Doscovery truggy, 1998 Discovery, 2007 BMW Xch 650
Custom G500 Winch Bumper
Hey there...
Well, after 10 months and 16,000kms from new, I decided to install a winch bumper on the G for 2 simple reasons: the OEM bumper was slightly bent as I recovered from a very steep dune downhill (may have turned agree) and I wanted to have a winch for safety and security as we explore the wider sides of the Arabian sands...
Honestly wanted to import one, whether from Germany or from the US...but the initial cost, plus shipping, plus duties (small, but not insignificant, plus...etc...) didn't make it feasible. Also, after having built/bought several winch bumpers I wanted 2 fundamental things that I didn't see with other winch bumpers:
1. Have an integrated skid-plat with the bumper so that it'll create a stronger mounting option to eliminate any rotationally forces when winching
2. Make it blend 100% into the vehicle (make it look OEM) - ORC is OEM...so same size/strength...others look very nice but not as much as I wanted..
Here are some pictures...the steel is a combination of 4mm, 6mm and 8mm, the approach angle suffered only slightly, and we reused all 8 OEM mounting points (4 for the bumper, 4 for the skid plate, but now they are both connected, so a much stronger and rigid entity). The winch is a Warn XP-S 9.5 with wireless remote (I usually go for the M8274-50...have 4 of them on 3 trucks actually...but this was not the right winch for this vehicle). More to add are a pair of 5' LED round lights on the bumper (between the OEM headlights and the winch...this Saturday).
Front springs may be in order to compensate for "seat of the pants" feeling of -1cm...but nothing major.
This may not be everyone's solution, but it does serve mine well. I need to figure out a smaller license plate and put it on the DS front end. But happy to hear your feedback.
Next are balancing the black Hutchinsons on 32" BFG and replacing the OEM side steps with black 6cm box steel units hugging the cab (need to figure out the exhaust in that section)...that should be the end of the mods for this truck (already has an ORC transfer case skid, Fox shocks, and the spare tire locker)...
Nadim
Well, after 10 months and 16,000kms from new, I decided to install a winch bumper on the G for 2 simple reasons: the OEM bumper was slightly bent as I recovered from a very steep dune downhill (may have turned agree) and I wanted to have a winch for safety and security as we explore the wider sides of the Arabian sands...
Honestly wanted to import one, whether from Germany or from the US...but the initial cost, plus shipping, plus duties (small, but not insignificant, plus...etc...) didn't make it feasible. Also, after having built/bought several winch bumpers I wanted 2 fundamental things that I didn't see with other winch bumpers:
1. Have an integrated skid-plat with the bumper so that it'll create a stronger mounting option to eliminate any rotationally forces when winching
2. Make it blend 100% into the vehicle (make it look OEM) - ORC is OEM...so same size/strength...others look very nice but not as much as I wanted..
Here are some pictures...the steel is a combination of 4mm, 6mm and 8mm, the approach angle suffered only slightly, and we reused all 8 OEM mounting points (4 for the bumper, 4 for the skid plate, but now they are both connected, so a much stronger and rigid entity). The winch is a Warn XP-S 9.5 with wireless remote (I usually go for the M8274-50...have 4 of them on 3 trucks actually...but this was not the right winch for this vehicle). More to add are a pair of 5' LED round lights on the bumper (between the OEM headlights and the winch...this Saturday).
Front springs may be in order to compensate for "seat of the pants" feeling of -1cm...but nothing major.
This may not be everyone's solution, but it does serve mine well. I need to figure out a smaller license plate and put it on the DS front end. But happy to hear your feedback.
Next are balancing the black Hutchinsons on 32" BFG and replacing the OEM side steps with black 6cm box steel units hugging the cab (need to figure out the exhaust in that section)...that should be the end of the mods for this truck (already has an ORC transfer case skid, Fox shocks, and the spare tire locker)...
Nadim
