Winch disconnect switch & Warn 8274 hitch mount

Haven't seen too many Warn 8274s on this site so thought I'd throw this up.

For those that get sand kicked in their face at the beach, this winch set up is not for you. Most cases it would be easier to push the truck out then to remove winch from bed and install in receiver. The winch and mount is heavy. However, I got stuck last year while duck hunting and wanted (i) a winch solution where I wasn't carrying the extra weight around the 99% of the time I don't need it, (ii) wanted the tried and true Warn 8274 with lots for cable (160' of 5/16" in this case).

I bought a used Warn 8274 winch and rebuilt it. Lots of information on the net about how to rebuild a 8274, including here:

http://forum.ih8mud.com/winching-recovery/197470-my-warn-8274-rebuild-part-1-a.html


In the front, I installed a CBI hidden hitch. See here for someone else's install:

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/129351-cbi-offroad-hidden-front-hitch-install.html

I used 1/0 gauge wire from the battery to an Anderson 350 amp power connector. The connector housing is here:

http://store.polarwire.com/browse.cfm/350-amp-housing-red/4,6500.html

In addition to the connector housing, you need a pair of contractor tips for the gauge wire you are running, like these for 1/0:

http://store.polarwire.com/browse.cfm/350-amp-contct-tip-1-0-ea/4,6608.html

I ran the 1/0 gauge directly from the negative post of the battery to the Anderson connector. I wanted to put a switch on the positive cable to allow the winch to be shut off quickly if a solenoid stays shut and to prevent the +ve side of the connector from being hot unless I wanted it to be.

For the switch, I used a Blue Sea 9003e switch, rated for 350 amps continuous, 600 amps for 5 minutes:

https://bluesea.com/category/1/products/9003e


I installed the switch in front of the battery. I made a bracket out of 4" x 4" aluminum tube, 4" long. The bracket was drilled and tapped to accept the fuel regulator assembly and also the Blue Sea switch. I used the OEM mounting holes in the inner fender to mount the new bracket. Don't like drilling new holes in the truck.



I picked up a Warn 8274 mounting plate from TMR customs:
http://www.tmrcustoms.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3_29&products_id=416

I used 3/16" 2"x2" tube to fit the receiver, welded 1/4" plate to the 2"x2" tube, welded the TMR 8274 mount to the 1/4" plate, and welded a shackle mount to the front of it all.


The wiring to the front receiver is permanent. I also made up a 25' length of cable, with 800 amp battery clamps on one end and an Anderson 350 connector on the other. The power cables coming off the winch also has an Anderson 350 connector. This way I don't have to carry around the weight of the wire unless I have the winch and I can also use the winch with friends trucks who only have a rear receiver.

Factor 55 makes the red safety thimble on the end of the cable, stopping the cable from going thru the fairlead. A nice set up, albeit large and heavy.

 

Bravo.

But yeah, for a portable setup I personally favor a little more weight saving.

My setup weighs around 75 lbs.