SSO Slimline Tube Bumper winch recommendations

Hey all, I ordered a front bumper from SSO last summer...and FINALLY it has been shipped. If you've followed along with SSO over the last year, you understand the production/fabrication updates, etc. I've been patient, but am very excited for it to be arriving soon.

Next step is to get a winch! I'm looking for a 10k-12k synthetic rope. What is everyone running with this bumper, and did you have to relocate the receiver?

Not sure where/who recommended it, but somehow I got in my head to get the Smittybilt X20 Gen2 (10k synthetic) but I'm not sure if it will work with this bumper or not. Also, I heard rumors that Smittybilt might be going out of business? Warn would be my next choice, but the reason I was put onto the Smittybilt was the competitive pricing to Warn. Anyone running a Badlands setup? Need best bang for buck.

Thanks in advance! I'm sure this question has been asked before. Please reply with pics of how you mounted the receiver if you had to relocate. (I hear most people attach to radiator...)

 

Good to hear they finally shipped one out. That is my favorite for these trucks.

I can't help with the winch question, but happy someone finally actually got a bumper lol.

 

Harbor Freight Badland Apex 12k. You can't beat the price. They go on sale at least quarterly, I think they were on sale over the 4th. Maybe again Labor Day?

 

Do you run this on your rig??

 

Well it hasn't officially come in yet but I have been hounding their instagram account on updates to make sure my order wasn't lost and to get updates and shipping info. So if all goes well, it SHOULD be getting here later this week or next week....

 

Yup! Works like a champ. The wireless (included) control is a really nice feature. gets you away from the winch in case shit goes wrong.

edit: It uses the same bolt pattern as Warn and the control box is setup to remotely mount.

 

Control box!! I keep calling it the receiver, haha glad you knew what I meant.

 

can you access the gear release pretty well through the access holes in this bumper? You're running the SSO bumper I got right??

 

You can barely see the control box to the left of the Toyota logo and under the stripes. I made my own mount with some 1"x.125" steel bar stock I had laying around, but you can get it at Home Depot/Lowes/any good hardware store. Mine bolts into some existing holes in the radiator support, I may have had to drill 1 or 2 holes, I don't remember now. All simple stuff.

 

Different bumper but easy to access the gear release from either above or below. It's in approx. the same place as a Warn.

 

I have one, with a SSO slimline hybrid. Love it.

 

Is it safe to assume that mine (with the wings) will have the same area/size for the winch?

 

The point of my question was with my specific bumper...or are most bumpers just made to hold most winches? Guess they would be...

 

Yes, more specifically, winch mounts are designed around specific sizes, as each size/capacity change can have a different mounting pattern. But most 10,000-12,000 pound winches all will have the same mounting pattern.

I'm running the HF apex winch in an sdhq hidden mount, that specifically calls for a warn zeon winch. It bolted up without issue.

The main thing that will change from winch to winch is going to be mounting the control box. It will always need to be relocated due to a structural horizontal cross member right above where the winch goes.

I took mine apart and separately mounted the internal waterproof components to the crossmember to maximize airflow through the radiator, but many buy or build variants of a bracket to suspend it vertically in front of the passenger side of the radiator.

 

I considered your question. Most bumpers are built with a Warn mount pattern. Most winches make their mounts compatible with Warn, knowing this. Even though I have a different bumper, the mounting position is going to be very similar, if not exact. Almost every bumper I've looked at have the same issue on the 3rd gen, that being the control box needing to be relocated because of the lower radiator mount. Your specific bumper isn't so different when it comes to mounting a winch.

 

Ok great! Thanks! Sounds like I will getting the Apex then. Just saw one at the store and it's on sale haha.

 

Do you a pic of how you mounted it? I might just use zip ties haha...

 

I'd assume so

 

i've got a couple pictures.

this is the winch installed-- the majority of bumpers/winch plates put the winch in roughly the same position as this, note the crossmember just above the winch casting a shadow on the free-spool knob



this is all that's inside that big bulbous enclosure on top of the winch-- a relay, and a wireless receiver. both are entirely waterproofed by themselves.



and this is how i mounted it. i'll be changing the wireless pack wiring later on, but this was to get everything working. i just used a few riv-nuts through the crossmember

 

Great! Thanks! So it's fine for the wires to not have a cover because the connections area all waterproofed?