Install wench to the bed.

2013 Tacoma with shell over bed. Bed is FIBERGLASS. Would like to install a lightweight winch to pull in deer to save my back. Plan on sandwiching plates above and below the bed to secure the unit. Any other structural ideas on securing to the bed.

 

If it were me I'd probably just secure a winch to hitch instead. Just put on/take off as needed. iirc there's a company out that makes an adaptor plate as well..

 

Yea,ya can get one of those lifts just for game. Just goes in receiver,winch game up by legs,push it in bed.

 

just a suggestion
look at a small cable come-a-long, with a peice of plywood you would be able to slide anything you want up into the bed

 

That'd work. With the eyelets in front of bed to fasten to. It'll pull a deer up plywood. Lot cheaper too.

 

If you do install some sort of bed winch, you would definitely want to secure it through the bed to the frame. The bed is a composite material, but I doubt it would be able to stand up to any sort of sideways shearing motion.

Personally, I would look into the hitch crane option.

 

Personally, I'd probably go with the hitch-mounted hoist or simillar as well (reduces potential weight on the tailgate). However, I don't think you'll have any problems with a winch mounted in the bed. The fiberglass is pretty tough and the typical undressed deer usually tops out at just over 250-lbs (unless you're darn lucky). A field-dressed deer weighs only about 2/3 of that. As you mentioned, just use good sized plates above and below the bed to bolt the winch to. Those plates don't really have to be metal. You just need to spread out the stress of the winch bolts. Plywood sheets (1/2" to 1" thick) can likely accomplish that just fine.

 

Get a piece of metal fabticated that runs side to side at the front of the bed , through bolted to the frame with the two bed bolts located there , mount your winch to that

 

here is a game hoist http://www.cabelas.com/gambrels-hoists-scales-foreverlast-hitch-hoist.shtml

 

I'd love a wench in my bed.... a winch would also be helpful I guess, but not as fun or good looking.

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

Exactly what I would suggest.

 

Thanks to all of your responses. Quite a fun first post. I will post again when this project is completed.

 

Here is how you should properly install a wench into the bed of your truck. If you need written details and steps.....then step away....step far away....

 

I'd rather install the wench from your sig gif

 

That is NOT proper install... she just hop out and get away

 

Needs more tie downs. maybe some duck tape

 

That's what I was talking about. Thanks for posting link.
I gut on ground ,less wear on my back,gut it where it fell.

 

I think some people missed the point of the OPs post. He wants the animal dragged into the bed, and he has a shell on the truck. A bed mounted winch is the best option. I friend of mine who was a professional bear hunter had such a rig but he used a full size winch and loaded the spool with 5/32" wire rope. I don't remember how much rope that was, but it was a LOT! I think it was like 600 feet or more. He could drag a bear out of a pretty good canyon, and the 5/32 was more than enough to drag animals (2600# breaking strength). The same thing could be done on a smaller winch too of course, but the spool capacity will be less.

 

i would probably mount it off my hitch and make a pully system to the front of the truck to pull the game in? might be too much work.... just an idea