2012+ Winch Mount Bumper Development

The UCWM requires that you cut a hole in your cover which is fine but you won't have any bash protection.

With ours you remove the center section and replace it and your square tube bumper behind the cover with ours. See the attached prototype pic for an example. Read the previous posts for more insight.

 

I may have asked this before (sorry if I did) but can you tell me if you setup will work with Matt123 front "skid plate" here:
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacoma-marketplace/228625-fs-10g-steel-skid-plate.html
I have the skid plate already and it is VERY nice. This would be an AWESOME matchup.
Ken

 

No way for me to know for sure without someone trying to bolt one up with our bumper installed. Having said that, from the looks of things it would be completely redundant as our bumper goes all the way down to the subframe... pretty much the same coverage as this plate but will be much stronger as it has a fully gusseted plate from top to bottom.

 

So is there any cutting of the bumper cover required to install this bumper? Could you return to stock easily afterwords?

 

Have Matt's skid on my 2013. My guess judging from the pics on here-
It looks like it will fit, but the skid plate will cover up the holes on the bumper.
Have to see the real bumper on to see if anything can be done about that. Like modifying Matt's skid.

 

I am totally in for this, though I'll be making a modification to mine. I want a bumper exactly like that, but I want a 2" front hitch receiver instead of a hard mounted winch. I was looking into approaching local fab shops for a custom job til I stumbled on this thread.

Awesome! Build it! Will buy!

 

Ok....that 2012+ one is super super awesome. I love that.

 

Just waiting on the production prototype for testing. Shop is super busy but it's in line. Trying to get it out late next week but could run in to the week after. We'll jump right on a test fit then if all is well will schedule for a production run.

I'll start a list at that point to get an idea of initial quantities.

Also, have all new custom made boxes being produced for our bumpers, heavy duty double wall (and some 8 wall in areas) to speed up our shipping process and reduce shipping damage (which has been few and minor). No increase in cost to the customer either as we are offsetting the cost with much much lower packaging times/labor. Win win for everyone.

Additionally... and I don't discuss private matters too often, but been fighting thyroid cancer for 2+ years and just found out from the oncologist today that I'm cancer free! Got my Superman cape back.... this helps with lots of things in addition to the obvious, in that I'm not having to deal with treatment/surgeries/testing every 6 months any longer.

Guess it really does take more than that to kill me... and since we've had a few Patton quotes in this thread.

"Accept the challenges, so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory." General George S. Patton

 

Congrats on being cancer free. I went through the same ordeal at 22 with colon cancer. 6 years later and all is well. Looks like you have a good product and I'm waiting on the final product!

 

Congrats Brad! My grandmother is also battling cancer at this time and I know what kind of impact that can put on yourself and family.. not even to mention a business... I am looking forward to seeing the 12+ bumper.

 

I was actually looking at doing the same thing and found this thread as well.

ETA: Congrats Brad on being cancer free. I lost my Dad a few years back to cancer. Glad your doing better.

 

Awesome news on being free of the C. Congrats

 

Congratulations on the cancer!!
E

 

Congratulations on kicking that C to the curb!

I will get on the list, but down a little ways. Pay some tax bills first.
Will you have a bumper/winch package?

 

Congrats on the victory. I was wondering how does one get his name on a list for this bumper. Would you put me on it please. I will take one when they are available. Question, is it going to be possible to have one painted white to match my truck? Or does the black look better? Just haven't seen one in another color, didn't know if it was or could be an option. Any idea on a time frame? I have the 2014 Will this also fit the smittybuilt 9500 with synthetic rope? I already have the winch, just need somewhere to put it. Thanks

 

In doing my research I see undercover also is built with a so called bash plate, however there's is hidden behind the plastic bumper cover. I'n my mind this is a better solution since it will not be exposed to the elements and rust over a short period.

Also, I see that the undercover hwms is powder coated. What finish options does the U.S Offroad have?

In looking at price undercover is also $30 cheaper after shipping and it already comes powder coated. Why do I wait for U.S Offroad?

Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks

 

A question for those of us who happen to be Canucks, when you offer this for sale, will we be able to order it and have it shipped to the often frozen north?

 

US Offroad is offering an actual plate bumper that fits in that weird space at the bottom of the bumper cover. Undercover is a hidden winch mount that isn't intended to be a crash bumper and if you hit sh!t you will be searching for new bits for your truck on ebay.

Just an observation, but it sounds like you've already decided on what you want to do - why even ask?

 

Hell yeah man, never quit, never give up. Congrats on your Cancer free status. Keep up the good fight.

 

First off, I see you are new here so welcome to the forums.

The UHWMS is a good product but you have to understand that their solution and ours are two different methods of mounting a winch utilizing the stock bumper cover. The similarities end there.

1. You are not going to mount a bumper of any kind without coating/painting it so rust should be a non issue. Every single bumper out there, including the UHWMS, is going to be exposed to weather. This is why all bumpers are either coated or made from aluminum. You would never in your right mind mount anything bare steel on your truck... unless you like the rusty rat rod look.

We offer ours in bare steel as it's an exposed bumper like every other bumper out there you will want to coat it. Our customers have painted them a variety of colors to satisfy their preference. Most end up black or silver. However, customers prefer several different methods of coating, paint, bedliner/polyurea, powder coat, POR-15, etc. Me, I prefer paint or rattle can bed liner as it's easy to patch/match. Shipping bare gives you the option. The UHWMS can get away with going black powder coat as you can't see it.

Which brings me to my next point...

2. UHWMS chose to let you cut a hole for the fairlead/hawse so you are going to do some plastic cutting regardless. With the UHWMS though you will have to open the hood to access the winch controls and/or attach a control cable. I prefer not to do that when my FJ/Tacoma might be stuck in an odd or even dangerous position. Again, a different way of attacking the solution.

3. As the UHWMS is hidden behind the plastic you do not have a bash plate, you would need to install a skid plate just as you would on the stock Tacoma setup. Nothing wrong with that but that is the difference. Don't forget to consider the cost of an additional skid plate if you want one.

Our winch mount bumper, since it takes the place of the lower plastic section, gives you integrated bash protection with 7 gussets behind .130" steel which is the same basic setup we have on the hundreds of FJ bumpers we've sold over the past few years, and it works well.

4. Our bumper mounts the same way as every other Tacoma bumper does, utilizing the factory bumper mount studs on the frame in addition to the two 12mm bolts on the subframe that act as torque mounts as you rarely winch out of something in a perfectly straight line. Our bumper utilizes a .250" full height winch tub in addition to the .130" fascia/bash plate so you actually have .375" of steel up front.

Again, nothing wrong with the UHWMS solution, it's simply a different product and method of mounting a winch and may work better for you. Only you can decide if you prefer to wait for our bumper based on your needs and wants.

There's a video or two on our G+ page along with many customer install photos: https://plus.google.com/u/1/+BradGalbraithusoffroad/posts

I also addressed your second post on this subject here: http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2n...idden-winch-mount-closeout-2.html#post8785001