installing winch on my 2006 tacoma.

Any reason to not get a portable winch instead? You could use it for recovery on the front and back. Store it out of the rain. And use it for other various projects around the house.

 

Just remember all the new front end weight so you have to beef up the front suspension and if you are not planning that expense skip the winch.
Unless you are doing some serious off-roading and get stuck a lot and plan on pulling forward only or simply like the looks that's a lot of money.
You can get a 4-5 ton come-along at Harbor Freight and throw it in your tools and it will pull you any direction.
Often out of mud is a rear pull and no $$ and no weight. Rock faces could use the winch or a come-along.
Just a few points.

 

Anyone have a pic of a US off road bumper installed on a 2.5 Gen from the side? I googled an see found pics from the front and angled but would like a side profile shot like in the thread of the warn option.
Thanks

 

There's actually nothing to see from the side except the two shackle mounts.

 

If you go with synthetic line and a hybrid (center of bumper) mount you're looking at a net weight gain of only about 70 pounds for both the winch and mount, considering that you remove parts weighing about 30 pounds. I saw no sag at all when installing a USOffroad unit and Warn 8k synth (TX Baja suspension).

 

Thank you, That is good enough for me to get an understanding of what I wanted to know. Thanks!

 

What all is removed aside from the plastic cut out from the bumper? Is the crash bar also removed?

 

Yeah not a pure side pic but it's all I had in my folders.

 

Yes, and the two ears on the ends of it; and the drivers side tie down loop which is cut off.

USO has a good install sheet available online to give you a complete idea what's involved.

 

Awesome! Thanks for all the info!

 

Go hitch mounted, with a hidden front hitch

 

Yes. That's what I have with plenty of room. I even mounted the control box on top

 

Here’s what I did

 

Aluminum Streamline from SOS, less than 80# with a 10k winch and synthetic line.
Edit: nevermind, you have a 2006, but there are similar options for your year.

 

You're whole set up with winch and bumper weighs less than 80 lbs?

 

I went with the Undercover Hidden Winch Mount Systems.

http://www.hiddenwinchmounts.com/store/#!/2005-2011-Tacoma-HWMS/p/8471209/category=1967460

It was literally a 1 hour install tops. Just take off plastic bumper cover, remove aluminum cross member, replace with mount, throw winch on, wire it up, trim a small window in the plastic bumper and you're done.

Biggest reason I went this route was that I got lucky and found a guy selling his on eBay for $150.

Also, I went with a Smittybuilt 9500 lb winch. Have used several times. Can't complain at all.

 

Yeah, I think the winch is about 50 and the aluminum bumper is 30.

 

Ahhh, totally read over the whole aluminum sos bumper part. My bad. I total forgot they made an aluminum version. Never crosses my mind b/c I'm too poor for the aluminum options of any brand haha.

 

US off road is willing to do a group buy @ $475 shipped if we can get 10 buyers together. Let me know if interested and we will get the group buy thread going. I know I am down for one. Normally they are $525 plus $60 to ship to GA.

Group Buy - Tacoma Winch Mounts!