Everybody likes pics and that's really the only point of this thread...

Anyway... I built some of it from a street sign post I found laying on the side of the road, and the other parts are from a left over I-Beam from my garage.

Enjoy...

 

Impressive fabrication you did there. I'm no structural engineer or anything, but I'm curious how well that framing material will hold up with any serious wenching?

Either way, that's some nice work. I have sometimes wished I had something like that for maneuvering trailers in tight areas (hitching them from the front).

 

Yeah, I'm not sure how it will hold up either. I'll keep an eye on it. There's room for reinforcing. Also the pics are with it just tacked in place. Every place that could be welded is now welded.

 

Very nice! I got to hold one of those sign posts about a week ago and they are pretty stout. That was a c-channel type one too so you're fully boxed one is probably alot stronger.

 

eek. i wouldnt touch that winch without putting alot more strength under there, my .02 though

 

^I agree on a side pull you will end up bending that bracket right off your truck... Nice design though But I would have used square tubing, like the same stuff they make the hitches out of. Last thing you want is to be stuck or on the point of roll over and have to winch only to find out it bends and breaks off...Not to bash your work

 

I built mine using Warns Hidden mount as a template and I have a 12k Warn mounted on it. I was framed out and still managed to bend the 1/4" gusseted plate mounting brackets. I wouldnt even try pulling a large ATV out with that. I give you a A effort...

 

FYI, this stuff is thicker than the square tubing my factory hitch is made of. The fact that its fully boxed and welded all the way around and the cross beams are offset coupled with the relatively short length should make it pretty stout. We'll see.

 

ive seen what street signs look like when they bend or get hit with something.

id go test it now before i go anywhere expecting it to get me through

 

Absolutely!

 

Looks nice man! But I'd add some bracing on the center tube that the receiver goes into, it looks like it's just gonna pull straight out.

 

I did a little test on my property this evening. The pictures really don't do it justice. The hill is pretty steep - steep enough to not make it in 2WD and get stuck in 4WD if not careful. I got it stuck in 2WD first, then left the truck in park just to make it more difficult.

The mount held without a so much as a creak. I don't do any serious off roading. I just get stuck in mud sometimes pulling my motorcycle trailer out to my riding spots, or just playing around. I'm confident it will work fine for my needs. I did expect to at least hear a little groaning though.

 

I still would use different metal but its your truck but that still doesn't look very strong with all the holes in it... I have a feeling that as soon as you get stuck your gonna end up ripping that bracket off your truck and doing some real damage. Solid would be a lot stronger...

 

If you are set on using that type of steel I would add the following.

Sorry for the quality of the added on pieces as I used paint. I think you get the idea though. Basically add steel onto both sides going up and down....weld it all together, then add some 90 degree metal pieces that will keep the square tubing from bending side to side, up and down.







I would say after doing all this, it it fails it's because the walls of the first square tubing is to small or because the welds failed.

Nice work and way to fab up something on your own.

Good luck with it.

 

Sweet man, glad your test run worked out for you. Awesome pics of the test run, too. We all love pics here, so judos for posting them.