[One Eyed Mack]

Has anyone installed a winch yet. If so, would you be willing to share some pictures. The expected ship date for my Rubicon is 4/26 and I plan to install a winch as the first accessory.

Thanks,

 

[silent crawler]

12k badlands winch with rival stubby bumper

 

[One Eyed Mack]

Could you show the connection at the battery?

Thanks

 

[Jeepster]

Does anyone know what I need to install the Jeep Winch on a 4xe Rubicon with the factory steel bumper?
I assume I need...
JPP Rubicon Warn winch (P5160095AC | $1,595):
JPP winch mounting kit (82215182AC | $450):
JPP grille and winch guard hoop (82215351 | $249):

Any idea how hard it is (I've watched some Youtube videos)??

Thanks

 

[Jeepster]

Also interesting that all the web sites say that winch won't fit the 4xe.

 

[Kirk]

Could you show the connection at the battery?

Thanks

I installed a Warn VR Evo 10s winch on a Rugged Ridge Arcus bumper no problems. You connect the winch to the standard 12v battery in the engine bay just like you would previous versions of Jeep. I did have to go to the hardware store to buy some serrated flanged nuts for the battery terminal studs because apparently no versions of the 2.0 liter engine (including the 4xe come with them)

 

[Shakes]

I installed a Warn VR Evo 10s winch on a Rugged Ridge Arcus bumper no problems. You connect the winch to the standard 12v battery in the engine bay just like you would previous versions of Jeep. I did have to go to the hardware store to buy some serrated flanged nuts for the battery terminal studs because apparently no versions of the 2.0 liter engine (including the 4xe come with them)

I just looked at that yesterday… I’m like, they couldn’t put nuts on the studs??? Jeez. Also, those are ground points next to the battery correct? On the wall next to the battery.

 

[Kirk]

Yeah those are ground points next to the battery for smaller accessories, but for something that pulls as much current as the winch I'd go directly to both battery terminals.

 

[Shakes]

Yep. Absolutely. Thanks.

 

[Weatherman]

Bump. I have my Rubicon apart in my driveway trying to do a Warn winch plate install. I'm not convinced that everything is lining up. I feel like there are extra bolts welded to the skid plate bracket and/or the sway bar disconnect is too far forward. Anyone have experience with this?

 

[Avocado]

I have ordered the Warn winch plate and a Gen 3 x20 smittybilt winch, it should arrive any day now.

I’ll try take pictures as I install.

If any of you have photos or words of wisdom please do share.

With regards to the miss alignment, from what I’ve read this might not be unique to the 4xe (hard to say with out knowing how far out of alignment an issue you are dealing with), others have said to install everything loose and then tighten up at the end to pull everything together without fighting the alignment issues.

 

[Weatherman]

Dusk update. The winch plate is in via 4 bolts and a bunch of zip ties per instructions. Spacer plate and winch are bolted to the winch plate. Works suspended due to dark. We resume tomorrow and start on the electrical. I haven't yet figured out where I am going to run everything. That's a problem for daylight.

Today's lessons:

• Buy more zip ties. The ones they give are not enough to hold everything together and hold the winch. I already had a bag of them on hand.
• The skid plate bracket likely has a couple of nuts welded onto it. You might just be able to make everything work with those nuts, but cutting off the lower nut with a angle grinder makes life much easier.

 

[Gazelle]

I installed a Badlands winch onto a Warn plate a couple months ago. Added 1/4" spacer to lift the winch up, slightly, to allow the freespool lever to clear the bumper.

• I totally agree with having extra zip ties handy. The two Warn supplied were insufficient.
• I struggled getting the bumper studs to align to the brackets. Although not explicitly mentioned in the instructions, I found loosening all the bumper mounting brackets allowed enough play to get the bumper aligned and back in place. Having an assistant would have really helped with that step, but it can be done alone.
• Cable routing to the battery was easy. Tape the cables to a wire hanger to thread them in your desired path.