but that mount is beefy the stock one is like 1/8 inch steel thats almost 1/4 or 3/16

 

here is my old one. i plated the bumper and tied everything into the tow hook mounts.

 

Sorry about that , It was a long day and I read it wrong.

 

I have a 1990 Pioneer XJ with a optional factory thru the front bumper winch. Non roller fairlead. Dealer installed option that was offered in the early 80's in the factory aftermarket catalog (I remember because I debated whether to order one when I ordered up a new 1985 Cherokee Pioneer....a sweet metalflake brown one with a I-4 gas and 5spd man.). That 4 cyl was a DOG....but it got me everywhere. My 1990 is much better, particularly the auto trans and I-6. I digress....
Fact is....I had a 2in. receiver hitch installed on the front end to accommodate my Snow-Sport plow and also to use as a hitch point for recovery tackle block. Seems like there is plenty of good structural steel in the front of a XJ. Mine contains a winch which will lift the front end off the ground and easily pulls it thru bottom out mud...as well as is a solid snow plow mount.
Question remains: what happened to all those factory option thru the bumper winch kits and why haven't I seen them on any XJ but mine?

 

got any pics of that factory option?

 

i found the owners manual to 88 when i first bought it and was looking through it and saw a picture of what i think he is talking about. i will go get it when the sun comes up and take a picture of it. but from the looks of it. it moved the stock bumper forward and placed the winch in the bumper or something like that slit a hole in the bumper and ran the wire through the bumper. i'm going to do some research online right now if i find anything i'll let u know if not i'll just hunt the owners manual down.

 

just buy a front mount hitch reciever then winch away.

 

well i tracked threw the snow today. to get my owners manual. look under your back seat thats were i found mine. and my 87's owner manual and the dealer sticker that saids all the options it came with. (they r both 2-doors. so u might not find anything in your 4-door) but back to the situation at hand i took a pick of all the accessories they came with. well what my owners manual saids.

 

Yep.....that "Hidden Winch" is the one I have. Thanks for walking thru the snow to find the manual.....my 1990 manual does not have that photo.

If you look at my montanan picture album....the only photo I have there is the one that shows my XJ from the quarter front. You'll see the receiver hitch below the Hidden Winch.

BTW....I spoke to the mechanic who did the dealer install on mine (back 20 years ago) and he remembers doing the ordering of the device as well as the install. It does require the repositioning of the front plate....no big deal.

Is it a 8500# winch?

Good thread....thanks for the discussion! BTW....55f and sunny in my MT today! :>)

 

Hey rdeskater is that an ATV, winch it looks tiny.

 

haha yea no problem. i thought it was crazy when i found the owners manual in the first place and then seeing those picks. i wish mine had some of that stuff.

 

id say the front hitch from a jy and a hitch receiver for a winch would do this.

 

overhere we attach the winches to the sub frame and go through the bar/bumper, so the after market bumper is more for rock protection and to phisialy give space to the winch, not to support it.

 

it's a 4500lb winch. I know its kinda light but it was cheap as dirt with a 2 yr replacement for any reason. when combined with the 20,000lb ****** block and using a double line pull it'll handle 9000lbs. its pulled me out of knee deep snow several times with no problems. the motor doesnt even heat up at all after a couple mins of pulling. it'll lift the front end off the ground on single line so its enough for me for now. go ahead and tell me I should go heavier I know, but my wallet is pretty light and this works just fine for what I need it for.

 

ooohhh... the hidden winch...