winch steeler prevention?

[jermy01]

just put on my warn M8000.....kinda a pricey item to just leave on the jeep to be easily removed only unbolting 4 bolt.......any one have a suggestion of how to make sure those bolts dont come off?

[jeepdawg]

The way mine mounts to my winch plate, there's no way to access all 4 without removing the winch plate. The winch plate is attached with 6 grade 8 bolts, and i just hit them with locktite and thightened them to 140lbs++. I would have tightened them more, but I've broken grade 8 bolts before. . .

Anyway, if someone really wants your winch, they'll get it. Just make them have to work like hell for it.

[aston]

just put on my warn M8000.....kinda a pricey item to just leave on the jeep to be easily removed only unbolting 4 bolt.......any one have a suggestion of how to make sure those bolts dont come off?

I have seen people weld a piece of channel over one of the bolts to the mounting plate.

A thief would have to grind off the channel to get to the winch but then again so would you

[jeepdawg]

Other ideas. . . tack weld a couple of the mounting bolts or weld a tab of steel over the mounting bolt(s).

[rick]

Park in the garage...

[sarah]

Park in the garage...

can i park mine in the garage??

[nagal]

can i park mine in the garage??

Only if you have a winch on it

[sarah]

Only if you have a winch on it

:hijack:
I am just waiting for Rick to install it onto my new Rock-It Man bumper that Chris needs to build. When that time comes around, the other ideas posted here sound great. Even if the Jeep is in the driveway, you'd definitely hear someone grinding on it or banging really hard trying to steal the winch, or anything else on it.

[D4x4Fish]

Nothing is safe.

Locks on Doors just keep out the honest person out.

The last winch I saw stolen the dirty rotten b@$^32ers torched the frame took the winch and bumper.

[jermy01]

"garages aren't for parking cars in.....they're for keeping tools and working on stuff!" quote from my dad i've heard since i was 3 yrs old.....hahah. he's a carpenter. anyways, the winch plate has all four bolts on the very top, but y not just take the plate off, then get the winch off the plate at home? thats what a theift would do. I think ill just put a tack on each of them.....dont plan on taking them off except if i got a new jeep (in a decade when i might be able to afford it.

i also noticed they use huge bolts to mount the mounts to the frame, then kinda smaller to mount the plate to the mounts, then even smaller mounting the winch to the plate. i think the ones from the winch to the plate were only grade 5 bolts.....seems kinda strange, its gotta pull your whole jeep up somthing. also noticed all the lock washers are freaking weaker than heck! i think i broke 3 of them. had to go buy new ones. The instructions could have explained what order to put everything on a little more clear, as i had to keep disassembling, then reassembling because you couldn't get certain bolts in once somthing else was on. hahah. anyways, cant wait to use it.

[NAILER341]

i put a tack on each of the 4 nuts. so the thief will have to cut the bolts, or grind off the small tacks.

[Comrade Andy]

i put a tack on each of the 4 nuts. so the thief will have to cut the bolts, or grind off the small tacks.

That's what I did on mine... still got my winch and it's been parked overnight in some dodgy places. I tacked the mounting plate to the risers then tacked the risers to the frame.

[aston]

That's what I did on mine... still got my winch and it's been parked overnight in some dodgy places. I tacked the mounting plate to the risers then tacked the risers to the frame.

before you ask dodgy: Adj. Risky, suspicious, dubious. {Informal}

[blkTJ]

I leave the nuts a bit loose and velcro a wrench to the bumper. I don't want idiot theives messing up the paint job if they've gotta work hard to remove the winch. It's a harbor freight anyway so who the heck cares. :yay:

[RUBICONN]

Check these out:

http://www.misch4x4.com/winch_lock.html

http://www.tuffyproducts.com/door/104.html

These keep people from access to the bolts... all you need to do is unlock it to get to the head of the bolt. Well worth the investment, IMO.

Michael