Southern Style OffRoad’s slimline hybrid bumpers are our unique creation of low-profile winch bumpers for 4Runner, Tacoma and Tundra. Lightweight and stout, this is not your average bumper. Our slimline hybrid is only partial, so you can keep the factory look of your truck. Dec 09, 2016 In this video we install an Undercover Hidden Winch Mount and a Smittybilt X2O 10,000lb winch.
As I posted elsewhere, I installed the 589 Fab hidden winch bumper on my Colorado after it set at my house for over a year. Part of the delay was my personal issues and part of it was directly related to the product itself.
Hidden Winch Mount
Although I will mention some areas for improvement for 589 Fab, I'm still pretty much satisfied with the end result. I generally like the stock looks of my truck and appreciate that I can maintain that. In the past when I've had winches installed on trucks, I find that –at least my area-- they cause a big hit to the trade-in value so its something I will take off when I'm ready to get rid of the truck. Given the soft front end on trucks these days, returning to stock appearance is not easily done with full bumpers. This install requires no cutting of the truck so removed parts can be returned if I save them.Budbuilt Hidden Winch Install Video
589 Fab never posted install instructions for this product so figuring that out is left to the customer. While not that difficult if you're at all mechanically inclined, some tips up front would have save a bit of work. I'll go through this the way it should have gone instead of the way I did it. Although their website indicates this is sold out, I am going to proceed as if they would still be available.Budbuilt Hidden Winch Install Kit
- First thing to address would be the indication from their website that the mount “fits most 10k lb and under winches on the market”. One exception to that would be the SuperWinch 8500LP which was the winch I had retrieved from my previous truck. It doesn't fit because it is too tall. That winch's handle will not fit within the confines of the tight package. I contacted 589 Fab about this and got several good suggestions but they still didn't make that winch fit. They did tell me: “Winches we've run are: Warn M8000. Smittybilt 9500. Rough Country 9500.” I eventually bought the Rough Country 9500 and will be preparing to sell my SuperWinch.
- I ordered my 589 Fab Hidden Winch mount uncoated as there were (and still are) no options for that. Turns out that's a good thing for a couple of reasons. Of the 8 bolts that attach the mount to the truck, I found that 6 of the holes needed some work before they could be used. Even the two that were oval-shaped and mounted where the crash bar came off needed to be shaved to bolt up. The middle driver side flat with the adjustment slots that fasten where the recovery loops were mounted needed the edges ground down (about 3/16 inch for me). An drill bit run a few times along the edges did the trick on the holes. This may be that GM has made changes from whichever model they used for the pattern or it may just be the tolerances were too tight. In any event, it is a time consumer and not something you might think about before. Had you paid for some expensive powder coat that you now have to grind off will not result in happy. Make the test fit and adjustments first, before the winch is loaded and making it harder to handle and before you paint or finish. You will discover that you'll need to remove the two front skidplate bolts and the the two brackets that the lower bumper edge and the lower piece of grill filler that are fastened to. Side note: I see that 589 Fab's full bumper now has the smaller flat that attaches where the recovery loop bolts on.
- The hidden winch bumper is made of 3/16 and using technology, derives part of its shape and strength from a series of origami-like folds and tabs and slots. Many of the welds are along one side of the seam, which is more than enough for strength and the welds are nicely done. However that leaves the other side with a tiny little gap. Because I use my truck a lot (proportionately) on the beaches, I am concerned about rust forming in those unseen gaps eventually weakening in the hidden areas. So I searched for and found Eastwood Seam Sealer in a cartridge tube (Eastwood Seam Sealer Cartridge) to cover the gaps and seal up the spaces where the salt and sand could begin rusting. I drilled the holes to mount my state-mandated front plate now. After that, I thoroughly primed with rattle can primer then coated with rattle can black. I put a final coat of hammered metallic from Rustoleum as a final coat which comes close to matching the Z71 Chevy grille color. If you don't plan to keep it as long or use it in different circumstances, this may not matter to you.
- Actually mounting the winch in the bumper is next. With the Rough Country (and also with the SuperWinch), it was necessary to remove the controller box. With the RC, I found it best to disconnect the cables from the winch first and leave them connected to the controller box, then bolt the fairlead (roller if steel cable, hawse if synthetic) in place. Attach the winch with the four bolts plus flat washers and lock washers. I routed the cables through the rectangular hole above the winch and mounted the controller using just the front 2 bolt holes into the back 2 holes in the controller. It put the plug in a good place for me and eliminated the need to drill more holes through 3/16 steel. Make sure the electrical connections are tight because they will be near impossible to reach afterwards.
- It might be handy to have a helper at the next step but its possible to proceed without one. I'll describe what I did which was without a helper. Remove the front two skidplate bolts from under the radiator. Thread the two upper crash bar bolts through from the back, preferably hand tight or less. Using a rolling floor jack, lift the hidden bumper with the winch installed into position. You can balance it as you raise it into position. Align it with the two bolts you just installed. Once you have it firmly in place, remove one bolt and thread it in from the front. Do the same with the other one. Next, install and tighten the four bolts and nuts from the sides that originally held the recovery loops and tighten. Replace the skidplate and bolts from the bottom.
- Run the positive and negative cables to the battery. A path is pretty clear under the drivers side headlight. I fastened the positive electrically upstream of the first fuse and the negative to the negative battery post. I connected the winch controller to the control box and then ran the wire for it up between the passenger side headlight and coiled the wire and controller with velcro strap and stored it between the air cleaner inlet and the headlight. We'll see whether that works out in the long run.
- Reinstall the grill and bumper.
- If you haven't already installed the winch cable (I didn't for weight as well as hand room if needed while tightening everything up), install it now and wind it tightly onto the drum.