I still have the Warn 3.0 winch I had on my Rincon minus the contactor. I ran only the handlebar switch, on the Honda so I still have the remotes harness and remote.

I'm looking at installing the 3.0 in the back of my truck to load the ATV in the back. I also have a High Rise Topper cap, so just riding it on isn't an option.

I ordered a new contactor from Montana Jack's yesterday, and seen I also have 2 short lengths of 6-awg wire. I found a place on Ebay where I can get longer lengths of the 6-awg wire without getting raped. Plan is to put a quick disconnect and removable winch mount (need to fabricate) in the front of the bed. Something that won't interfere with a slide in I plan on getting maybe for next year.

I'll mount the contactor to the frame somewhere under the truck, then run the remote harness to the rear of the bed, where I can plug the remote in/out when needed. I have 3 free upfitter switches, and will use 1 to apply power at the flip of a switch, also I now have the Battery Charge protection hooked up, so I can run the truck keeping the battery charging while loading/unloading the ATV.

Those ramps I've been eyeing up at Tractor Supply, finally found there way into my cart. In the end when all hooked up, I'll have a safe way to get the ATV, a garden tractor, etc... on/off of my truck.

When you get a slide in camper, will you have to take it out?

Not if I can fabricate a quick connect mount where it wouldn't interrupt with the front of camper.

Don't they all have rubber bumpers on the front???

Kenny, back in 2000 I had mounted a 8000 lb. winch in the bed of my truck for moose hunting up in Maine. I had learned from a previous moose hunt that a winch on front may get the animal to the road, but it is useless getting in in the truck.

I had made a couple of "L" shaped brackets with nuts welded on. These brackets were bolted to the truck frame and came up to the underside of the bed. The winch was mounted on a steel plate that spanned the inside of the bed. This plate had 4 holes that lined up with the nuts on the frame bracket. I just set the winch assembly in place, lined up the holes and secured with 4 bolts. Since this was just a tempory setup, I didn't get too fancy with the wiring. I just extended the winch wires and added some heavy duty clamps to clamp on the battery.

I did raise the winch about 2" off the plate just in case it rained and water collected in the truck bed.

One other area you may want to look at is how the winch cable contacts the tailgate when the atv is still on the ground. Until the atv starts coming up the ramp it will probably rub.

Getting my winch setup like this was a lot of work for just 1 week, but pulling a moose by pushing a button is a whole lot easier than using a come-a-long for several hours.

A setup like that & a pair of gin poles would be sweet for getting a Moose or Elk in the back.

The DOW officers out here have a winch mounted on their headache rack.

To get away from any tailgate rubbing, I was thinking on backing the ATV onto the ramps. Then go and hook the winch to it. Time will tell if I need to get a roller for the gate or not. Contactor is due next Monday from the Pony Express.

I would shorten the winch cable as well for more power and faster pulls.

Kenny~
I saw this topic "Winch in the truck bed" and I thought that old Billy Boy Clinton had posted a story about one his escapades on the astro turf in the bed of his old pickup,....

Had a heck of a time finding 6 gauge wire at a reasonable price. I was able to get it off of Ebay. Manufactured in the USA, being sold by a Canadian Supplier, selling it with included FREE Shipping, cheaper then what the local suppliers wanted with me picking it up.

The wire is Marine Grade and tinned, better then what the locals had, yet wanted almost twice as much per foot.

Got the most of it done today, shooting for final hook-up tomorrow with a test run.

quote:

Originally posted by Maine Sportsman:
...I had mounted a 8000 lb. winch in the bed of my truck for moose hunting up in Maine...

8K winch for a moose!!! Those are some mighty big moose in Maine.

Happy to say it works great! I am a happy camper. The CanAm fits with plenty of room for the rear box to fit on end. The front bumper is right on with the front top edge of the bed where the cap is. No need for a support to keep it from coming through the back window.







Also happy to say the arched ramps from Tractor Supply are plenty strong enough. I marked my tail gate where the ramps need to be. Also pulled the ATV up on them, and was enough to gain the clearance needed to avoid rubbing the gate with the winch cable.

Rather then run another wire to the upfitter switches, I tied in with the tail lights (wires right there for the Topper). So all I need to do to run the winch is have the tail lights on. Will have the truck idling in the Battery Charge protection mode with 1 upfitter switch on.

Having the remote with the winch I am safe out of the way, "except" when it's time to get the handlebars under the edge. Then I hop up and crouch on the left floorboard area, which squats the front just enough to clear the toppers edge with the bars.

quote:

Originally posted by gregfuller:

quote:

Originally posted by Maine Sportsman:
...I had mounted a 8000 lb. winch in the bed of my truck for moose hunting up in Maine...

8K winch for a moose!!! Those are some mighty big moose in Maine.

All our moose look huge when they show up suddenly in you headlights at night.

Actually I got a good deal on an off brand winch. For the limited use I was going to give it, I couldn't justify the money for a Warn or Ramsey winch.