Savvy bumper winch mount

[TRevs]

I installed the Savvy bumper with steel hoop a few years ago, and didn't get the winch mount. Well now I think I want to get a winch (sliding around in muddy trails last month got my attention) and I don't know what hardware I'll need to mount the winch to this bumper. I went to the new savvy site and don't see the same mounting plate/fairlead mount anymore.

Do winch manufacturers offer mounting plates that match the bolt pattern on this savvy bumper? Will my stock sway bar get in the way?

 

[jjvw]

My strongest suspicion is that, since the winch bolts through both the fairlead mount and the bumper, the bolt pattern is the standard Warn pattern all fairlead mounts have.

 

[PNW_LJ]

Good luck, I’m not aware of any winch plate/fairlead mount quite like the original Savvy one.

A birdie told me that the “new” Savvy bumper coming later this year will have a redesigned winch plate. Part of that redesign is that it will be made of steel.

 

[YonderNorthwest]

Pretty sure you don't need a "winch plate" for that bumper. The plate that Savvy makes/made for that bumper was just to give you a place to mount your fairlead. I have one and would recommend it, but getting your hands on one now might prove difficult. But it's a popular bumper around here and I'm sure someone can offer you an alternative.

 

[PNW_LJ]

Pretty sure you don't need a "winch plate" for that bumper. The plate that Savvy makes/made for that bumper was just to give you a place to mount your fairlead. I have one and would recommend it, but getting your hands on one now might prove difficult. But it's a popular bumper around here and I'm sure someone can offer you an alternative.

From the pics I’ve seen, the Savvy fairlead mount incorporates a winch mount as well. Which strengthens the deck.

I don’t know whether the bumper skin alone is strong enough to withstand repeated winch pulls. Might be a good question for its designer.

 

[TRevs]

From the pics I’ve seen, the Savvy fairlead mount incorporates a winch mount as well. Which strengthens the deck.

This was my question too, whether their mounting plate was actually necessary for reinforcement or not

 

[Apparition]

This was my question too, whether their mounting plate was actually necessary for reinforcement or not

Have you reached out to Gerald to see if he happens to have any extras laying around?

 

[YonderNorthwest]

This was my question too, whether their mounting plate was actually necessary for reinforcement or not

The back edge of your savvy bumper is curved upward to give it strength to resist flexing during a hard pull. The fairlead mount is just a piece of flat aluminum on the bottom side. Maybe that extra thickness was taken into account in the design, but I doubt it. But as others have said, it wouldn't hurt to ask. I think this piece was a @mrblaine design. He may be able to weigh in.

 

[TRevs]

I haven’t; how do I contact him? I haven’t ordered anything from Savvy in 3+ years. Is he on this forum? Or go to the new Savvy site?

 

[Apparition]

I haven’t; how do I contact him? I haven’t ordered anything from Savvy in 3+ years. Is he on this forum? Or go to the new Savvy site?

gman@savvyoffroad.com

 

[mrblaine]

Pretty sure you don't need a "winch plate" for that bumper. The plate that Savvy makes/made for that bumper was just to give you a place to mount your fairlead. I have one and would recommend it, but getting your hands on one now might prove difficult. But it's a popular bumper around here and I'm sure someone can offer you an alternative.

Nope, the fairlead mount also stiffens the winch deck portion of the bumper to create a unitized platform to resist the deflection that will destroy your winch if allowed to happen. The winch mount forms the other side of the box the winch needs to operate correctly. You could however, duplicate the function with a near full side to side front to back piece of 6061 T-6 in 3/16" or 1/4" if needed.

 

[mrblaine]

From the pics I’ve seen, the Savvy fairlead mount incorporates a winch mount as well. Which strengthens the deck.

I don’t know whether the bumper skin alone is strong enough to withstand repeated winch pulls. Might be a good question for its designer.

You have it correct.

 

[TRevs]

gman@savvyoffroad.com

Gerald says they have them in stock still so that should solve my problem

 

[TRevs]

Another question for those who know before I move forward; the rearmost holes for mounting the winch onto the Savvy bumper are awfully close to the stock antisway bar. Is there enough clearance to mount a winch on this bumper and still use the stock antisway bar?

 

[TRevs]

Update:

I settled on a Warn Zeon 10-S, which arrived today from Amazon, and I quickly found that it is too wide to fit between the braces of the Savvy winch guard. I guess winches are getting wider as Jeeps get wider.

So now I’m looking for a narrower winch; the M8 appears to be 3” narrower, and I like the asymmetrical look better anyway.

 

[TRevs]

The current plan is the get the M8 with steel rope, sell the unused rope and roller fairlead, and install Wizard synthetic rope and fairlead.

I’m assuming the Wizard hawse will play nice/ be compatible with the Savvy fairlead mount.

 

[psrivats]

I’m assuming the Wizard hawse will play nice/ be compatible with the Savvy fairlead mount.

It does.

 

[06TJ35's]

I’m just trying to buy a savvy bumper.

 

[macleanflood]

The current plan is the get the M8 with steel rope, sell the unused rope and roller fairlead, and install Wizard synthetic rope and fairlead.

Exactly what I did.

Except I started with an Amazon fairlead and red rope that went pink right away... affectionately call it the Barbie Jeep rope.

Then I cooked three M8 motors. We do a lot of snow wheeling. And a lot of trash pickups. So I'm only winch a lot.

Upgraded to the 9.5xp. Learned to use as much rope as possible to get to the last spools on the drum. Use lots of recovery rings to multiply force. Don't side load the winch.

Upgraded to a Wizard Recovery Gear rope, safety thimble and fairlead.

Lots of good videos of me learning the hardest way possible... here's a series...M8 motor cooked the last time and I ended up digging myself out three or four times. And I was wheeling alone.

-Mac

 

[mrblaine]

Update:

I settled on a Warn Zeon 10-S, which arrived today from Amazon, and I quickly found that it is too wide to fit between the braces of the Savvy winch guard. I guess winches are getting wider as Jeeps get wider.

So now I’m looking for a narrower winch; the M8 appears to be 3” narrower, and I like the asymmetrical look better anyway.