Empowerment Part One: Warn Winch Rebuild

Even with the accessory kit, there were a few other Warn items needed to round out our self-recovery arsenal. This shackle bracket fits a Class III hitch and includes the shackle. You’ll need to order the pin separately. There’s a factory hitch receiver on the back of the 4Runner; this is the perfect matchup.

If you’re anchoring to something sharp or abrasive that might damage a tree trunk protector strap you should use a choker chain instead. The choker chain can also be used to link vehicles together to form a super-strong winching anchor point. Since the chain has zero elasticity you shouldn’t use it for a recovery strap. Each accessory has a definite purpose.

The prerunner-style bumper on the 4Runner was custom-built by Desolate Motorsports in Whittier, California. It bolts to stock mounts and the style goes hand-in-glove with the rest of the ‘Runner. The approach angle is ideal, too. The new bumper will be inspired by this one.

The stock bumper mounting points are perfectly fine for holding a general-purpose bumper, but not exactly confidence-inspiring when it comes to withstanding a hard winch pull. The front plates are fairly thin, and the side bolts (hidden behind the shock reservoir) anchor to a vulnerable part of the frame.

Not only are the front bumper plates thin, they’re stitch welded instead of continuously welded to the frame. Again, not exactly confidence-inspiring.

Part of the process is to stand back and brainstorm.

The frame features a cradle that runs underneath the radiator and air conditioning condenser. Tying the cradle to the A-arm crossmember will add a lot of strength.

The parts are cut, cleaned, and ready for welding.

The angled tube end caps create a finished look but don’t do much else. After the end caps were welded on, the next steps were to weld the stubby tube in place and tack weld it to the frame plate.

The fit was then checked on the vehicle. Paint will be removed prior to welding on the frame.

Satisfied with the fit, the next move was to weld the plate to the tube. Welding the flat plate to the A-arm crossmember is simple compared to trying to weld the whole assembly on the vehicle. Planning ahead and doing things in order makes life easier.

Here’s the basic shape of the main bumper structure and the winch mounting system.