JPOR: Winch mount with Steering box (looking for input)

[B Nelson <cjtrailrider@xxxxxxxxx>]

After reading the sunken winch mount article on
4x4wire.com (
http://www.outdoorwire.com/4x4/jeep/tech/winch/
8274mount/ )   I decided to take a look at my Jeep for
this mod.  Sure the CJ they did the mod on was a pre
AMC Jeep with out the crossbar in the way, Yes my CJ-7
has a large cross-member in the way, but that should
be a minor problem.  SO has any one else looked in to
this?  Is there any documentation on the web?

Here’s what I’m looking at doing: Welding a
cross-member at the front of the Jeep, 1/4 C-channel.
Shorting the stock front cross-member by taking out
3-5” in the middle of it.  Moving the steering box
closer to the frame using a similar method to Sam’s
off-road unit (
http://samsoffroad.com/samsoffroadsto/Specialty.htm ).
Then bending a sheet of plate steel to start on top
of the frame, go over the steering box, bend down to
the bottom of the frame and over to the other side,
then bend back up and over the top of the frame.  Or
if the is not enough room I could stay above the
steering box with the flat plate.  The winch would sit
in this sunken off centered pocket.  The winch would
be off center a little, is this a big deal?  I have
never had a winch on any Jeep i've owned and thus I am
looking for input.  Thanks.

__         ______
F|        |    F
F|________|Box F

__              __
F|____________| F
F          Box  F

Brad

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