Rough Country Hidden Winch Mount

[HelmPilot]

Time for a winch install. I am ordering the hidden winch mount for my 23 gas. I am still on the fence about the winch to order. I have spent hours this week trying to decide. I have looked at Sherpa, Comeup, Warn, RC, Badlands Apex, and many others. Ugh.
Is the Warn EVO that much better than the Rough Country? We know the RC is just a branded Chinese version from the same plant where all of the other knock offs are made.
It is a shame that the higher dollar (RC and Warn) don't come with a wireless remote.
I am going with a synthetic rope instead of wire. I have had wire.
I am open to comments and opinions for a winch that fits. I will not be doing a lot of way off road recovery so I don't need a $3000 Warn. This will be for self recovery, boat ram pulls, moving downed trees, and shrubbery pulls.
What do you say?

I believe that Levittown Ford internet sales has a few more Ford OEM winch kits (PN : M-1821-SD w/warn Winch) that have the remote control. Check them out and verify the remote is in it. Right at $2k including shipping.

 

[trmrzla]

I went with the 13k RC. No regrets.

 

[4wheels and a hitch]

I went with the 13k RC. No regrets.

How many times have you used it?

 

[MattR]

How many times have you used it?

I think that the RC is fine for occasional use. I did the Badlands, and it was a pain to install. Tons of modifications to the winch and a few for the mount. I have used it quite a bit, and love the wireless remote control enough that I added it to my SxS winch as well.

The Warn winches are probably better, but they fail all the time as well. I’m not sure if they fail at a decreased rate comparable with the price difference.

I love the synthetic rope though. It is a game changer for winches.

 

[trmrzla]

How many times have you used it?

Enough that I have no regrets!

 

[Wirelessguy]

I did the Badlands with synthetic rope and the hidden winch mount sold by one of the forum members.

I did need to make a bunch of modifications but it works great, we are off road just about every weekend and use the winch at least once a month. No issues yet.

 

[lwgrubbs]

Honestly, I don't think any modern winch is that much different from others these days. Warn used to be king 20+ years ago, not anymore. They all can fail, they all can excel. Tons and tons of reviews out on YouTube for winches. I've had everything from the Superwinch Husky, to the Warns and a few in between, lots of winching experience as well. The most important thing is that you know how to properly use your winch when you need it. Technically the hidden winch install on the Ford isn't ideal as you can't see the drum at all, however it is what it is unless you want a big bulky bumper on the front of the truck. I'll ultimately just go with the RC setup with synthetic line and call it a day. Also I personally don't like wireless controllers, sometimes a 1/2 second is the difference between success and a major catastrophe and wireless can have delays, fail, etc.

 

[4wheels and a hitch]

Short report. I ordered a Smitty Built H2O series (10,000 lb) winch. It is here. I also ordered the RC hidden mount kit. It arrived but was missing parts. I called them and the parts are being shipped. Now I have to see what my schedule will allow for an install day. The shut down has my travel plans all screwed up.

 

[nacanitihs]

This thread has a lot of great info! Thank you all.

My truck originally came with the Warn winch but either the 1st owner or a stealership mechanic removed it before I bought it.

So from this thread it seems the 20-22 RC bracket and the new 13000lb Pro winch should work on the 23 with some minor tweaking. I'm not paying $3k+ for another factory one.

I have a very technical question here. What are you guys doing about the front license plate mount? haha I know the factory plastic mount is easily removable as it essentially just clips onto the front bumper. Is this still the case with the winch in place?

 

[Oscar_iuec18]

This thread has a lot of great info! Thank you all.

My truck originally came with the Warn winch but either the 1st owner or a stealership mechanic removed it before I bought it.

So from this thread it seems the 20-22 RC bracket and the new 13000lb Pro winch should work on the 23 with some minor tweaking. I'm not paying $3k+ for another factory one.

I have a very technical question here. What are you guys doing about the front license plate mount? haha I know the factory plastic mount is easily removable as it essentially just clips onto the front bumper. Is this still the case with the winch in place?

I got rid of my front license plate.... here in California is required but who cares there is worst shit going on in this state, if I get a ticket, oh well! .... im not suggesting for you to do the same, what im saying is i dont think there is another way to make it work with a front plate, maybe there is a foldable bracket, that folds down when is time to use the winch who knows...

 

[RS90]

This thread has a lot of great info! Thank you all.

My truck originally came with the Warn winch but either the 1st owner or a stealership mechanic removed it before I bought it.

So from this thread it seems the 20-22 RC bracket and the new 13000lb Pro winch should work on the 23 with some minor tweaking. I'm not paying $3k+ for another factory one.

I have a very technical question here. What are you guys doing about the front license plate mount? haha I know the factory plastic mount is easily removable as it essentially just clips onto the front bumper. Is this still the case with the winch in place?

Here's the OEM bracket for use with the Factory winch. No reason it shouldn't work with the RC mount as well. It's just a plastic bracket that clips to the same spots as the original plate holder just sit below the bumper opening where the fairlead will sit.

PC3Z-17A385-BB

Ford License Plate Relocation Bracket For Front Bumper

Buy Ford License Plate Relocation Bracket For Front Bumper - PN: PC3Z-17A385-BB. Shop affordable parts & accessories & save up to $17.91. Fitment, price & details available.

www.levittownfordparts.com

 

[Whambo]

I've read a significant amount of this huge thread but I don't see anyone who has used the RC hidden winch mount with an Apex Badlands. Can someone link me to a post that I might have missed?

 

[Whambo]

With your suggested modification to the handle, do you think the other modifications you did are no longer necessary? @MattR

 

[nacanitihs]

I got rid of my front license plate.... here in California is required but who cares there is worst shit going on in this state, if I get a ticket, oh well! .... im not suggesting for you to do the same, what im saying is i dont think there is another way to make it work with a front plate, maybe there is a foldable bracket, that folds down when is time to use the winch who knows...

Ya that thought crossed my mind. In NH it is only a fine ($150) and not a moving violation. If you do get caught you have to put one on, get an officer to sign a correction form, and pay the correction fee ($25) before paying the initial ticket or you get a conviction on your record. It's honestly not worth the hassle to me, even though it does look better without it. All New England states require the front plate.

Here's the OEM bracket for use with the Factory winch. No reason it shouldn't work with the RC mount as well. It's just a plastic bracket that clips to the same spots as the original plate holder just sit below the bumper opening where the fairlead will sit.

PC3Z-17A385-BB

Ford License Plate Relocation Bracket For Front Bumper

Buy Ford License Plate Relocation Bracket For Front Bumper - PN: PC3Z-17A385-BB. Shop affordable parts & accessories & save up to $17.91. Fitment, price & details available.

www.levittownfordparts.com

Thank you! I had found one for the 20-22 but not for the 23+ models.

 

[yossarian]

Hey all,

Awesome thread. I have been on the fence here for months but rdy to pull the trigger. I have a 25 Tremor 6.7, but it looks like the bracket will be fine for that.

Did anyone end up installing the Sherpa 12k Colt? I saw someone installed the 17K with some mods, but curious if the 12k is easier due to being smaller. If I can I would prefer to use that over the RC 12k

Thanks

(Hopefully there are some sales tomorrow)

 

[04sshd]

Hey all,

Awesome thread. I have been on the fence here for months but rdy to pull the trigger. I have a 25 Tremor 6.7, but it looks like the bracket will be fine for that.

Did anyone end up installing the Sherpa 12k Colt? I saw someone installed the 17K with some mods, but curious if the 12k is easier due to being smaller. If I can I would prefer to use that over the RC 12k

Thanks

(Hopefully there are some sales tomorrow)

One of our customers installed a Sherpa winch on our brackets. Https://gormantechservices.com

We have a blackfriday sale as well "BLACKFRIDAY15"

 

[yossarian]

Thanks. I think I am trying to avoid welding if possible and I believe with yours I would need to move the AAC?

 

[04sshd]

Thanks. I think I am trying to avoid welding if possible and I believe with yours I would need to move the AAC?

We have welding and powder coating services available now. And yes ACC would need to be relocated.

 

[yossarian]

don’t get me wrong, I love the mount, but with the AAC move it’s 3x the cost if you weld and powder coat + the move.

Do you know why your requires the AAC to be moved but the RC plate doesn’t?

 

[04sshd]

don’t get me wrong, I love the mount, but with the AAC move it’s 3x the cost if you weld and powder coat + the move.

Do you know why your requires the AAC to be moved but the RC plate doesn’t?

Because we never installed it on a truck with ACC, so we never made provisions for it. Also the ACC sensors are VERY temperamental, they dont like to be moved so we leave that to the ones who want to venture down that path. I have a rough country winch kit in my shop, it is NOT well made. It might be ok for someone who occasionally uses a winch but I do not trust it knowing what I put mine through and how many brackets I bent until I decided to release one I was comfortable going to market with.