Technical > Installation Guide
Rubicon Giveaway: Winch and Bumpers Install
Bump and Grind
by Steve Temple
Installing a Winch and Bumpers on the 2005 Jeep Unlimited Rubicon Giveaway Vehicle
Even though factory bumpers have to pass a five-mph crash test, they can still look wimpy. So bolting on a more massive Road Armor unit not only enhances the rugged looks of a Jeep Rubicon, but also gives it some extra protection if you bash into any boulders. And there’s another reason for installing a stout structure on the front: mounting the winch. While you might not try to haul yourself up a tree, it’s still good to have an extra-strong anchor for a Mile Marker winch.
The differences in size and material between the stock bumper and the Road Armor unit are obvious. Which would you rather have on your Jeep Rubicon?
Another advantage of installing a Road Armor bumper is the larger spare-tire mount. As noted in our previous article on this sweepstakes Jeep Rubicon, the bigger tires that go with a lifted suspension won’t fit on the factory mount.
For those not familiar with the Road Armor line, these bumpers are designed using Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) and structurally analyzed using sophisticated Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software. The FEA software simulates how the design will react as stress is applied to specific points, such as winch loads under extreme conditions.
The Road Armor Vehicle Mounting System (VMS) is one of the most critical elements of the design. The VMS supports the extreme loads of self-recovery winching operations, without intruding on the vehicle’s crumple zone. Road Armor claims its replacement front winch bumpers are the only airbag-compatible products made in the U.S.A.
Once the design has been finalized, the sheet steel components are laser-cut and then formed by a 750-ton CNC press brake into the desired shape. Each component that makes up a Road Armor bumper has interlocking sections that ensure it’s precisely assembled prior to finishing. All exterior seams are then smoothed and polished, and the bumper undergoes phosphate surface etching and pre-heating to 400 degrees. After that, the unit is polyester powder-coated and baked at 400 degrees to form a hard layer that protects the bumper from rust.
All Road Armor replacement front and rear bumpers have a 3/16-inch-thick solid outer shell backed up by a heavily reinforced quarter-inch-thick internal structural subframe. Road Armor bumpers are built from the highest-grade ASTM A36 descaled and oiled sheet steel, engineered with a minimum yield of 36,000 psi. As noted at the outset, these Road Armor bumpers are made of some tough stuff.
The Mile Marker winch fitted on the front bumper is equally strong, intended for heavy-duty off-road applications. During the course of its 20-year history, Mile Marker has designed and manufactured a range of off-road products such as locking hubs, hub conversion kits, air compressors, and electrical and hydraulic winch systems.
The choice between hydraulic and electric winches comes down to the types of off-road adventures and challenges you anticipate facing. Electric winches are designed to run well for a short time with the vehicle’s engine turned off. So if you tip your 4x4 over on a regular basis and do so while exploring solo, stick with the electrical system for its convenience.
Hydraulics, on the other hand, can run continuously without draining the battery or overheating the winch, but the host vehicle’s engine has to be operating. While hydraulics often exceed the power of an electric winch at full load, they’re normally slower at mid- to low-effort pulls.
The electrical winch shown here is model SE 9500, a 3kw (4.6 horse) unit that features a planetary gear system, an automatic load-holding brake, free spooling, and low electric-current draw. The rated line pull of the 100-foot, 3/8-inch cable is 9500 pounds.
Installing the bumper and the winch are bolt-on operations, but the heft of the Road Armor might require an extra pair of hands. Figure on less than a day to handle the whole operation.
Buy Mile Marker Winches from www.4wheelparts.com.
Special Thanks To:
Jeep
ProComp Tires
ProComp Suspension
K&N Engineering
Mile Marker Winches
Road Armor
4 Wheel Parts Performance Center
2500-B Marine Ave.
Redondo Beach, CA
310-973-6115
Be sure to completely read supplied manufacturer’s instructions prior to installing this product kit.
1. The number of components of the bumper and winch is relatively low, so the installation goes fairly quickly. |
2. Start by unbolting and removing the factory bumper. |
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3. The Road Armor unit fits right on the factory mounts. One person can probably handle the front without any help, but the rear unit is more involved. |
4. Road Armor’s Vehicle Mounting System (VMS) is one of the most critical elements of the design, so make sure the mounting bolts are torqued down tight. |
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5. Before installing the winch, bolt on the solenoid bracket. |
6. Next, secure the solenoid to the winch motor and attach the plastic tie-down strap as well. |
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7. Attach the color-coded wires to their respective nut connectors and cover them with the rubber boots. |
8. The winch assembly fits into the Road Armor bumper’s mounting holes. |
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9. Bolt on the roller fairlead. |
10. Both the power (red) and ground (black) wires connect directly to the battery posts, so you can operate this electric winch without the engine running. |
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11. The remote control plugs into the side of the solenoid. |
12. The rear bumper includes a spare-tire mount that can accommodate a larger-than-stock tire. |
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13. The factory rear bumper has more bolts and components than the front one, so removal takes more time and effort. |
14. We also had to disconnect the upper brake-light wiring temporarily. |
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15. Remove the bracket for the tire mount off the rear door as well. |
16. The rear bumper requires alignment and fitting on each side, so some extra help makes things go faster. |