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I have a 22' F350 SRW with the 6.2 gas and I am trying to find out information on if I can buy the "Factory Hidden Warn Winch" kit and install this on my truck. I really like the slick look and I think it complements a front push bar while allowing me to keep my factory chrome bumper. Talking with Ford, the dealer says the kit won't fit but they cite an alternator issue; meaning my truck can not produce enough electricity. I ordered this truck and I have the oversized alternator with dual batteries, along with the camper/snow plow package. I researched the amps for a winch and my truck creates plenty from a Warn winch perspective. I'm trying to figure out if the mounting of the winch behind the bumper will fit so that I can achieve the slick look of the 7.3 and 6.7 trucks with the winch from factory. Does anyone have any advice?
Ford forces the 7.3 when you add the winch on the build site. Folks have been putting winch’s on trucks for years. I’d think Ford kit will work just fine With the 6.2. The wiring might not be as plug and play as the 7.3. But rest of truck should be the same.
Ford forces the 7.3 when you add the winch on the build site. Folks have been putting winch’s on trucks for years. I’d think Ford kit will work just fine With the 6.2. The wiring might not be as plug and play as the 7.3. But rest of truck should be the same.
Thats what I was thinking, but I wonder if the front end of the truck would be different enough to inhibit the winch mounting plate from mounting correctly? With the 7.3 or 6.7 engine on the truck, I wasn't for sure if this would cause a rearrangement of cross members or frame holes that the winch mounting plate might need to be secured to the truck. I suppose you could modify or fab a mounting plate, but I'm trying to do this in a simple fashion
Thats what I was thinking, but I wonder if the front end of the truck would be different enough to inhibit the winch mounting plate from mounting correctly? With the 7.3 or 6.7 engine on the truck, I wasn't for sure if this would cause a rearrangement of cross members or frame holes that the winch mounting plate might need to be secured to the truck. I suppose you could modify or fab a mounting plate, but I'm trying to do this in a simple fashion
you could just park your truck near a truck with a 7.3 , and see what would be different. It could just be a Ford engineer thinks the electrical out put is higher on the other engines . My tremor doesn’t have 2 batteries, the winch was not available when my truck was ordered. At the time it was said the winch could be added at a later date. I haven’t tried to add the winch yet, largely because I my very well get a new truck in a year or so. And I really haven’t had a need for a winch in a couple of years.
you could just park your truck near a truck with a 7.3 , and see what would be different. It could just be a Ford engineer thinks the electrical out put is higher on the other engines . My tremor doesn’t have 2 batteries, the winch was not available when my truck was ordered. At the time it was said the winch could be added at a later date. I haven’t tried to add the winch yet, largely because I my very well get a new truck in a year or so. And I really haven’t had a need for a winch in a couple of years.
That's a good idea to park side by side and compare the trucks, the issue is finding someone or a dealer with a 2022 7.3 willing to let me compare. I'm leaning more and more towards you with the issue being the electrical output because you can't even order the the highest output alternator on a 6.2. The factory winch is supposed to be able to run continuously without killing the truck battery. This is not how winching works and sounds like a corporate "cover my tail" scenario. So they require the heaviest duty alternator to eliminate any electrical strain on the truck and encourage sells of the more expensive engines.
Having had 6 or 7 winches on off road rigs during my time, I wanted the integrated look to keep my SD in the "Sleeper" category.
The only 'hidden' winch that fit my 2020 XLT 7.3L was the factory Warn/Ford winch. It's been on for about a year. When I ordered it they said i needed the 397 Amp, dual alternator system and dual batteries.
I checked both boxes. The dealer installed the winch which had a lot of very heavy duty, odd shaped custom fabbed brackets to hold it in place. The engineering was obviously well thought out, right down to the relocation of the licence plate frame (at extra cost).
The specs on the winch were hard to find but I did glean some info. This thing is heavier than it looks, mostly to do with the bigger motor and myriad 1/4 inch brackets.
It is not the 12K winch Warn used as a starting place. It's a whole redo of the components to fit the space available. First, the motor is slim but longer and stronger with more amps needed for operation.
The drum is a whole new design just for the SD application. There is weight savings using synthetic rope and a oval fairlead. It can also be operated wirelessly or by tether cord/controller operation.
Good luck on just comparing to another one as there is no there there, as the bumper must be completely removed and all the new brackets must be installed.
Go the the Ford website to see an exploded view of the winch.
It depends on what you are after: looks to serviceability. In my hard core days, I liked the armoured front end. But after driving the Dodge below with a mezzo-mezzo beefed up winch carrier for 20 years and only using it to pull other people out of a jam, I'm going for the sleek-sleeper look. It is still as capable as the aftermarket bumper/winch combos. It's all a compromise.
The main thing is the OP wants a hidden winch. This winch carrier is a Warn product with a 15K Warn winch. After hitting a bull elk at night coming across hwy 50 through Nevada, I added schedule 40 tubing and a radiator saver to beef it up. The winch and carrier are pretty heavy. The winch, carrier, and bumper add ons are easily 250 pounds of dead weight sitting on your front end.
Great PDF showing the installation and parts. I need to look this over more and visit with my dealer or a mechanic to see what they think. One of the other reasons I wanted the factory winch was to put a grill guard on the front end, probably a Ranch Hand. I wouldn't think a grill guard will interfere with the winch? The other option is to go with a Ranch Hand after market bumper that has a winch mounting plate built in and do the beefy look similar to your Dodge. Like you said, the beefy look adds a couple hundred pounds to the front end, which I am unsure if this additional weight would be another problem within itself.
KY,
The Ranch Hand is one of the heaviest of the bunch. Do look up the advertised weight of any winch bumper you find attractive.
The decision is yours.
jefe
A wider photo of the Ford-Warn hidden winch mount with peripherals:
Without the blue flag, you'd be hard pressed to know there is a well designed winch behind the stock bumper.
I think the people who wanted a hidden winch have taken care of business or moved on to other pressing issues.
A wider photo of the Ford-Warn hidden winch mount with peripherals:
Without the blue flag, you'd be hard pressed to know there is a well designed winch behind the stock bumper.
I think the people who wanted a hidden winch have taken care of business or moved on to other pressing issues.
yeah, yours is what year? Looks like a 2020+, which I seem to be able to find stuff for. I was thinking about trying to rough country setup to see if it would indeed fit on my 2019.
