Has anyone done this? I’m trying and Warn won’t give the OK to installer and Ford was vague in their reply. It seems strange to me that it wouldn’t be able to handle a winch if it’s a) an FX4 “off road” truck and b) has a built in generator that can run many more things. Thanks for any insights!

 

I would ask the Ford Dealer parts department. They usually know what can and cannot be done, if they have competent employees though.

 

My only concern would be blocking any airflow. If you have a winch bumper designed for the truck, I don't see how it would be an issue.

 

Most likely the best way is at the trailer tow hitch with a Winch receiver mounted there. and quickly moves from the box to the Receiver for hook up. It simply fits the Receiver and with another Battery in a Box near it, or simply a Stanly Battery Jumper. And you won't stress the front frame which needs a lot of support when you intend to hang the F150 up under a bridge over night. Most likey you don't go to these places alone and have plenty of help to mount it and Tag it right.
Besides usually you pull from the back of a truck and with it there it really works well, whether you are pulling a stuck object or yourself out, back is best way usually & you can always carry a cable or log chain with you to change the direction of the Hawl of the winch ! A Maul and a strong steel stake are a pluss in the back country to add anchorage points for a good pull also.
I have a warn system on the front of my 2011. Heavy, and delivered by Semi ! Had to add overloads to the front suspension also. The rear suspension is much easier to beef up. I use the rear winch 4 to 1 over the front Winch also ! Front end winching can kill your truck day if you make a mistake.

 

I contacted warn. They have a grill guard that accepts a winch but it's "coming soon". One thing I have found is that 75 percent of the things that say they fit the 21 don't actually fit. Ive started contacting manufacturers. I had front and rear winches on my rubicon, until I pulled the front end off. I used the front winch 10 times more. It just depends what you are doing. Going uphill in snow or rock crawling, the front winch or usually best. In flatter ground or playing in mud the rear probably would be.

I worry more about the battery monitor system on the 21 than I do the grill guard blocking the sensors and camera and such though. The winch is a huge draw device. My xlt doesn't have the adaptive cruise sensor. I believe only the camera in the rear view is facing the front

 

Harbor Freight sells very strong winch carrier fits hitch receiver. A Stanley battery booster will do the job. U can charge it at trucks plug. An inverter if you need one also. My 2.7 with shutters doesn’t care about license plate but winch is much larger. Not so good most likely.

yea I got mud an snow most problematic here. If stuck most need to go back direction here.

 

No doubt. Depends on the wheeling. If your worried about recovering others rather than getting yourself back home then you can winch from either end. Ive wheeled in Tellico and seen places worse. If you can't keep going up then back down hill is scarey at best. Ive seen a lot of mountains where 3 more feet forward was all you need. Backward would be a rollover. Lol. Ideally a 2 inch hitch on both ends and a carrier would be good. Many times I've had to chain my vehicle off to pull the second vehicle too, so two receivers makes sense. And then your winch can live inside the truck in the dry until it's needed. Id want it powered by the truck though with QD wires.. ive seen long hard winch pulls. Lol. You don't see new f150 in those places though. My 21 fx4 won't go locked where my rubicon would go in 2wd with bald tires. Lol. The jeep is complete junk but it goes.

But again I'd worry more about the battery monitor on these trucks than anything else. I had a gmc with a battery isolator and a spare battery for winching. Might be necessary for the ford. Until I get my grill guard with winch mount I won't know. But a winch pulls at least 400 amps loaded. Some well over. I wonder how the truck will react to that.......dipping into the battery even with the alternator at full output. It's never been an issue on any other vehicle I've had up to 05 GM and 08 Jeep. But who knows on these vehicles that use electricity for everything from brakes to steering. And Even my big rolling charger/ jump starter won't send out 400+ amps all that long before it goes into thermal protection.

As far as heat ive never had an issue. Even with the big old (and excellent) spur gear warns which blocked the entire front end. Pretty much a non issue.

 

They cut back on charge voltage as battery is near 100%. Most likely #4 clamp on cables will work fine. I ran my + out of the front fuse box with a copper splice and covered it with electrical tape to the 9000 front winch. The negative went back thru the ring. A 3000 lb. one runs on the Stanley. 12 volt doesn’t drop power with 12 volt to the 9000 lb. ER.