some electric winch questions

[djmac]

I am setting up to install a hitch mounted t max 10,000 lb winch. I have several questions:

Has anyone mounted a front mount reese hitch on an 80's J10? I ordered a front mount for a late 80's waggy but the steering box location knocks out the all the area needed for the drivers side hitch mount.
I read a lot of pros and cons regarding front or rear mounted winches. Obviously the hitch mounted winch screws up the approach and departure angles but from what I have seen I can live with that. But with the little bit of offroading in the mud I have done it seems that starting off with the winch in the rear would be the best way to go. Usually the best way out of the mud hole is back out the way you came in. Also when you get stuck in a mudhole it seems that your front bumper is lower or sometimes buried and your rear bumper is higher and out the water so you can still use the rear mounted winch. I know for mountain trailriding the winch up front would probably be the best choice as you would often have to pull yourself forward up grades. What do you guys think?

[Elliott]

How about just mounting it up in your spare tire well since those 35s don't fit up there anyway?

[djmac]

How about just mounting it up in your spare tire well since those 35s don't fit up there anyway?

I plan on keeping it portable from the rear to the front of the J10 and then to mount on the front of my trailer.

[scotty]

alot of times it is better to go out the way you went in,but sometimes not. about the only way you can gaurantee that backwards is better is if youre playing in a man-made mud bog that gets deeper as you go. all other real world mud holes,backward may be better,it may not.

IMO its better to leave the winch up front,as youll need it there most often. as you noted,alot of times the front mount will be burried,or out in the middle of the mudhole where it may not be safe or practical to try and move the winch to it. as long as you have a buddy with you that can hook up a strap,or has his own front mounted winch on the outside of the mudhole,youll always be better off with the einch up front.

the key to reciever mounted winches is to mount it up as high and far back as possible. if ist just sticking out under your front bumper,then its goint to greatly decreas your approach angles and get on your nerves to the point that you want to leave it in the bed instead of hooked up and ready for action.

my reccomendation would be to ditch the stock bumper and the front receiver mount that you ordered. make some custom bumpers with the reciever up on top.

couple pics of my winch on my 2 trail rigs.as you can see it doesnt hurt the approach angle on either:

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y269/scotty85/miamivalley1.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y269/scotty85/carwash4-17-2.jpg