Non permanent winch fastening?

[JJZ 109]

Bought a cheapie HF 2500 lb. winch yesterday for my motorcycle trailer. I used it to get the bikes up into the trailer yesterday because even though the batteries are up, the oil is pretty thick from sitting in an unheated garage and we've had single digit temps outside so I elected not to try and start them. They haven't been started since fall.
I had the winch temporarily wedged up against one of my bolted down wheel chocks to get me by for yesterday. I'd like to be able to anchor the winch to the 3/4" OSB floor, but have it easily removable in case I need the floor space or to use the winch somewhere else. The winch has got a couple of 5/16" mounting holes. I was thinking some type of lag shield or screw/bolt anchor. But I want something that will withstand the pressure of pulling in a 700 lb. bike. One of the holes would need a relatively short bolt, because there's a shield around part of the spool that would prevent me from inserting a longer fastener straight up & down or plumb into the hole. The other mounting hole won't present that issue.
Anyone have any thoughts? I'll be near both Lowe's and Home Depot today as well as a Fastenal and another local business that specializes in all types of fasteners (Hiawatha Fastener).
Here's the winch: 2500 lb. ATV/Utility Electric Winch with Wireless Remote Control
It actually worked very well. I like the remote fob operation because I can sit on the bike while I'm pulling it in. Fob in left hand and right hand on the handlebar in case I need to grab the front brake. I cut the eye terminals off of the power cables and replaced with clamps like those on battery chargers. Then I just clamped it to a deep cycle battery I have. Maybe eventually I'll see if I can tap into the factory 7 pin on the truck.

 

[JJZ 109]

Here's a nice setup that I found, but I think it may be custom fabricated. Unfortunately my welding skills are rank amateur at best.

 

[newbury]

I've used appropriately sized U bolts to anchor the same winch to the front of my trailer. I've put "flat" ubolts around planks in front and then tried "regular" U shaped U bolts around my tubular frame rails. I know what you mean by limited bolt clearance.
For your situation can you get underneath easily? Perhaps T nuts in the floor with a section of all thread sticking up. Then slide the winch over the "studs" you've made.

 

[JJZ 109]

I've used appropriately sized U bolts to anchor the same winch to the front of my trailer. I've put "flat" ubolts around planks in front and then tried "regular" U shaped U bolts around my tubular frame rails. I know what you mean by limited bolt clearance.
For your situation can you get underneath easily? Perhaps T nuts in the floor with a section of all thread sticking up. Then slide the winch over the "studs" you've made.

Been under the trailer many times while installing wheel chocks for the bikes. Not a problem. T nut and all thread not a bad idea. That would eliminate the clearance problem for the one hole. I just wonder how long it would stand the strain?
Here's another thought. Bolting a bumper mount hitch receiver to the floor. Then using a receiver hitch winch mount turned upside down. This will also bring the cable up off of the floor several inches. I used to have one of those bumper mounts laying around. Time to search the storage building!

 

[Howling]

I have similar winch mounted on top of dual hitch extender from HF.


Put it between truck and trailer to pull something on to trailer.

 

[JJZ 109]

I have similar winch mounted on top of dual hitch extender from HF.
View attachment 459551

Put it between truck and trailer to pull something on to trailer.

At the moment I'm kind of leaning that way. The current application is in an enclosed trailer, but being able to remove it from there easily will allow for it to be used on the truck's hitch receiver as you say.

 

[JJZ 109]

OK, I think I've found my answer.
One of these:



And one of these:

 

[Diamondpilot]

I think you are on the right track but mount it to some solid structure, not just the plywood floor.

Chris

 

[JJZ 109]

I think you are on the right track but mount it to some solid structure, not just the plywood floor.

Chris

In a perfect world, I can find the right sized U bolt and wrap around one of the frame members like Newbury mentioned. It's a V nose and there's one dead center from the point of the nose to about 3 feet back to the next cross member.
I thank everyone for the suggestions.

 

[triptester]

I made one to load my sons bike.

 

[JJZ 109]

View attachment 459561View attachment 459563I made one to load my sons bike.

Looks good. Wish I had better welding skills with my little 120 volt wire feed.

 

[bcp]

A light winch could be mounted on a trailer coupler. Mount a ball wherever it might get used.

Bruce

 

[JJZ 109]

I pretty much went with the 2 parts I pictured earlier. No proper size U bolts were available at the local hardware store, so I went with some 1/2" threaded rod. Will use some channel iron that I have laying around as the bottom leg of the U, under the frame member. Will try to get some pics in the future. Just getting ready to go out and tackle it now.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

OP mentioned possible power source of the trailer wiring system. Be sure to check wire size/capacity versus amp draw of the winch. Big power load difference between lights and a winch. I use a 12K winch but ran 300 CM wire from the battery back to the hitch area. The winch OM will indicate the minimum wire size, then add for the distance to cover voltage drop.

Ron

 

[MossRoad]

OP mentioned possible power source of the trailer wiring system. Be sure to check wire size/capacity versus amp draw of the winch. Big power load difference between lights and a winch. I use a 12K winch but ran 300 CM wire from the battery back to the hitch area. The winch OM will indicate the minimum wire size, then add for the distance to cover voltage drop.

Ron

That's a very good point. You can fry the wire in the 7 pin trailer plug with the amperage draw from a winch. A good way around that is to install a separate winch battery in the trailer and a battery isolator in the trailer right next to the winch battery. You can charge the winch battery from the tow vehicle through the trailer plug, but isolate it when you want to run the winch, so it doesn't draw high current through the trailer plug wiring.

 

[JJZ 109]

OP mentioned possible power source of the trailer wiring system. Be sure to check wire size/capacity versus amp draw of the winch. Big power load difference between lights and a winch. I use a 12K winch but ran 300 CM wire from the battery back to the hitch area. The winch OM will indicate the minimum wire size, then add for the distance to cover voltage drop.

Ron

Since this will be a very limited use item, I'm thinking that I'll just throw a battery in when the winch is needed. We're generally talking only having to use it if a motorcycle becomes disabled or during the annual run to the shop in spring to get the oil changed and get them started and tuned for the season when the bikes have been sitting unstarted for months and the oil is a little heavy to roll them over.
Thanks for the replies regarding the electrical part of the equation. The trailer & bikes are being hauled about 1200 miles each way for an upcoming vacation. Sure don't need to smoke the factory trailer plug on the truck.
I attempted to show the Line Pull, Line Speed and Amp Draws in column form but when I posted the reply it just crammed everything together and I couldn't edit to make it right. So I just eliminated it.
Long story short, there can be anywhere from 10 amps on a 0 pound line pull to 132 amps drawn on a 2500 pound line pull. It's equipped with 10 gauge wiring.

 

[JJZ 109]

Not looking like factory or a pro fabricator from the bottom, but plenty sturdy nonetheless. Looks good enough from the top side.
Easily removable if needed in the truck hitch receiver.

 

[ultrarunner]

The oldtimers ran a welding cable from the battery to the winch and used a welder lead socket for the connection... they only ran the positive conductor as the ground was the vehicle/trailer.

The new guys use the a heavy duty plug in jumper cable plug... like the tow trucks use.

 

[dickfoster]

OP mentioned possible power source of the trailer wiring system. Be sure to check wire size/capacity versus amp draw of the winch. Big power load difference between lights and a winch. I use a 12K winch but ran 300 CM wire from the battery back to the hitch area. The winch OM will indicate the minimum wire size, then add for the distance to cover voltage drop.

Ron

This is true. Winches pull a heck of a lot of current under load. Some used for off roading pull two or three hundred amps when loaded if they can get it. If you have a lot of line drop (small wire over a long distance) the winch can't get enough current to function properly or pull it's rated load. When it comes to wiring a winch, bigger is indeed better and the shorter the run is the better off you are too. Don't overlook welding supply for a good source of high current wire. It's nice and flexible to make the run easier too. Adding a good quality battery in close proximity to the winch can't hurt. I like AGM batteries for this sort of thing because they have less internal resistance so can deal out more current, that way the winch can pull a load much easier and faster.

 

[dickfoster]

The oldtimers ran a welding cable from the battery to the winch and used a welder lead socket for the connection... they only ran the positive conductor as the ground was the vehicle/trailer.

The new guys use the a heavy duty plug in jumper cable plug... like the tow trucks use.

It's better to run both the positive and the return as the chassis ground isn't all that great for high current loads. Line drop equates to a sick winch that just can't pull worth a hoot.