Winch Mount Test...rear Bumper Failed!

With several trees down in my yard from the March tornado in Newnan, Ga, I thought I would try to stand up a couple of tree root balls that had rotated during the storm. We had already removed the upper trunks and figured I'd go for it. Rotated the pair of trees almost vertical then heard a loud "bang". shut off jeep and looked at the front winch area... no damage noted but the old rear hitch attach points were not as lucky. Stretched the rear hitch bracket about two inches then one of the supports let loose.
Good to know the ol Belleview still has what it takes to hold her own!! I was using my snatch block too. oh yeah that's a rusty tub and frame from PA that let loose

 

Much too much power, I never-ever include the Jeep frame in the haul system. Better to park the front bumper pushing against a tree.

 

Yes, but that usually gets in the way of the winch pull unless one won the lottery and have two trees in just the right place-preferably with the same spacing as the frame rails. Hooking to the bottom of the stock draw bar obviously put a big moment arm on that rear pull. Coming off the pintle hitch mount would have likely been fine.

 

The rear chain was not the best idea I've had lately, but it was connected to each side of the hitch frame not the frame rails. I succeeded in pulling the stump mass back to an close to original so I'm good. I have a '64 CJ3B frame restored frame waiting in the wings for a swap out. The tree removal guys are coming next month for the big poplar that is leaning heavily on the others in the first pic.

 

One tree in line with the frame, but near the winch drum, seems to work for me. And a snatch-block "change of direction" pulley on the haul line, anchored to one side as necessary will correct any alignment issue.

Did just that this week to extract an electric stove someone dumped in the river on my property, fifty feet down an extremely steep slope. Same place I recovered a washer and a dryer last summer. F-ing people....

Without a tree, "scotch blocks" will do the trick. Surprised I never see them discussed here.

 

I have the same problem with the Forest Service road that traverses part of our place. All sorts of appliances, landscape debris, and even a pretty good sized safe in the middle of the creek. Not to mention illegal camping, tree cutting, and hunting along with crapping behind every tree. And people wonder why public easements through private property are hard to come by-----

 

With all the abusing of Jeeps over the years, I've never torn the drawbar welds. Looks like the only damage/deformation is to the bolt-on drawbar assembly its self. Bolt-on fix.
-Donny

 

Consider the reinforcement straps found on later models. I think I found these on an intermediate CJ. I don't think they were installed on my '71, but the frame rails were drilled to accept the straps.
These will help straighten the 'load path' to the frame rails and eliminate the kink from the lower portion of the drawbar.

 

I have that same bumper. It’s got two homemade looking reinforcements that extend upward diagonally to one of the frame crossmembers. It’s also covered in booger welds, so my guess is that the PO had the same failure as you at some point.

 

I managed to do this the first time with the almighty f-134, trying to tug a silage wagon out of the mud. I moved the outer straps to get the frame bolts. Now it's drilled and bolted from the angle to the straps.

061407_07291 by Joe with a jeep, on Flickr

 

We all learn. 2 years ago, I used my Jeep to get the rest of a small tree from the ground.
I attached a strong rope at the rear, action.
The tree jump from the ground to hit the Jeep, the rope was like an elastic.
Then I bought a good metal cable at the local farmers/agriculture shop.

 

The first time I ever attempted to weld, it was when I did this same thing, pulling boulders out of the ground. Fifty years ago, lesson learned.

 

I never really cared for those draw bars. They may have their place but certainly not on a trail Jeep. My 3B came with one and I left it on for a number of years before throwing it in the scrap pile. Its most useful moment occurred when I managed to tear the left rear spring hanger off the frame. The shackle came back and was stopped by the drawbar. That kept things from really getting wadded up. There will need to be a BIG piece of frame missing for that to happen again.

 

Update, sold off the 3B and bought a 2A and removed the winch bumper and Belleview to install on the 2A. hopefully in a couple of years I'll only be pulling beachgoers out of the sugar white sand.

 

Progress... now just wiring and wrapping rope

 

Dang this moving and comuting sucks. But that it all done and back to working on the jeep and moving boxes!

 

Ordered 100ft of synthetic 3/8" rope for the winch and a set of daystar fairlead rollers to provide cushion for the rope. Rope arrives tomorrow, rollers Friday. keeping the cable for future useage if needed
Next step is to see what youtube says about attaching to spool on my Belleview. and then an Albright contactor maybe

 

Hmm.... I thought a Hawes fairlead was the preferred method for use with a synthetic rope. Not that it can't be done.

 

I think hawse fairleads are the traditional preferred way to go with synthetic line. However, so long as the rollers are smooth, those work OK, as well.
A steel line typically scars a roller fairlead in little time (just look at either of mine) making them useless for synthetic line. Many folks convert from steel to synthetic and need to address the fairlead at that time.
Check with your winch or synthetic line supplier for the best recommendation.