Is there any way to install winch in alloy bull bar on 90 series?

[light5light Member Find all posts View Profile Close light5light]

Hi bros,

Mine is a RV 90 series manual 3.4 Petrol with alloy bull bar.

I want to get an electric 12000lbs winch on bull bar and wondering if there is any way i can install the winch with my current bar, or I have to get a steel bull bar now and sell the alloy bull bar?

Thanks for your advice.

[glen_ep Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close glen_ep]

I'm not really in the know how with winches, but umm... 12,000lbs is overkill for a Prado and I would think it'd rip the alloy bar apart.

[light5light Member Find all posts View Profile Close light5light]

I'm not really in the know how with winches, but umm... 12,000lbs is overkill for a Prado and I would think it'd rip the alloy bar apart.

Thanks Glen, i don't know much about which one is good, but i think should be from 9000lbs up to do the job when we need it. What winch you have in your car? Did you install it or buy got it ready with the car before? I know you are using steel bar which is no problem with any winch.

In my case, just want to avoid over $1.5k as my wife will wonder why i remove the alloy out and spend 1.5k on the same thing .... (long story about off-road stuffs with wife with thousands questions "why" LOL)

[glen_ep Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close glen_ep]

You could save some money by purchasing a second hand steel bar, others have done this.
I actually don't have a winch, so hopefully someone else will jump in and give you some more advice.

[light5light Member Find all posts View Profile Close light5light]

Well, I just have a look around and found nothing of an used steel bull bar for 90 series. It seems people won't sell that if they already have that

[ianafloat Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ianafloat]

Hi Light5light,

Yes you can, you need a winch mounting plate, I bought mine off ebay for 95 dollars, it is made out of 5mm steel plate with a fairlead hole in the front and with some simple modifications will mount to the bull bar and sub frame. I installed mine without a bull bar at all, so it will work and it holds a 13,500lbs winch, yes over kill but it was a good price and I should never strain it too much. I hope this helps
Ian

[GreenVX Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close GreenVX]

Hey mate, to really help there's a few more questions to ask;
*Is your alloy bar a genuine toyota bar? or is it aftermarket?
*If yes to a genuine bar then you may need to replace it, toyota did not build their factory bars to withstand winching stresses.
*If its an aftermarket then see if you can locate the brand then contact them to find out if it suitable for winching.
*Do you have airbags on ur prado?
*If yes to airbags then things get a little more complicated, you are best off to have it professionally fitted just in case you set off the airbag sensors on the support rails behind the bumper.
* If your prado doesn't have airbags then it would be possible as ianafloat said to get a winch plate and fix it to the chassis.

[light5light Member Find all posts View Profile Close light5light]

Thanks GreenVX and Ianafloat.

Mine is not genuine Toyota bar, also no airbag. As far as I know, the bar is very solid, it is really hard to drill a hole there if the driller is not good (that happened when I installed my pair of 9" HID there). Unfortunately, i can not find the brand of that bar. Only on sticker on the bar says that it will affect to airbag function if installed.

The sub-frame which attaches the bull bar to the chassis is made of 5mm thick and solid steel, they are bolted to chassis with 17mm screws and seem hard. However, there is not much space behind my bar to install a winch's plate on the chassis. Especially the sub-frame stay higher than the chassis' surface about 5cm, so there is no way to put the winch plate direct on the chassis.

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

Suggest you post some photos of the front of the car. Between us we should be able to identify the bar and go from there. I assume there is no fairlead slot in the front of the bar or access holes for winch clutch etc?

[light5light Member Find all posts View Profile Close light5light]

Thanks mate, here is my bar. If any one can tell me this one is/or not good for winch, much appreciated.




Fixed error photo link*

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

Looks to be the same bar as zookcubr has...

http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...ur-rig./page33

and I thought this was a Toyota bar but not sure. Zook hasn't been on line for a while so hopefully someone else can positively id the bar. I had a different bar on mine.

[light5light Member Find all posts View Profile Close light5light]

Yeah Mrjandom, if follow the link you gave me here, mine should be called "factory bull bar" -> absolutely not suitable for winch.

However, when i got the car, the previous owner said he spent on the bull bar not from Toyota. May be he did not know or did not do that by himself.

[fishfinder Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close fishfinder]

its a factory bar for sure exactly the same as mine but why do you want a winch ? fair wack of money to throw on the car just to help other people with their recovery its not a 120 or 150 series where they would come in handy - the 90 series just dont need them

[glen_ep Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close glen_ep]

its a factory bar for sure exactly the same as mine but why do you want a winch ? fair wack of money to throw on the car just to help other people with their recovery its not a 120 or 150 series where they would come in handy - the 90 series just dont need them

Any 4x4 can need a winch if its being put into challenging situations. Especially in mud.

[edgeyhill Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close edgeyhill]

I'm in the same boat as light5light where I have a Toyota alloy bar and would be keen to install a winch without forking out for a new bar. If I did get a new bar it would probably be an Xrox...

Anyhoo... light5ligh, from your pic it looks like you're scared of the dark

I'm looking forward to see if you manage to get a winch on there using the factory alloy bar - keep us posted.