I use my 2004 Ranger for hauling motorcycles and am looking to add a small 2000lb winch to make loading easier. I am thinking of mounting it in the cab and winching through the sliding window. The rear of my cab is used for various motorcycle maintenance tools, straps etc so theres space for bracing and maybe fabricating some pieces to organize everything to the winch mount. I'm thinking of bracing the winch against the rear wall under the window with legs straight down to the floor and legs diagonal down to the center front bench seat lap belt mounts(I have bucket seats anyway). Does this sound structurally sound for pulling up 500lb loads onto the bed of the truck? To make it easier, the truck is already lowered 3" front and 3" rear so the ramp isn't as steep.

Are you referring to the cab mount bolts?

Rather not mount the winch in the bed as I have a tonneau cover so the winch would need to be mounted lower, which takes space where the wheel chock would be.

Maybe mount the winch in the bed on the side in the front, then have an eye bolt in the middle front of the bed where you hook a pulley. Then run the winch cable through the pulley to the back?

Negative.. if you dont shear the metal itself pulling the winch out the back window at some point the cable would cut its way down to the winch itself using the cable like a saw. for 500lb bikes, youd be better off going to harbor frieght and just getting an ATV winch and fabbing a floor mount tying into the two forward bed bolts with a replacement Grade 8 or 10 bolt.

Also keep in mind, the best way for a winch to work in reality is with the winch bottom facing the direction of the load. That way you're pulling into the feet creating pressure vs shear pulling sideways.

And for what grief will come out of eventually destroying your truck bed integrity. Just get or build a trailer that you can add/remove when you need it instead of destroying the truck itself and taking up what sounds to be even more precious real estate needs. Make it modular and think a lil bigger.

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My Build Pg. Threads
+ 93' Ranger Overlanding Build
+ 94' Ranger Bed Overlanding Trailer Build
+ 12° North Industries ~ I Support

I'm reading this thread shaking my head.

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Admit it now.. you wanted to see if someone could actually use a winch cable to saw their truck in half the long-way tho...

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My Build Pg. Threads
+ 93' Ranger Overlanding Build
+ 94' Ranger Bed Overlanding Trailer Build
+ 12° North Industries ~ I Support

LMAO! A small trailer would work too.

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