Does anybody have dimensions for a winch tray for a 2000 Discovery?
Don't have a winch yet but would like to make a front bumper fairly soon.
Thinking that the winch tray needs to be the strongest part I would like to design the rest of the bumper around it.
What thickness material is a winch tray usually constructed from?
I guess to be safe I would just make the tray as wide as the frame rails to attach directly to them for strength. How deep into the grill area would I need to go.
Please don't tell me to go to Dweb and I won't to you to go to hell. :flipoff2:

How about deciding which winch you are going to use. Then come back and seach. It all depends on that decision. Different sizes, bolt patterns, and some won't even fit inbetween the frame rails.

Please don't tell me to go to Dweb :flipoff2:
Ahh we would never do that. :flipoff2: Beside they would tell you that you needed a 12K Husky! :shaking:

Ahh we would never do that. :flipoff2: Beside they would tell you that you needed a 12K Husky! :shaking:


Come on, OS....12K is WAAAAAAAY too close to being an insufficient rating for a Disco...he needs an EE-approved 15-18K winch at least. With green DWeb stickers on it. And a picture of Koby. :shaking:

How about deciding which winch you are going to use. Then come back and seach. It all depends on that decision. Different sizes, bolt patterns, and some won't even fit inbetween the frame rails.
Bolt pattern wouldn't be a real issue, I can drill the holes later.
Let's say a 6 to 8k Ramsey, Warn or a clone.
What size trays are the manufactorers such as RTE or ARB making? Do I just make a tray that will fit between the rails and go from there?
Maybe I need to bring the tape measure and quadrille pad the next time I'm out with the clan.

Oh yes, Koby is a god to me, and he sits atop Mount EE with the other Rover Gods.

I used 6" x 1/2" strap and at 32" wide it sits on top of the frame rails with enough hangover to weld to the outside mounting plates. How far you have to cut into the grill depends upon how far forward you mount the winch. With 6" strap there is not enough room to mount the fairlead without building an extension for it (6" was all that I had) so 8" might work better. Oh yeah, the bolt pattern for a Warn 9.5 is 4 1/2" x 10". ( also, this is a Disco 1 so YMMV :D )

Thanks byrdseye. What are your attachment points?
32" should be wide enough for about any winch I get in the future.
Oh and Milspec, I'd love to get a winch and build around that except I'm poor, what with the bail bonds, attorneys fees, lawsuits, fines and levys and beer. :smokin:

The frame rails are sandwiched with 1/4" x 4" strap and 1/2" Grade 8 bolts thru the factory bumper mount holes. The two inside straps extend back to the crossmember under the rad which is also sandwiched using two 1/2" bolts. To determine your tray length just measure outside of frame to outside of frame and then add 1/4" + 1/4" for the outside straps. Hope this helps. :D

There is tons of specs out there on winches, just get the info on the one your thinking of and build with those measurements. Make a cardboard box the same size as your winch and build around that. There is guy out here that built a tray that goes behind the stock bumper to retain it, looks pretty good. I'll find a pic and link to it.

Mock-up a bumper in cardboard and tape first, that way you can easily modify and adjust the design to your liking. Its alot harder and costlier to modify and adjust one if you start out using good steel and you will modify it several times before you end up with something that you like and will work. Once you have the cardboard mock up finalized, you can then copy it and build it. This may take a little more time, but your end results will be much better than just slapping some steel together that resembles a bumper. Wait till you see how much steel cost these days.

Good advice Alan. It's funny you mention that but the company I work at produces equipment for the corrugated industry (the proper term for cardboard).
I have an abundance of cardboard and a lot of the steel I'll use will be scrap.

I think Matt at independent4x told me he does the same thing with cardboard, easier to hold in place and check clearance too :p