What is involed when adding a winch?

I have been looking for a Deuce that has a winch already installed. But I found a truck that may work for me, although it has no winch. I scoured the search trying to find this subject and can't find anything. (or I can't operate the search)

Can a winch be installed on a non winch truck? what kind of job would it be? Is it worth it? What is involved?

Thanks Guys.

Yes it can be added. It is a long process, and you can easily puncture the radiator if your not careful. Winch, frame extentions, pto, pto shifters, pto shafts, pto gaskets, emptying the trans of fluid and then refilling. Lots of work AND time.

Chris pretty much covered it but you can do them in a day. I would check around and see if you can locate a truck to look at to familiarize yourself with all the pieces you need. You can also go to the -20P manual for a breakdown.

These might help:

http://steelsoldiers.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=6593

http://steelsoldiers.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=8274

http://steelsoldiers.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=7636

I managed to gather all the parts for around $650 or so. I have not yet done the conversion, but I am planning on it taking a full day. Periodically you will find complete kits on E-Bay for around $1200, these are used take offs.

Anyone in the central VA area needing a winch, let me know. I've got a line on something!

I just put my winch back on my winch truck. I had the frame extensions off for painting along with redoing the winch itself and painting all the parts that go along with it. They aren't kidding when they warn you about putting a hole in the radiator. Mine now has a nice hole in it.

The front bumper is the same, so are the shackle mounts. The bumper gets flipped over though compared to a non winch truck. You also need to remove the lower part of the radiator gaurd for the winch to fit.

My advice is to install the frame extensions, bolt the winch mounts on top of them but leave the bolts loose. Bolt the winch in. Tighten all the bolts installed so far. Put the wing looking bumper supports on the bumper loosely and then put the bumper on. I put the bumper supports on the frame first and fought that bumper for hours to get all the bolts in is why I suggest this method.

I had also painted everything involved before I put it together. A lot of scratches happened during the install. I am going to go back and paint it again now that it is installed. So, paint more for rust prevention in places that will be hidden from the gun when assembled until you get it all together to shoot again.

My PTO was already on the truck, so I didn't have to go through that this time. Just make sure the collar on the PTO end of the shaft is loose. Otherwise it will never fit with the winch already installed.

Just about everything I just wrote except for the stuff about the paint is in the manual referenced. Read it for what parts you need and directions.

A thin piece of masonite works good as a guard for the radiator as you wrestle the winch back into place.

Don't forget that you'll need to shim the pto to set the backlash so buy extra pto gaskets.
I just picked up a winch for my 5 ton...Damn that thing is big