[surlyboy]

I've seen a few on old threads, but can't find anything recent. I'm looking for a bull bar with a winch mount plate, preferably for under $250. I know there is a group buy on the Lucrum mounts, but I don't want to drop even that much right now. Anyone have such an animal that they could recommend?

 

[Capt Sensible]

There is always a possibility that I'm wrong, but here goes.

There is no bull bar for an FJ that doubles as a winch mount. To my knowledge I've never seen nor heard of one. My understanding is, if you want to run a winch, you really have 3 options. 1. Lucrum mount. 2. aftermarket bumper. 3. some custom job that will probably cost more than the first or second. If you can find one, post it up, I'd love to see it.

 

[surlyboy]

I found this one

But it's almost as much as as Lucrum, at over $400, and I haven't seen anyone with one.

FJ Cruiser Retriever Sport Winch Mount Guard by Aries

 

[Apexbasher]

I'm not a big fan of the Aires because of ground clearance. At least the Lucrum mount retains the original lines. Capt Sensible is making....... er...... sense whit his post. Aftermarket bumpers are the only suitable method for mounting a winch, either permanently (like Lucrum, ARB, Demello, etc.) or detachable (like Toy Outfitters). What many people refer to as 'bull bars' are in most cases just brush guards or light mounts, and are not stout enough to take hardly any abuse at all.

 

[MR2DI4]

I had this mounted on my FJ for about a year. Decent setup put it effects approach angles like you would not believe. Sold it along with the winch some time ago.

 

[Capt Sensible]

I found this one

But it's almost as much as as Lucrum, at over $400, and I haven't seen anyone with one.

FJ Cruiser Retriever Sport Winch Mount Guard by Aries

Well sh!t, there you go. What will they think of next? Personally I've never seen a bull bar or a grill guard that is stout enough to mount a winch on, except for your full sized domestic suv/truck market. I'm not say they don't exist, I'm just saying I've never seen one.

I wasn't there, but I have a friend who went mudding with some friends. One of them got his old taco stuck, so he went to winch himself out using his grill guard mounted winch... yeah... i think you can see where this is going... the grill guard started bending, and before they could put slack in the line "POP" winch and grill guard went flying! Don't know how far, nobody was hurt, but it goes to show, some times, some things, don't go cheap on.

 

[FJ FunJunkie]

I think Cowboy's Aries bar is still sitting in Moab after the 08 run. not worth the money IMO, If you want it stockish with a winch I would definitly say Lucrum is your best bet. Don't try to save money on some things, you will end up re buying something else later and spend even more buying twice.

 

[surlyboy]

I hear ya. And I'm not saying that Aries is good or bad, but it exists, so it is an option. And MR2DI4 had one, and has expressed his oponion on its shortcomings. But that is more information than I had previously been able to find on the issue, so the question wasn't a total waste.

I could already see that it sticks out a little too far, much farther than I'd like, but I'd still like to know if it is well mounted. I know about the grill guard not being a great mount, but there is no reason that a bull bar like that Aries couldn't be as solidly mounted as a Lucrum, just with a bar on the front.

Maybe I'll just have to hold off and save my pennies for a Lucrum. Or make one.

 

[Capt Sensible]

^^^good idea!

 

[Tray]

If function is all you are after, you could always go with a front mounted receiver, then put the winch in a multi-mount.

But you're still looking at around $300 without the multi-mount tray or winch.