What do I need to put a winch on a JK Rubicon steel bumper?

Models Wrangler JK (2007-2017)
1

Stock photo, same bumper on my JK 2018 Recon

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You need a winch plate and a winch.

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Zephyr said:
You need a winch plate and a winch.

Is there a specific type I need for this bumper, or can I use any type? Sorry, I’m new to this and want to make sure I get it right.

4

@Thomas
There’s probably a factory model, but it’ll be expensive. Just make sure you get one for a JK. A JL one can work, but you might have to modify it a bit. Trust me, I know! Lol.

5

Zephyr said:
@Thomas
There’s probably a factory model, but it’ll be expensive. Just make sure you get one for a JK. A JL one can work, but you might have to modify it a bit. Trust me, I know! Lol.

Yeah, I saw a JL version and the bumpers look similar, but I was worried about buying it and then finding out it doesn’t fit after waiting for it to ship.

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@Thomas
Here’s the Mopar winch mount for the JK version. You can also find cheaper third-party ones that should work just fine.

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@Thomas
Check out Maximus 3. They still offer a winch plate for the JK with that bumper.

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Zephyr said:
You need a winch plate and a winch.

You’ll need a fairlead adapter for that bumper as well.

9

My Rubicon came with the wrong bumper… wanna trade?

10

Here’s a package I recently installed: the Maximus-3 winch plate and evap cannister relocation bracket. If you follow a good YouTube video, you can do it with just hand tools.

https://www.rubitrux.com/maximus-3-rubicon-x-10a-winch-mount-package.html

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@Sage
Awesome! Thanks so much!

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You’ll need a winch plate to secure the winch and a fairlead adapter plate. The fairlead adapter replaces the plastic cover on the bumper with a metal one that allows you to attach the winch fairlead.

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I’m not 100% sure, but you should check out the big Jeep forums. I know the main bumper mounts for the JK and JL are almost identical. I’ve seen people swapping bumpers between them.

If you’re using the factory steel bumper, it should bolt right on. But the skid plate might need some kind of brackets to fit. I don’t think the skid plate bolts directly on, but maybe there’s a kit that helps with that.

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Here’s a link to some winch mounts for JK bumpers:

https://www.rustysoffroad.com/collections/jk-wrangler-rubicon-07-18-bumpers/product-type_winch-mounts

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A Warn winch plate and a winch.

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A Tonka Wench and JB Weld.