Winch on 460

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rocstaman
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Has anybody put a winch on front of  a 460?
Does anybody have drawings /dimensions for a winch plate for same?
 Also has anyone put 35" mud  tyres straigt onto 460?
I have seen articles about 35s but i imagine they relate to 35x12.50s
I have 35x10.50s and think they would go straight on with no mods..ie cutting of chassis but any advice /experience would help
All replies gratefully received....

phileas
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Re: Winch on 460

I haven't fitted a winch onto a 460, but to a 463. Feel that the same principal applies. Bascially, you either buy a custom bumper from Desert Services in Germany (www.dessert-service.com) or, like we did, you buy a winch cage from Devon 4x4, cut out a bit of your bumper, go down to your local welder, put in a few reinforcing webs and weld the thing into place. The result is a very strong/practical winch bumper and it is pretty professional-looking too. Can't help you on the 35" tyres I'm afraid as I've never tried anything that big. Good luck/ph

rocstaman
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Re: Winch on 460

Phileas
Many thanks for reply..went onto desert site but a bit pricey for me..think I'll go down the home grown route..
Thanks again

peter perfect
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Re: Winch on 460

 There was a uk company that made a plate for a warn m8000 utilising the g bumper, but no more, you can easily fabricate one up. I had 34" simex on my 280, with only a 2" lift, on full lock they use to rub on the outriggers, so I cut them at a 45 deg angle with an angle grinder, the same as they did on the 461's, And that cured that problem, certainly I'd stick to 10:50 wide.

rocstaman
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Re: Winch on 460

pp-thanks for reply
The 460 bumper is very narrow but I think fabricating a winch plate shouldnt be too  difficult..
Were your 34s 10/11/12.50s?
I have 31s on at the moment and looks like loads of clearance in arch-only problem I can see  is width/rubbing on full lock
Cutting the outriggers sounds like a simple enough mod-are there  no MOT problems doing this?

Quercus
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Re: Winch on 460

 I am curious to know why you would want to fit 35" tyres.

Being significantly bigger than the standard offerings, you will find the overall gearing of the vehicle adversely affected, so acceleration will suffer - and it ain't brilliant to start with - and the speedometer will be under-reading like mad, which is a legal issue for you. Don't forget your insurance company will have an interest too. Sorry to be a party pooper, but I'd hate to see you spend a lot of money on big, over-size tyres only to find all the superb driving qualities of the vehicle compromised.

peter perfect
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Re: Winch on 460

 10:50's unless you intend on hitting really boggy ground keep to 10:50's, no mot problem ,put on tyres and it will rub the paint off, this gives you the line at which to cut.

peter perfect
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Re: Winch on 460

 @quercus. I should think this G is to be used mostly for off roading, so larger tyres give more ground clearence, although does an inch or too really matter , when used in low range my 280 coped fine, it was just on long up hills you could tell, anyway G's arent racing cars, and I found after fitting 33"s BFG's,  my speedo was actually spot on, comparing it with my satnav. 

Quercus
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Re: Winch on 460

@PP: I was just thinking that this vehicle was, in all probability, supplied from new on 205R16 tyres, as most of them were., and they have an approximate rolling circumference of 95inches for which the designers very carefully set up the transmission to gain optimum performance from a somewhat lack-lustre, naturally aspirtated, 3-litre diesel car engine which already had its best torque way too far up the rev range for serious off-roading. Since then the tyre size on this particular car has been put up to 31" and it is now proposed to fit 35" units. The rolling circumference of the 35" tyre is about 110inches, which means that the wheel revolutions per distance covered drop by some 13% overall from when the Steryr engineers did their original calculations, taking the engine even further away from its best torque range. Personally, I would be inclined to avoid going for 35" tyres unless I had also altered the final drives (diff ratios) to compensate.

There is also the matter of substantially increased gyroscopic forces on the wheel bearings, swivels and track rod ends due to the greater mass and size of the bigger tyres.

However, as you say, if this is just a weekend mud-plugger which spends all its time in low range, it probably doesn't matter too much; it'll cope, as G-Wagens always do.

The other thing that occurs to me is that whilst cutting away bits of obstructing structure is easy enough, wouldn't tyres this big rub on the radius arms on full lock? Just a thought.

rocstaman
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Re: Winch on 460

To clarify-I need my G for 2 reasons
1)Towing 
2) green -laning and sometimes more serious off -roading
I already own a set of 35sx 10.50x15" mud tyres- these will go on alloy rims
I also now own x2 sets of steel rims -16"s- on one set will go 31x10.50s and  on other bog standard road tyres
60%  of time I 'll be using bog standard road tyres-30% 31s and occasionally 35s-
Realise ratios etc change but as stated off -road no speed needed just lots of grunt/torque and ground /diff clearance -thats why I bought one in the first place..
Thanks for all replies

Tyreman
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Re: Winch on 460

Hi Rocketman,
Three years ago I asked the same questions on the old forum (may it rest in peace).
Since then I've done all the mods spoken about.
One point not mentioned is a set of wheel spacers of about 1" wide to give you any sort of decent turning circle at the front otherwise you will constantly rub against the arms.
I use 35/10.50x15 Simex on mine and they catch on the out riggers as previously described. Mine is lifted 2" on the springs and 2" on the body.
Devon 4x4 for the winch holder and a good welder to make up the brackets and a little tubular bumper extentions. Have a look at some fabricated bumpers on ORC.de site for ideas to help.

Try that and see how you get on.

Regards,

Mike

PS maybe post some pics when your finished.......

kmaser
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Re: Winch on 460

Heres my 280GE converted to OM617A, I have larger elements bein put into my injection pump and have an air / water intercooler ready to go in when I get the pump back. I fabbed the winch bumper myself, it has  37 x 12.50 x 16 super swampers on custom made 16 x 8 steel rims with 5.25" backspacing ( pushes the wheel slightly out to increase turning radius ) I have re-geared to 6.17's . I have cut away as much of the body under the flares as possible for tire clearance and cut the outriggers  at the moment I have dropped to bump stops 1" and installed 40mm spring spacers. I am still deciding whether to use different flares and mount them higher or put in a 40mm body lift to gain a little more clearance. There is another fellow on Pointed three with a similar setup on the stock 15" rims if you do a search over there.
 
Kurtis

Jdring
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Re: Winch on 460

Looks really serious.  Like the black wheels with the MB inserts and the fact its a SWB which looks so much more agile than a LWB.

peter perfect
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Re: Winch on 460

 looks like you copied me, anyone got a 3 pointed star they can let me have for my grill

prwales
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Re: Winch on 460

can't see the number plate to report its illegal wheels (protruding beyond the wheel arches)

peter perfect
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Re: Winch on 460

 passed MOT 3 x in a row, and never been stopped. and heres the number plate

prwales
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Re: Winch on 460

nice truck, I'll dig you out a 3 pointed star, some of the local Electricity board blokes put them on their LR's too.

peter perfect
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Re: Winch on 460

 doing the wales trip this weekend, will you be there? bring the badge along if you are.

prwales
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Re: Winch on 460

I wanted to go but misread the dates I thought it was the beginning of July, we are attending a 40th birthday party this Saturday, shame, I will pop it in the post