zo6 08

Guys looking to install a winch in my enclosed trailer. I have finished interior with base cabinets. Please share pictures and experience with this. Thanks!

Snorman

Mount it inside the base cabinet and just open the door when winching in the car. If I keep the winch snug when transporting, I just use a couple of small bungees to hold open the door.
S.

zo6 08

That's exactly what I was hoping to hear!!
Is there any specific way to mount to the floor??
Drill through then bolt and nut? Or any sort of self tapping
Or weld to frame??
Thanks Snor
Regards
A

BEZ06

Mine just pulls straight in, but if you can't mount it up front due to cabinets, you could mount it off to the side. I've seen several guys with their winch and battery off to the side of the trailer, and they run the cable through a 90 degree pulley mounted in the center of the floor like below:



.

Snorman

Snorman

I don't know if that's feasible in a lot of enclosed trailers particularly those that have cabinetry. You can't mount it on the door side because it'll be a tripping hazard. And on the opposite side there are often enclosures for the generator, fuel jug holders, etc..
S.

Poor-sha

I had the builder install my winch but it also is in the cabinet. The cabinet doors start a few inches off the ground so they have a framed cutout in the cabinet for the winch cable to run through.

When I mounted the winch in my featherlight open trailer I drilled through the floor and then added a big steel plate on the other side. So the bolts go through the winch base, trailer, steel plate, and then washers, lock washers, and nuts.

I intentionally offset the winch I installed a bit because the tow hook is off to the side of the car. That way it pulls straight the entire way in the trailer.

zo6 08

That was my last question. Im trying my hardest to make it a one man job to load car incase I have too. Tow hook is offset. So to make the car come in straight I just offset the winch to lineup with towhook?

Thanks for the information gentleman!!
Very useful for my first outdoor project of 2016
It will have to wait at least another weekend for now!
Pretty cold today throw in the 15-20 mph winds
Real feel is -10

Snorman

The car will winch in straight regardless of the winch location as long as the tires are straight. Mine is on a slight angle, and the tow hook location is different from where it was on my last track car but it makes little difference. My advice is to get a winch with a remote with a long cable or a wireless remote.
S.

Poor-sha

I replaced my wired remote with a wireless remote. It's nice but at least in my case you have to remember that it takes about a second for the winch to respond to the wireless remote. So don't keep the button down until you are right up against the cabinet.

If the winch is not aligned with toe hook you will notice the that wheel will tend to turn that way as it's pulled in. Not big deal as long you keep adjusting the wheel back. This is more of a factor if you are pulling the car up really close to the winch. In that case you also have the angle of the cable getting pretty far off from the way the winch is designed to work.

On my last trailer I had the winch offset left fo rmy C6Z and when my buddy bought the trailer we have to move it to offset right for his C7. On my current trailer the winch is centered but I also don't pull the car up real close to the winch.

Snorman

Interesting because I've had winches on my last two trailers. My open Aluma had it centered on a custom plate. My current is offset slightly to the left. I typically have the car sitting at the bottom of the back door ramp and don't adjust the steering wheel in most cases. Sometimes I'll nudge it a little as I have my floor jack pocket mounted on the passenger-side wall of the trailer and I don't like the car sitting too close to it. I also have a 24' trailer, and keep the car probably 7'-8' from the front wall (5'-6' from the winch) so I don't notice any pulling to the side in that last few feet. And once it's in the trailer, the winch isn't doing much work anyway.
S.