I'm just throwing up some information on my current and modified winch mounting system on the Grand Vitara.

My current Winch Mount (bought as is from Calmini)..



The Problem..



It significantly decreases my approach angle. On a few trails, the mount did end up hitting the ground and it seemed inevitable that one day I might get hung up on it. Because of that, I was always abit restricted as to where I could safely venture..

The plan is to modify the current mounting system by cutting off the lower section (at the red lines in below pic) where it bolts to the lower frame and completely anchoring the top section to my front chassis..



The sketch..



The hollow sections is my vehicle's chassis. I plan to bolt a pair of 2"x2" angled steel to the chassis, attach a 6" wide flat steel plate to the ends of the angled steel and welding on the cut off section of my current winch mount to it. That way I should greatly increase my approach angle.

Also, the Calmini mounting setup is not as strong as I would have liked. It is my hope that this new mounting design I am using will be much stronger.

The downside of using the 2"x2" angled steel was that I would have to cut holes in my plastic bumper for them to pass through..



Next, I test fitted the steel onto my chassis by using clamps and positioned them accordingly. The hard lines for the front diff air pump and the front diff breather hose needed repositioning for the angles to fit safely.



With the angles clamped, I test fitted the plastic bumper.. My van looks like a medieval assault vehicle with those angles sticking out the front  



Now it's time to cut up my Calmini winch mount and hope I don't screw up anything in the process..

Work Continues..

Scrap everything down to gain easy access to the chassis for drilling.


I had to drill six 12mm holes through the angled steel and chassis. My had got stabbed, twisted and cut quite a few times while drilling, blasted radiator! Three different sized drill bits were used to make the 12mm holes, each one slightly larger than the other.


The two front bolts..


You can see the 3 bolts here. A 4th bolt is to be added later on for extra strength.


In the 2nd pic, you can see that the 6" wide flat steel was slightly too long. Since I don't have access to a chop saw or cutting torch, I had to cut through the entire thing with a hack saw! Talk about sweat!


Bumper installed and fitting nicely so far. Drilling through those 2 angled pieces of steel and the flat steel was a real PITA.. I started to smell the windings heating up in one of my drills!


Test fitting the old winch mount. You can see that I already cut off its lower section.


Now time to get it welded.


Now that's a big welding plant! I got a contractor to assist me here..


Fire away..


This is where I am at so far. Time for some primer and paint, DIY style.. I have a little neatening up to do here and there so it has both looks and performance..

3stagevtec; I admire your creativity in trying to solve the problem your facing.

For the rest of us; this is why we need to bug MUD CHILD and other vendors to provide us with a tube bumper.

http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/suzuki-grand-vitara-vitara-chevy-tracker-%28gen-2-platform%29-1999-2005/tube-bumper-interest/

A receiver mounted winch set up on a tube bumper would be a great way to get around the approach angle problem!

^ Those look great! Really wish I had the tools and equipment to build stuff like that myself..

I like the how it was. But I like the ingenuity that went into the new mount for it.

Winching out HiluxSurf in Blanchi.ASF

the cable started to bunch up to the side, but otherwise the new mount held strong!

I know this is off subject but you should have a weight of some kind on your cable when winching so if the cable breaks it doesn't come back thru the windshield.  Also don't stand next to the cable while its under tension if it braeks it will hurt you badly

How does the weight work? Couldn't the cable break between the weight and the winch?

I know his post says weight, but, I think what he's referring to is generally referred to as a "damper"or "blanket", the idea being to reduce or minimize the whip that results if the cable lets go.  Actually using a weight would simply increase the risk.

http://www.arbusa.com/uploads/PDF/pressReleases/07-18-05WinchCableDamper.pdf

Google either term - whether or not it works seems to be debatable - I'll refrain until such time as I have a winch and need ot decide if I should buy/make one (or maybe use synthetic winch rope, which apparently does not whip the way a steel cable does).

Thanks, I understand now.

I know his post says weight, but, I think what he's referring to is generally referred to as a "damper"or "blanket", the idea being to reduce or minimize the whip that results if the cable lets go.  Actually using a weight would simply increase the risk.

http://www.arbusa.com/uploads/PDF/pressReleases/07-18-05WinchCableDamper.pdf

Google either term - whether or not it works seems to be debatable - I'll refrain until such time as I have a winch and need ot decide if I should buy/make one (or maybe use synthetic winch rope, which apparently does not whip the way a steel cable does).

We typically recommend putting a damper of some sort on the winch cable. We will often use just a jacket, a blanket, or a WARN Winching Accessory Kit bag (we typically have those when we go out) as a damper.

- Andy

My apologies  I wasn't plugging the ARB product, it just happened to be the first hit that google brought up when I searched for "winch cable damper" - there were a couple for other brands, but nothing for WARN 

Here is the same Calmini winch mount modified for a 2" body lift and an added skid plate.  We added small bull bars on the side to reach the frame for strength.  The unit could have been lifted more as removing the winch requires pulling the mount out 2 inchs.

Had someone vendor made a new bumper I would not have gone through all the misery and wasted time and money - I can tell you a new front bumper like the older Trackers and Sammys get is worth every bit of $800 to $1000 after all the problems I faced.