The 67-72 BBWM (Behind Bumper Winch Mount) launched in May 2021 and many people are asking what’s next - and will a BBWM for the square bodies be next? The answer is “Hell yeah it will be!”
One of my favorite features of the 67-72 BBWM is the ability to flip the brackets from side to side and raise the winch plate up or down and have the winch cable exit through the bumper, or just under the bumper. Both locations have pros & cons and the BBWM allows the customer to change things up any time they want!
So... I wanted that same capability with the square body kit and that proved a bit more challenging than the 67-72 kit. I went through twelve!! 3D printed prototypes before recently moving into a steel prototype. The unique (banana) shape of the 81-87 frame proved difficult to develop a frame bracket that could flip over and provide the ideal mounting locations for the winch plate in the high & low configuration while also clearing the frame rivets.
I had a eureka moment when I remembered countersink bolts exist! :)
Using countersink bolts allows an inner frame bracket to bolt in and have a second bracket that can flip over similar to the 67-72 and move winch height up / down.
The 81-87 BBWM will have a 1/4” thick steel inner frame bracket that will rest inside the C-channel of frame, bolting to frame in 5 places! It will attach with front three bumper bolts and then also to the two bumper brace bolts. From there, the second bracket will bolt to that bracket with four (or five in high mount configuration) 1/2” bolts.
So... without further ado, I present the first steel proto of the 81-87 BBWM in high mount and low mount configuration with an M8000 winch mocked in.
Prototype is shown on a mock frame, which is from an 86 4x4 3/4 ton Suburban.
Still some minor tweaking to get it just right and determine which winches will fit with this kit before release.
More to come soon! Thanks for checking out Engineered Vintage products and my Blog!
-Ben
