OzLtd don't worry about been rude, this kind of talk could make safer wheel for all, about the install, here in Chile there is a law for tax over vehicles equiped with 4x4, 2 door and a winch, they are considered as work vehicles and will give you 19% of the total paid, for tax use, so EVERY 4x4, 2 door sold over here is equiped with winch, and installed by Warn for the importer and then sold, and the only vehicles with support on top of the main chasis are Samurai's, Cj's, Wrangler's and Rubicon's, every other 4x4, 2 door is equiped by Warn with the winch under the main chasis (Landrover, Tahoe, Vitara, Nissan, Toyota, etc), and never have any problems, the winch i installed was in a Nissan Terrano II i own before:
If you look under the front bumper you can see where is installed and i can tell you !! i abuse of it several times, even the low end is curved for cable pressure. I think the concern must be about the proper instalation and the proper braket fabrication to support the forces.
I haven't tested yet, but before i really need it, i will test it in a secure enviroment, and see how it moves the brakets with force applied, there is a second point to give strength to the winch support and is a plate between the winch plate and the front cross member, this could be large to the second cross member and use it as a skid plate, but test will tell. I'm with lot of work, so no time to play for 2 weeks, when i do the test i will post it.
Sorry about any mispelling, english is not my primary language.
Claudio