my front hitch is rated at a 9,000 pound pull...and7500 in the rear....4 bolts on each side... unless your going straight up holding the weight of the kj that is fine....you forget your in the thing moving the tires with it....if your scared...snatch block it

_________________
02 Jeep TJ Sahara, 33's locked up front
03 SAS KJ 0n 35ish boggers(Sold )
Petersens 4wheel: http://www.4wheeloffroad.com/featuredve ... index.html

yeah the CURT that i have is rated @ 9000lbs also. and i have 3 bolts on each side. and the same with the rear. you know back in the day when i had an ATV winch (4000lb) on my '97 tj with a Terraflex 4" and 35" tires stuck up to the rocker in hard clay/mud, it had no problem with that. so i guess that i'll have to wait and see how well it works. on angles, up and down, left and right. maybe i can winch it in circles.

My opinion; If you are going somewhere that you are going to need an 8500lb winch to get you out; then you probably shoulndt be there to begin with. If you do feel the need for a winch than do it correctly, get an ARB the bumpers when matched to the proper winch or winch of your choice are designed to do the job. i have seen guys rip 6500 8500 and 10000lb's off the hich mounts. just a thought.

_________________
“You cannot solve a problem from the same consciousness that created it."

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.”

That reminds me of a magizine article,4 wheeler I believe,that built up a new FJ Cruiser.The whole works,D60's F/R and custom F/R bumbers made by Fab4's,a very good winch bumber making company,and while testing it the front bumber flew off the front of the FJ.I believe it was due to the incorrect mounting of the winch,to high I believe and grade 5 bolts holding the bumber on.

I know what you mean, I stopped in to one of my local 4x4 shops to hang out and this guy pulled in with a F350 full cab with a front hitch mounted Warn Power plant , it looked really scary sitting into a piece of 2x2 square tubing, never mind parachuting the winch line, I would parachute the hole winch. I can’t imagine that rig getting in ant sort of situation and the winch staying in place. But I think that sometimes people loose the actual concept when it comes to a winch, it may look cool, but cool is not effective and it can be dangerous.

_________________
“You cannot solve a problem from the same consciousness that created it."

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.”