Tundra Winch Bed Install?

Hi

I’m trying to install a winch in the bed of my Tundra 2018 year. The goal is to use it to assist in pulling heavy things up a ramp into the bed.

Any of you guys do this?
Is it a difficult install?
Where do I get the parts etc, or should I have someone install it?

I had a hard tonneau cover so I was planning to mount underneath it

Is there any stores etc that sell and install them?

 

I’d winch a max of probably 500 lbs.
I have a genuine Toyota bed divider I just wonder if that would sustain the winch mount for that amount of weight? The bed divider is connected to the side rails

I’m not planning on winching an ATV or anything into the back but if someone here tells me it can easily be done and not cost much more or something I’d probably do it and then not be limited in future

 

I’d accept under 400 lbs if it worked...just gathering thoughts as that may work for what I’m doing right now

any idea what the bed hooks are rated or considered limited at?

 

I'd personally go for something that's been designed for it, and holds the winch up a bit to keep be cable/rope off the bed and tailgate. Something like this -> https://squirrley.com/products/toy-loader-universal-loading-system-and-2000-utility-winch

 

yep I’ve seen this and it looks great but how would that work if I have the Toyota hard tonneau in the place where that needs to be? I don’t think it’s comparable or is it

 

What exactly are you trying to do? are you handicapped? I’m just trying to imagine what you would need a winch in the back of the bed to then pull less than 400# of something up a ramp, and be under a cover?

Friday post?
@bmf4069

 

What are you trying to winch up ramps into your bed that will fit under a bed cover? I would still prioritize the winch position being higher over the cover, but that is my preference. A winch mounted low is going to be applying a LOT more force forward into the ramps than it is upward to get it in. I would be concerned with collapsing the ramps, or ripping out anchor points, because your forces will be way more than 500 pounds in that situation.

 

A cheap option that might work (we used it to get elk into the bed of an old ford before) is to hook a short chain or lifting strap between the anchor points at the front of the bed and use a come-along attached to the center to winch it in. Similar to how this guy got his quad into the bed.

 

If it has to fit under the cover, I'd mount a plate that used the front bed mounting bolts to secure it to the frame and then do something similar to what this guys has in his video. We don't have the bed tracks that he does in his Nissan, but it still illustrates the point and the anti-abrasion is important too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvDfoiDDh_k

 

Exactly. If you want to keep it under the tonneau then you’re probably going to have to make a custom mount. Shouldn’t be too hard. If you’re not doing this winching every day I’d go with the chain and come-along approach. Did this with my atv a dozen or so times. Never a problem.

 

IIRC the bed hooks are rated for 400lbs, but 400lbs for load securing limit is a lot different than 400lbs working limit. Just look at lifting chains and load securing chains. Very different properties and cost.

 

Hey guys

thanks for the replies I didn’t get alerted to any of them.

I’m not handicapped, I’ve a really bad bad and right now it’s even hard to walk. It’s a bad day today but I’m generally not like this and I try to go easy on my back because I’m aware of it.

right now I’m trying to put a steamer into the bed, up the ramp, which I have and into the truck bed to drive it A to B. I can’t lift 200 lbs, and most things I’d be moving are under 500 lbs and I don’t know anyone on their own that can lift that even without a bad back.

so I’m just asking for options. The cheap option you mentioned may work, with straps between the anchor points. Unfortunately I can’t put a winch on the steamer. But maybe put a winch in the middle of the straps on a pulley or something to then pull it up the ramp.
I agree it would be nice to have the winch up the same height as the roof. I may do this only a couple of times a year however

I’m just trying to see how you guys would do it. We’ve not got much help as we don’t have family etc around

 

The image I posted of the cheap option was more to illustrate the concept. You can easily use a strap or chain up front and connect the come along or winch to the center with a clevis like in the picture. Doesn't really matter which end is pulling.

 

Here is a video (audio is stupid quiet, but also irrelevant) that I think I have timed to show how you could rig up a come along to get the job done. You just need to watch a few seconds from where it should start to see what I am talking about.
https://youtu.be/k3XzkiqanLs?t=138

 

I was thinking of using something like the Warn portable electric winch

there’s the truck bed anchor hooks, and then there’s the Toyota sliding rail hooks the new style ones, which would you suggest? This thing weighs about 200 lbs or so

I was going to use the portable winch along with some straps and the ramps

 

I would not use the rail system for anything but strapping down a static load. The bed anchors are rated significantly higher, so that would be my choice.

 

Our local game and fish trucks all have winches mounted on a headache rack. The elevated pull angle seems to be helpful when lifting an awkward carcass onto the tailgate. I'll try to take and post a picture next time I see one. They've been setting 'em up this way for so long, I'm inclined to think there must be an off-the-shelf option.

 

Slightly different application but the principle is right...My dad needed less effort to load elk or wood int he back of his truck so we built a truck headache rack that incorporated a winch into the equation...here are some photos of the effort put in...it's VERY strong and usable:

 

^^Thank you sir! I did the wiring and my fabricator brother did the welding...came out pretty well! Also functions to move the winch to the rear hitch and is wired in accordingly too...best part is, it works! Ha!

 

Funny I came across this thread. My dad and I are looking to do the same thing with our trucks, he has a Colorado. We do a lot of hunting, usually averaging 4-5 deer each per year. We hunt alone and being able to quickly and easily load a deer into the bed without killing our backs is something we're after. I pulled my back out last year lifting a deer and cart into the back of the truck, missed a few days of work and took weeks to fully recover. Debating on using a hand which somehow hooked over the tailgate to a pulley at the front of the bed vs an electric winch mounted to the front of the bed somewhere