1988 Nissan Pathfinder Winch Mounts and Plates

What Is a Winch Mount?

Winches are an exceptional tool for any off-road rig or flat-deck cargo trailer. These convenient tools aid in solo recoveries, allow you to assist fellow drivers, and optimize loading a vehicle onto a trailer. However, purchasing your winch is only half the battle. To use it effectively, you’ll need a rugged mount to secure it to your vehicle or trailer.

Winch mounts accomplish just that, providing a beefy, bolt-on mounting solution for your truck, ATV, UTV, Jeep, SUV, or trailer. Once installed using a winch mount or plate, you can safely operate your winch without risking damage or injury. For additional information onproper winch usage, check out our guide on RealSource.

Winch Mount Types

There are several types of winch mounts, and each suits a particular application. Some of the most common include:

Cradle Mounts

Cradle mounts allow you to securely mount your winch into your vehicle’s hitch receiver for a stout yet easily removable mounting solution. Cradle mounts are ideal for weekend warriors and drivers that only off-road on occasion, as you can remove the cradle in minutes without any specialty tools.

RealTruck Expert Pick: Mile Marker Foldable Receiver Winch Mount

Why we love it: 

• High-quality steel construction

• Corrosion-resistant black powder coat finish

• Easily attach your winch to your 2-in. hitch receiver

• Cradle-style handles fold inward for easy storage

• Handles provide a secure handhold for operating and moving the winch

• Multiple installation holes for a variety of winches

• All needed hardware included for installation

• 2-year warranty

Winch Plates

If you’d prefer a hard-mounted winch on your dedicated off-road rig, consider a premium winch plate, bolting directly to your chassis.

RealTruck Expert Pick: Rugged Ridge Winch Plates & Mounts

Why we love it: 

• Heavy-duty steel construction

• Black powder coat finish

• 10 in. x 4.5-in. bolt pattern

• Compatible with aftermarket bumpers

• Accommodates up to 12,000-lb. capacity winches

• Mounts using factory holes

• Limited 5-year warranty

ATV/UTV Mounts

While most view winches as strictly automotive in application, Jeeps, trucks, and SUVs aren’t the only rigs that like to get dirty on the trail. ATVs and UTVs are becoming more popular dedicated trail rigs and, as such, deserve winch mounting solutions.

RealTruck Expert Pick: Bulldog Winch ATV/UTV Winch Mounts

Why we love it: 

• BullDog custom fits each mount to ensure a precise fitment

• Durable powder coat finish

• Vehicle-specific options are available for all major ATV manufacturers and models, including Honda, Polaris, Arctic Cat, Kawasaki, and Yamaha

• Made in the USA

• 1-year warranty

Winch Plate Installation

Frame-mounted winch plates are a popular winch mounting solution, typically installed in conjunction with your vehicle’s factory bumpers for a sleek appearance. Winch plates are highly durable—and for a good reason. The plate alone needs to support the winch's substantial as well as withstand immense forces while the winch is in use. For this reason, most winch plates are manufactured from thick, heavy-duty plate steel. 

Most winch plates and aftermarket winch bumpers feature direct bolt-on mounting, utilizing factory holes in the chassis for a convenient, no-drill installation. Other options, like cradle mounts, are even simpler to install.