Winch cover with Lo-pro bumper?

Anyone using a cover for their winch? Doubt i will ever use it, but i'm installing a winch with the new bumper. Would a cover make sense or overkill?

 

Nor sure what you mean. Isn’t the winch already inside the low-pro bumper?

 

I don’t think it makes sense, but whenever my grill catches one of those plastic grocery bags, I just leave there. Free cover!

 

I don't think it makes too much sense. It would be nearly impossible to get to in order to put the cover on in the first place without taking apart the upper trim-at least-anyway. Then if you need your winch, having to deal with that first, no thanks. Mine is quite protected in there and fortunately I have a remote and just go from there.

 

I installed a cover for the winch, it swings up when I want to use it (barely use the winch). I like it better covered.

 

i like this, gives a place for the front plate.

 

If by 'cover' you mean a neoprene or vinyl thing that actually snugs over the winch like Jeeps use on their exposed winches, then like someone else said above, I think that's overkill and there's really no way to get it in there. The winch is already waterproof, and it's mostly protected from debris in the bumper.

If by 'cover' you mean a fairlead plate cover like shown immediately above, I don't see any benefits to that but it would at least not be nigh impossible to install.

One thing I would do as far as winch covering: if you are going to have any section of rope exposed to the elements by clipping the hook onto a recovery point a foot away from the fairlead, is cover the exposed end of the rope to provide UV and abrasion protection. Like so, with an aftermarket Smittybilt velcro rope cover (mine):

 

I have the Warn bumper and I was able get the Warn neoprene cover on my M8000. The Warn bumper has fairly large access holes. I leave the synthetic line and thimble rolled snug on the drum inside the cover. Nothing showing to attract the curious, vandals or sun damage. Stays pretty dry.

 

Depending on the bumper, you could make little removable covers for the holes that let you access the winch clutch. I have a warn bumper, which has fairly large openings. I didn’t want salty water spray getting in there during the winter months, so I made covers using some thin bendable cutting board material. It’s the perfect thickness for a cover, and flexible.

It took a few hours of thinking and crafting to make something that stays on but is still easy to get off. They material is different colors at first, but a quick spray with plastidip and it the covers looks like they were made on purpose.

I’ve only had one come off in a car wash, but I was able to make a new one pretty quick to replace it. I take them off in summer to make sure the transmission stays cool. Winch stays dry and salt free. No weird corrosion and it still works fine after a few years.

@Stoney Ranger did something similar with his using plexiglass.

 

I made these 3D printed covers using a magnetic mounting scheme.