One of the questions we hear all the time is:
"What does it mean to relocate the winch control box?"
Sometimes customers call it a solenoid box.
Sometimes they don't know what it's called at all.
They just know the installation instructions say it needs to be relocated, and they're wondering if they just signed up for something way over their heads.
The good news is, you probably didn't.
To explain why, I have to go back about twenty years.
It Started With a Winch
When I was in my early 20s, our off-road club started venturing farther from home than we ever had before. We weren't just driving local trails anymore. We were finding tougher trails, getting into places where there wasn't another vehicle around to bail us out, and eventually we all came to the same conclusion.
Somebody needed a winch.
As the unofficial leader of the group, I felt like that responsibility fell on me. If I was going to convince everyone to follow me into the middle of nowhere, I wanted to know we had a way to get back out.
Back then, winches were pretty simple.
You had a motor.
You had a gearbox.
And you had a control box.
Most of us called it the solenoid box. It sat right on top of the winch, held in place by a couple of steel bars. If you needed to move it, you loosened a few bolts and mounted it somewhere else. It really wasn't something anybody thought much about.
There were a few integrated winches back then, but they usually created more headaches than they solved. If they didn't fit your bumper, there wasn't much you could do about it.
Fast Forward 20 Years
I can still remember the first time I saw the Warn ZEON.
It was at the 2014 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Warn had it sitting in the New Product Showcase, and it immediately caught my attention.
It didn't look anything like the winches we had been designing around for years.
It was big. It looked like something straight out of Star Wars. The motor and gearbox were centered instead of offset, which was completely different from the traditional winch design we'd known for decades.
It was obvious Warn had just changed the game.
What most people didn't realize was that it also created a new challenge for companies like us.
For years, bumper manufacturers had been designing around offset winches. Now one of the most popular winches on the market had a completely different shape and took up more space.
That meant bumper designs had to evolve right along with it.
The ZEON wasn't the only one. As winch manufacturers added larger contactors, better sealing, wireless remotes, and more features, winches continued to grow in size.
Why Does the Control Box Need to Move?
At the same time all of this was happening, the off-road market was changing too.
When I first started wheeling, the trails were mostly Jeeps with the occasional early Toyota pickup mixed in.
Today it's a completely different world.
Toyota 4Runners, Tacomas, Land Cruisers, GX460s, Broncos, Colorados, Canyons, and even Honda Passports have become incredibly popular.
Vehicle manufacturers have packed more equipment under the hood than ever before. Larger cooling systems, more electronics, crash structures, emissions equipment, and safety features all compete for the same space.
Then we come along and try to fit a winch in there.
Most people assume the winch motor is what gets in the way.
In our experience, it usually isn't.
More often than not, it's the control box sitting on top of the winch.
We still get phone calls from customers saying,
"Your bumper doesn't fit my winch."
After a few questions we'll ask,
"Did you relocate the control box?"
Most of the time the answer is no.
Once it's moved, everything fits exactly the way it was designed to.
There's only so much room under the front of a modern truck.
Between the frame rails, hood latch supports, brake lines, cooling lines, wiring, and everything else the factory squeezed under there, every inch matters.
We could build a bumper that sticks farther out from the truck, but I don't think anybody wants that.
I'd rather build a bumper that fits tight, looks like it belongs on the vehicle, and relocate the control box when it's needed.
To me, that's a much better tradeoff.
So What Is Control Box Relocation?
Honestly, it's a lot less intimidating than it sounds.
You're simply removing the control box from the top of the winch and mounting it somewhere else on the vehicle.
That's it.
The winch works exactly the same.
You're not modifying the internals.
You're not changing how much it pulls.
You're just putting the control box in a better location so everything has the room it needs.
Where Should the Control Box Go?
Whenever possible, I like mounting the control box under the hood.
It's protected from the weather, easy to access if you need to plug in your controller, and it keeps the installation looking clean.
Every vehicle is a little different, but under the hood is usually the first place we look.
On the 3rd Gen Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, we even designed a relocation bracket that mounts the control box next to the battery. It gives the control box a dedicated home and makes for a really clean installation.
Some vehicles already have a good mounting location.
Others benefit from a relocation bracket.
Which Winches Can Be Relocated?
If you're shopping for a new winch, I'd recommend choosing one with a removable control box.
We've verified fitment with:
Many other winches also have removable control boxes. If you're looking at something different, compare its overall dimensions to these models to help verify fitment.
Some of our bumper applications that commonly require control box relocation include:
What Do I Need to Relocate It?
If your bumper requires relocating the control box, you'll need a relocation kit designed for your specific winch.
Warn sells relocation kits for many of their winches, and there are also aftermarket kits available through retailers like Amazon.
Most relocation kits include:
Once you have the correct kit, the relocation itself is usually pretty straightforward.
Do I Need a Mounting Bracket?
Maybe.
Some vehicles have existing locations where you can securely mount the control box without an additional bracket.
Others don't.
If you can't find a good mounting location, a relocation bracket makes the installation much cleaner.
For the 3rd Gen Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, we offer a vehicle-specific bracket that mounts the control box near the battery.
For vehicles like the Toyota Tacoma, there are several aftermarket relocation brackets available online.
The important thing is making sure the control box is mounted securely, away from excessive heat and moving components, while still being easy to access if you ever need it.
Final Thoughts
The first time you hear someone say, "You'll need to relocate the control box," it sounds like a major project.
It really isn't.
It's simply the result of modern vehicles, modern bumpers, and modern winches all competing for the same space.
Once you understand why it's done, it makes perfect sense.
If you're planning a bumper and winch for your build and you're not sure whether relocation will be required, reach out to our Customer Experience team before you order. We'd much rather answer that question ahead of time than have you discover it halfway through your installation.
See you on the Trails!
Brian Meyers - President / CEO
Victory4x4
