Hi,

I just got my first atv...no neighbors have one around for me to borrow, so I had to buy my own .

It's a new 2014 honda 420 rancher. I will put a Reese hitch on the front of it for sure, is there enough room to put a winch too? I'm searching the net and haven't found the answer yet, figured I'd ask you guys.

Are you talking about the kind of hitch you put on the back of your truck? Or just the receiver part?

I assume you mean a receiver hitch when you say Reese hitch.
Easiest thing to do would be to mount the winch on a platform that interfaces into the receiver hitch. They are available commercially.

I have my truck set up with a receiver hitch front and back , with wiring for the winch at both places. I can then set the winch at either end.

Why would you put a hitch on the front? I'd add a shackle before I would add a hitch. Is your Rancher an IRS machine or SRA?

If you got stuck, then without a winch in front, how would you winch it out with just a shackle other than having the winch mated with a ways to hook it onto the shackle.?

Because I don't go anywhere without a winch and you don't need a Reese unit to install a winch to the front of your atv. I'm thinking the OP might want one of those for moving his winch from front to back and vice versa.

The shackle is used when someone else pulls you out. I don't ride by myself so getting stuck is generally not an issue plus I carry an extra 50ft tow strap just in case.

That is what I assumed when I responded with my first post.

When someone says a Reese hitch, I think of a weight distribution hitch, not just a receiver hitch.

Yea I want a receiver hitch in the front so I could use attachments, like a ball for pushing a boat trailer to the back yard or a cooler platform to move around during our block parties. I want to mount a winch for just in case I get stuck, but could just carry a strap and a come along if the winch didn't fit too.

Put the hitch on the back, that's where the trailer ball I use for towing resides. ANd as far as carrying coolers, why not use the front or back rack, that's what they are for.

saddlesore, we are on the same page concerning the Reese hitch.

It is easier to move and steer trailers around the place if one has a ball on the front of a truck or ATV. I have hard time twisting around anymore to watch a trailer while I am backing it up

I'm sure someone with some welding skills can get you a reciever mounted on the front. It should be pretty easy to get the winch on there. It's nearly plug and play now.

I have a 1700 KFC winch loosely mounted on now, I picked it up along with their mounting plate.

After following their directions, the winch is upside down, which is ok...but the clutch release is really too close to the frame to work it easily. I think that I will turn it around tomorrow to give more room for the free spool lever. The only problem is, then the wench will spool from the top ie it will spool from the furthest distance from the mount. I'm figuring it won't matter much.

I'll go to tractor supply later this week and get a hitch and see if I can weld something up for the front too.

The only problem is, then the wench will spool from the top ie it will spool from the furthest distance from the mount

Can you not just pull out all the cable & wind in back on the other rotation?
Winch's themselves don't know "in" from "out"

Good idea Senior, I haven't messed with it today - got off of work too late. Thought about it most of the day, I may be able to move the whole winch back some and that would give enough finger room when opening the release lever. You wouldn't see it easily but could still feel it, like opening the hood on a car.

I have a 2009, 420 rancher and have placed a ball plate holder on the front like on the back. I wanted to put a receiver on but couldn't find a factory made one available for the Honda. There is an aftermarket plate you can get that fits behind the front grill on your frame. You will see three 3/4" holes which are designed to anchor the support plate. No welding needed. The ball plate (Holder) then extends through the grill around 8" and is supported with arms to the main frame. It works great and makes pushing small trailers, wagons and log splitters easy work. I will try to find out where I purchased the device, there is no name on it. It is just a plate like you will find on the back of your unit, but it works. I use a come-a-long when riding by myself since I usually only have to move the bike a few feet to free it up.

You could have a steel plate made to weld a receiver hitch to that would anchor to the frame using the three holes I used for my plate. I love having a ball on the front. It was worth the trouble.