Winch Power Cable Wiring How-To Hybrid 6th Gen 4Runner

[Trail4R]

For the guys looking to run a winch on your front bumper with a hybrid 4Runner, you need to pull power from the rear battery to the front. This is the solution that Dissent Off-road provides with both their low-profile bumper and the full-width high clearance front bumper.

Whether or not you go with Dissent is up to you, but hopefully this thread will give you some insight into properly powering a winch on the front of your hybrid 6th Gen 4Runner.

Dissent off-road winch cable power kit:

• 1 X 2-gauge positive lead (15')
• 1 X 2-gauge negative lead (18')
• 1 X 1-inch Expandable Braided Sleeve (15')
• 2 X Weatherproof Grommets
• MEGA Fuse Holder and 300A Fuse

Dissent does not provide any butt connectors, so if you're wiring this at home, you will need 2-gauge butt connectors, which can be a pain to crimp if you don't have a hydraulic crimper. If you don't have a hydraulic crimp, you might be able to use some butt connectors like this (Mechanical Butt Splice Connectors).

The setup is pretty simple, and wiring this kit can be done in under an hour.

Install note: You will need to drill two holes in your rear fender well in order to install the weatherproof grommets for the cables.

Start by crimping your leads directly to your winch leads and then route your winch leads through the engine by, down the front fender well area towards the front body mounts.

Route Winch Leads Near Body Mount​

Continue Leads Along Frame Rail​

Install Weatherproof Grommets​

To install the grommets, first remove your fender liner. There are a handle of little screw on clips and 10mm bolts that need to be removed. Once all the clips and screws are removed, set the fender liner to the side. Now locate the area you need to drill. From inside the cabin, remove the battery cover and the storage tray. Once you locate a flat area on the sheet metal big enough for two 1" connectors, mark a center point with a punch. Return to the fender well and locate the punch mark. Determine whether or not this is an accurate location for drilling. You can see in our photos above exactly where we found the best position. Once you have found the locations, mock up your weatherproof connectors and mark a drill hole with a Sharpie. Drill out both holes with a step bit or your desired bit of choice. Once the holes are drilled, install the connectors, and route your cables along the inside of the fender well through the connectors and into the cabin. Secure the cable with zip-ties and finish the ends off with tessa tape.

Re-Install Fender Liner​

Install Mega Fuse Holder​

We bolted our fuse holder to the storage compartment in the back. You can see in the photos above where the fuse holder is mounted and how the cables are routed.

That's it. If you guys have any questions, let me know below.

 

[orlyg1521]

What is the purppose for this project? Rear/hitch mounted winch?

 

[Trail4R]

@orlyg1521 this is for powering a winch in the front of the vehicle.

 

[orlyg1521]

Just asking for clarification: if the winch is in the front ( I assume on a winch bumper) then why not directly connect to the battery? That is how I connected my 5th gen

 

[Trail4R]

@orlyg1521 because on the hybrid 4Runner, the primary 12V battery is located in the rear cargo area. On the non-hybrid 4Runners, the hybrid battery is located in the engine bay, which makes wiring a winch really easy. For the hybrid 4Runners, you have to run a direct 2-gauge connection from the front of the vehicle (winch) to the rear (battery).