A winch is a high maintenance tool. Especially if it gets used. They can and do bind during recovery processes. What are you going to do then? Drop half your front end in the middle of a bog? This design is 100% for the aesthetics and not for practical use. I don't understand why they did not at least put some kind of access plate on it? Then it could work. I am not going to encase a winch behind a friging bumper that must be removed for basic use, care, and maintenance. Each to their own, it will look bad ass until you need to use it or care for it.