I replaced the steel winch cable with 10mm Dyneema rope:
I like the new, cleaner look to the front end.
I had to install a new bigger alloy fairlead which meant the number plate didn't fit anymore, mounted the way it was above the fairlead with the bottom of the plate bolted to the bumper.
I got hold of a TJM flip-up number plate mount but had to get creative with a spacer/bracket because its mounting holes didn't line up with the holes in the bumper and the plate couldn't fold all the way down over the fairlead and rope.
It's days like those that I am thankful to my civil engineer/farmer dad for teaching me how to use tools to craft my own solutions to these types of problems.
My helper mysteriously disappeared when it became time to spool on the rope so I did it by hand and I will have to redo it properly before I can use the winch. I reckon that I'll need to lop 2m off the 28m rope because tight as I could manage but without a criss-cross pattern, it barely fits between the drum and the bumper. Viewed from above:
