Winch mounting options?

[MilkTruckin]

I am in the process of fixing up and modifying a car trailer to pickup and haul logs.  Im planning to make and mount a removable arch using rectangular steel tubing and stake pockets and possibly also a rear mounted pickup truck crane.

What im stuck on is what i should do about mounting the winch.  Im torn between permenently attaching a mounting plate to the tongue/deck or welding a hitch receiver tube to the tongue so i dont have to leave the winch out in the elements when not in use. 

[Stuart Caruk]

I still have the receiver tube on the front of my trailer. Used to think it was a great idea, although I rarely removed the winch from the trailer. Turns out that while I was having breakfast on a trip, someone else decided it was easy to remove as well. I vote for bolting the sucker down, welding the bolts so they have to be cut off, and building a cover for the winch.

[MilkTruckin]

So basically I would  want to just get a big enough mounting plate to fit the winch  then use u-bolts to attach it to the 3 tongue beams?  Planning to use smittybilt 9500lb if that matters.

[mike_belben]

I use reciever tube because i have many things i mount the winch on, but i use a 5/8 nylock nut threaded on pretty far.  It has prevented the hit and run dirtbags for a quick pin pull score when im just on the gas station or bank.  Extended periods it goes in the shed