Think I picked up a bargain winch :)

[Steve F]

Think I just picked up a bargain, 8500lb T-Max winch for $400 on ebay, new and includes the wireless remote etc etc, even shipping from Perth to Sydney in that price (I think they stuffed up with that one but are honoring it).

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=200277352604

Now I gotta start on that winch bar :)

Cheers
Steve

[jeepthing]

Nice! 8) modify exisiting bar or start from scratch? going by your previous bar efforts and with that camper, I'll be looking forward to seeing what you make up

[Steve F]

I'll start from scratch I think, I have some ideas on how I want this bar to look so may as well take my time and start over. The current bar doesn't really stick out enough anyway to mount a winch on it even if I did beef it up for one.

Cheers
Steve

[sir_camel]

Cut into the grill! and mount it half in and half out! Exactly what an XJ needs, reduced cooling capacity!

[casey]

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with Steve.

From all the requests you get every time you post up a pic of your work, I reckon you'll get plenty of interest from ppl to buy your current one off you :)

[Steve F]

Winch turned up today, roller fairlead is on the way.

Very happy with the deal, the solenoid box is over $200 when sold separately (there is one on ebay 2nd hand for $80 at the moment though). Anyway, pulled the solenoid box apart and found the cable outlets are sealed with o-rings and the base plate has a lip on the iside to seal that as well. I think I'll add a smear of silicon on the base plate though just to make sure.

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/album845/100_6475.sized.jpg

The controller is wireless but also comes with an adapter and cable if the battery in the hand controller plays up or goes flat.

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/album845/100_6477.sized.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/album845/100_6479.sized.jpg

And the bar design I think I'll go with. Trick but should be different to the standard ARB bar you see on XJ's

http://www.protofab4x4.com/pics/xjfrntpwb04.jpg

http://www.protofab4x4.com/pics/xjfrntpwb02.jpg

Possibly with a hoop on the top

http://inlinethumb17.webshots.com/16912/2104704850100669327S600x600Q85.jpg

Anyway, winch comes apart for a look over and checking grease etc soon and then I'll start measuring up for the bar.

Cheers
Steve

[casey]

cool idea for a bar i saw recently: rock crawling lights built into in front/above the wheels

room something like that in that XJ design?

http://www.sydneyjeepclub.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=1296&g2_serialNumber=1&g2_GALLERYSID=1634ed3cb3a65716340b1d6ef9704f9c

[Steve F]

I've already got rock lights but that's not a bad idea as I have smashed one in the few years they've been there.

Cheers
Steve

[Steve F]

Here's what I'll be building, any suggestions? Spent a few hours making the model of the bar this afternoon.

Ignore the fact it's on a pre 97 XJ, mine's a 2000, I just couldn't be bothered getting rid of the lower valance etc.

Thinking of putting a small stinger on it, I might also lengthen the wings on the sides a bit. Off to grab the steel tomorrow hopefully.

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/album846/Above.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/album846/Below.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/album846/Front.jpg

Cheers
Steve

[sir_camel]

Fitting some Dana 60's too? Those diffs look massive. :)

[Steve F]

Fitting some Dana 60's too? Those diffs look massive. :)


I wish :)

Started on the bar yesterday, made frame brackets and the winch mount, just a few small beads to hold it together at the moment. Drilled 8 of the 12 mounting holes today but then it started to rain so I went inside for a Christmas eve beer. Hope to have it done for the Bylong trip.

Anyway, some pics from yesterday.

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/album846/100_6516.sized.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/album846/100_6519.sized.jpg

Cheers
Steve

[tim]

Thats a nice looking front bar design for the front of the XJ.
different. I like. The hoop also looks good.
And I have some time off to build one. (all of January)

so I have a bunch of questions.

How do you cut such straight lines in the steel ? tools used?

Do the 2 main supports that extend back to the chassis bolt hole just above where the upper swaybar connects).

Do you still have any of the templates measurements etc?

In your design images, it looks like you have 2 recovery points on top of the bar or are they for something else?

Where do you get your steel from?

Cheers
Tim

[Steve F]

Thats a nice looking front bar design for the front of the XJ.
different. I like. The hoop also looks good.
And I have some time off to build one. (all of January)

so I have a bunch of questions.

How do you cut such straight lines in the steel ? tools used?

Do the 2 main supports that extend back to the chassis bolt hole just above where the upper swaybar connects).

Do you still have any of the templates measurements etc?

In your design images, it looks like you have 2 recovery points on top of the bar or are they for something else?

Where do you get your steel from?

Cheers
Tim




To cut straight lines I clamp a small piece of box to the plate and use an angle grinder with 1mm cutting discs, works well.

Yep goes back to the large sleeved hole near the top of the link.

Also got a template, I tweaked it a bit but can make the adjustments and send it to you, I won't be back until Tuesday though.

Yep recovery hooks on top, they will bolt through the bar body and then on to some 6mm angle that will be welded to the main plates.

Got all th steel from edcon steel at Brookvale, cost close to $300 but I have plenty of spare so could have got away with around $230 I think.

Cheers Steve

[tim]

Thanks Steve.

What program do you use?

Cheers Tim

[Steve F]

Google sketchup, free and pretty easy.

Cheers Steve

[Steve F]

Since the last pics I have made some angle brackets in 6mm steel that reinforce the front two mounting holes, they bolt to the bar and the through the two holes in the cross member, the same as the one that comes with the tow hook pack. I also cut the bar out of the flat steel, I am doing the lower sections separately, the reason I did the top section in one piece was to ensure I could keep it all straight and get the pieces right, I made a ply template for the wings.

I was going to bend the plate but the 4mm is too thick and after scoring the back I still cant easily get a 90o bend (dont have the equipment to bend it) so ended up cutting through the upper sections and clamping them at 90o and welding, I did bend the face of the bar to get the angle though.

Anyway, a couple of pics prior to bending and welding, should have the finished face without the lower skids tomorrow. Everywhere there is a dotted line is a bend.

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/album846/100_6528.sized.jpg

Cheers
Steve

[Steve F]

Did some more :)

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/album846/100_6539.sized.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/album846/100_6540.sized.jpg

Cheers
Steve

[Steve F]

Bit more done, just need to cap the ends of the wings and put on two tabs for the spotlights. Also waiting for the fairlead to turn up so I can cut the mount on the front to size. Also started smoothing it out, need to run a few more beads to sort out my far from perfect welding, still pretty happy with it though :)

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/album846/100_6554.sized.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/album846/100_6555.sized.jpg

Cheers
Steve

[sir_camel]

Roller or Hawse Steve?

Looks very tidy...as per usual...

[Steve F]

Hawse, I have a roller one but ordered a cast steel hawse for the lower profile.

Cheers
Steve

[Wooders]

Looking really good steve - But you should have given us a yell if you needed a press - could have helped.
Nonetheless looks great.

[Steve F]

Dont have any dimple dies do you ;) Looked at them and they are waaaay expensive. I'd like to cut some holes in the skid and use a dimple die on them :)

Cheers
Steve

[Wooders]

What's way expensive?
I love the dimple die look and would love to have one of those (but if they are Xy then chances aren't good ;)).

[Steve F]

They do look good

http://www.vansantent.com/images/jmr_dimple_dies.gif

A 5 piece set (going up in 1/2" increments) 1/2" to 2 1/2" is around $425USD

A single 2" is around $150USD, I guess if they get used a lot it isn't to bad but for a single project and just 4 holes it's too much for me :( If only someone rented them out ;)

Cheers
Steve

[casey]

you could buy it and then rent it out to other DIY'ers... I'm sure you'd get plenty of people wanting it once you put pics of your handywork with it up on AJOR ;)

[Steve F]

Pretty much done, the lights are just hanging in the mounts at the moment so are almost resting on the tow hooks, they will be further back giving room to hook a strap on the hooks. The winch is not mounted yet, need to work out how I'm going to mount the controller to the top of it (is there a standard mount that can be bought?) then when it is wired up I'll mount it. Also haven't trimmed the front for the fairlead yet, should get that tomorrow in the post.

Anyway, pics.

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/album846/100_6572.sized.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/album846/100_6573.sized.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/album846/100_6574.sized.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/album846/100_6577.sized.jpg

Now to fit a new radiator and a few other bits and pieces ready for the long weekend :)

Cheers
Steve

[Cpage66]

NICE!!!!

[casey]

A Warn winch mount bracket should fit it. I had to buy one for mine - even Warn winches don't come with them as standard :P

http://www.quadratec.com/Assets/Images/41352/41352-md.jpg

http://www.quadratec.com/products/92104_03.htm

But knowing how handy you are, you'll probably be able to make your own ;)

(it attaches using that single hole on the right-angle section using one of the bolts that secure those cross bars on top of the winch. the solenoid box attaches to the other side with the two holes)

[casey]

oh, and that bar looks hard-to-the-CORE maenz!

[NT-Boy]

Looks great, nice work.

[Steve F]

Winch is all bolted on now, fairlead sorted behind the numberpLate (new slim line plates coming that will fit below the fairlead). The controller is on with cable ties until I make a bracket for it. Works well in the quick test I gave it, the wireless remote is cool.

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/album846/Winch_Bar_front_nonum.sized.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/album846/100_6582_NONUM.sized.jpg

Cheers
Steve

[casey]

Nice work.
Are you going to leave the solenoid box on the outside, or mount it under the hood (or somewhere else out of the way) and use the wireless controller?

I'd like put mine under the hood (and use a wireless controller), after I saw how Ian has his mounted that way.

[Steve F]

Probably leave it outside, it's all sealed etc and there is no room under the bonnet of an XJ, especially mine with the dual battery setup etc. As an aside to use it wireless you still need to plug the receiver tail into the control box so you need some sort of access. The good thing about this is you cant accidentally activate the winch.

Cheers
Steve