Tweet
This required replacing the bull bar mounts $300 (expired recall) and adding the winch cradle $200
- Had to remove bull bar and old crush cans.
- Fitted cradle to inside of bull bar bumper
- Fitted the new crush cans to that
- Bolted in the Winch (had to shorten two of the longer supplied bolts with the angle grinder)
- Fitted the rest of the bull bar braces
- Fitted Roadsafe recovery points
- Mounted Bull bar back onto car
All up it did take me best part of the weekend, although it was a slow start with the weather.
The new brackets are really heavy compared to the old ones, which seem like paper.
Havent tested yet, still got to wire up the control box (there was no way it was going to fit where the bull bar instructions wanted it mounted)
Trip planned across the Simpson in August, so considering suspension lift next
I am really wanting ditch the airbags and fit conventional springs, has anyone done this? I have read too many stories now of failed airbags and people running on the bumpstops. It all seems to limiting to keep them just for the sake of auto levelling and adjustable ride height.
I want to lift 2 inches. Not sure if I can lift the front first (therefore ditching ride comfort control), then worry about the back later? - thoughts???
The control box is inside the bumper, bolted up onto he top of the bumper so you can see the bolts in between my spot lights. To attach the remote control dongle or the wired controller you have to open the bonnet and plug it in. Wiring was easy, as per booklet, no complications.
Instructions say to reload the rope under tension. I went to a big empty car park, pulled out the rope all the way and attached to a tree using my tree protector strap. I left the hand brake on a little to give some resistance and basically winched the car all the way across the car park. (This is my first car with a winch - so forgive me if I was enjoying myself too much).
The winch worked well, everything seemed solid. The bull bar does not really move at all when driving (I know some people post that they feel the bull bar is moving a lot).
Once I put the dual batteries back in, the car had dropped about 1.2cm in total from fitting the winch/cradle/brackets etc. It looks really low in the front though. So got to consider options quickly for front suspension at least. HD springs or a lift? That is the question!