Fitting a winch to TJM T13 bar

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

Here's a pic I found in another thread (not my Prado) that shows a front on view of the bash plate in question :-
http://postimage.org/image/1suj0r8ck/

You can see how the forward edge slots in above the bottom lip on the bar. At the back you can see how the rear edge slots in above the factory tow points. There just isn't enough room to get the plate out from between these 2 points. Short of taking a angle grinder to the loops as AJ120 suggested or a crowbar to the plate (which is pretty solid and I doubt would bend easily) I'm stumped.

[Fabes Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fabes]

Here's a pic I found in another thread (not my Prado) that shows a front on view of the bash plate in question :-
http://postimage.org/image/1suj0r8ck/

You can see how the forward edge slots in above the bottom lip on the bar. At the back you can see how the rear edge slots in above the factory tow points. There just isn't enough room to get the plate out from between these 2 points. Short of taking a angle grinder to the loops as AJ120 suggested or a crowbar to the plate (which is pretty solid and I doubt would bend easily) I'm stumped.

By memory I just got a large screwdriver in near the tie die points and yanked the plate down. Just be a bit forceful, can't really damage it.

Ps I do remember I took the side plates off as well I think they prevented the middle plate from being able to be removed.


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[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

By memory I just got a large screwdriver in near the tie die points and yanked the plate down. Just be a bit forceful, can't really damage it.

And this was the TJM supplied plate? How did you get it back in afterwards?

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

Well we've hit yet another hurdle in our quest for a DIY winch install. We managed to get the bolts undone from the factory engine bash plate with some cursing but can't free it because of some hooks on the front of the plate. This diagram shows the hooks in question :-

http://postimage.org/image/8bl6o8bph/

Looks like the plate needs to come forward to free the hooks but of course the TJM radiator plate (even undone) is preventing this. We've even tried the crowbar method but she won't budge. I don't want to admit defeat yet but short of removing the bull bar I don't know what else to do.

Help me oh fellow PPers, you're my only hope!

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

Will a trolley jack with a 1350 load rating and a height of 350mm be enough to lift the front of the Prado? The bash plate under the engine needs to be pulled down from the back edge to free it as there are hooks at the front edge, can't get it out with all 4 wheels on the ground.

[Fabes Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fabes]

Been away on holidays....
I don't see why you are having issues removing the centre TJM plate from the bottom of the Bullbar.
I'm going to try and attach a couple of photos of mine, perhaps because you have KDSS your is different to mine.
In one of of the photos I'm pointing to where I inserted the large screwdriver and levered the plate along that edge.





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[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

Thanks for the pics Fabes. The TJM plate is easy enough to undo but we couldn't get it to come forward far enough to lever over the tow points. We tried undoing the plate behind it but as per my previous post the hooks on that one stopped it from being removed. I'll go through the pics we took during our previous attempt and see if I have on that shows the TJM plate, maybe mine is different as you say.



Pic taken from underneath the car after all the bolts had been undone (click to enlarge). You can see how the plate behind it pushes it forward. If that plate was gone you could just push the radiator guard back against the foam between the 2 plates and it would drop down at the front.

I get what you are saying about levering it from the back edge instead but we tried and couldn't bend it enough to pop it over the tow hooks.

Is the front edge of your engine plate clipped over the back edge of the TJM radiator plate in that pic? Is it the factory one? The front edge of my engine plate sits behind the radiator plate.

[Fabes Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fabes]

Is the front edge of your engine plate clipped over the back edge of the TJM radiator plate in that pic? Is it the factory one? The front edge of my engine plate sits behind the radiator plate.

On my vehicle the back edge of the TJM radiator guard sits behind the front edge of the factory engine guard hence I had to lever the TJM plate up ( by about 1cm) and over towards the front of the vehicle then lever it over the tow hooks.
Once that was done I dropped the winch in from the top (already had the grill removed) and tightened the mounting bolts up from underneath.


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[Chriso57 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chriso57]

fido666,

When I fitted my T13 bar I came up with a similar problem. The center (TJM) bashplate was a real bastard to get into position. I am pretty sure I had to put a slight bend into 1 corner to allow clearance around the tiedown points. You are on the right track though. Crowbar, brute force and ignorance is what you are gonna need. Jack it up as high as you can or even a decent set of ramps to get some room to work.

I also remember taking the factory sump guard off once. Yes there are hooks that are an absolute prick to dislodge.

Good luck and keep persisting.

Chriso

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

On my vehicle the back edge of the TJM radiator guard sits behind the front edge of the factory engine guard

It sounds like your factory engine guard has had it's clips removed then, don't see how it would go on otherwise.

Jack it up as high as you can or even a decent set of ramps to get some room to work.

I also remember taking the factory sump guard off once. Yes there are hooks that are an absolute prick to dislodge.

The tools are the problem, I don't have ramps, etc. Priced some up and it will eat up most of the savings from a DIY install. The sump guard can be got off if you get the car up high enough, you just have to bend the hooks a bit from the looks of things. I'm convinced they slotted the radiator plate in before they put the front of the bar on and that's why it's being such a pig to get off.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

I picked up my ramps for $5 from a garage sale, so bargains can be had if your lucky sometimes

Another alternative for getting it up a bit to work on is blocks of timber, I have 4 x 100mm thick blocks that I cut from a left over structural beam, but any decent timber would suffice, even if you have to jack each wheel and put the timber under. In my case I cut the ends of all 4 so I can drive up. They are great for all sorts of odd jobs under the Prado, from cleaning to maintenance.



Cheers Andrew

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

That's a good suggestion Andrew and I had thought of it, was just a bit worried about the car rolling off.

ETA: I paid a visit to the local panel shop as the owner has done work on my previous Prado. I've explained the issue and what's involved and he's happy to chuck it on the hoist to remove the engine plate, shouldn't cost more than $50. Would there be any problem with cutting off the hooks once the plate is off? As far as I can tell they serve no real purpose other than making it easier to line up the plate.

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

I'm going to the panel shop on Friday morning to get the engine plate extracted. As there may be some bending of the hooks involved I'm hoping it's OK to just cut them off and grind back the stubs. Anyone who has done this care to comment?

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

After an hour at the panel beater's this morning I now have both bash plates off yay! I wasn't able to get any pics of the removal process but the guy who did the actual work says he just had to undo the radiator plate and then the engine plate was able to be unbolted and swung down. It cost me $45 but that's cheap compared to forking out the $350 TJM quoted to fit the winch. Yes I still have to do the fitting but having pulled the grille, etc off previously I know it's do-able. I might have to put the radiator plate back on temporarily till I have time to fit the winch as the aircon is now a little too exposed for my liking.

[gxllouie Member Find all posts View Profile Close gxllouie]

I have the TJM T13 Outback bar which has a low mount winch design. I've spotted an XTM 12,000lb synthetic rope winch in the current BCF catalogue for $599. It mentions "low mount" in the specs but can anyone comment on it's suitability for my bar?

I spoke to TJM today and was quoted $1100 for a 9,500lb synthetic rope winch on special plus $250 to fit it.

I know the bar will need to come off but how hard is it to fit a winch?

TJM fit mine without having to pull bar off.

They removed the grill and got it in - mako tds - which was too big for my mates patrol bar.