Thanks PradoJim. So perhaps a different winch? Have you been generally happy with the Smartbar? I suppose it's like insurance policies - hard to comment until you actually "use" them! Are the winch choices limited with the Smartbar, or was it just the "deal" you got that led you to that particular unit? Mat
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More thoughts anyone? I actually met a dude on the trails who had one in his V8 GX rig. He’d chosen it as overall car weight was getting up there. Had not hit anything. Winching no issues. Nothing rattling off (has UHF, winch, driving lights). He was happy, and I reckon it looked just fine. No fading in sun over a few years.....
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Have a Smart Bar on my 2013 gxl. It has done a reasonable amount of off roading, including fast corrugated outback highways. It has two kangaroo strikes unscathed. Light, so no need for upgraded front suspension despite second battery. Unfortunately it has developed cracks in the top of the lower section just outboard of the two mounting points. I don’t think it has progressed enough to effect performance but not very satisfactory. The installer claimed that Prados were know for cracking, even steel bars. Haven’t got round to pursuing the “limited lifetime” warranty with the new smartbar owners (ARB). Kangaroo strikes were both on the left. Cracks on both sides.
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Originally posted by mat-with-one-t View PostThanks PradoJim. So perhaps a different winch? Have you been generally happy with the Smartbar? I suppose it's like insurance policies - hard to comment until you actually "use" them! Are the winch choices limited with the Smartbar, or was it just the "deal" you got that led you to that particular unit? Mat
That brand of winch only because it was part of the deal however, I don't think there's anything wrong with the winch. I think it's a potential problem with any rope winch. I have two fourbies the other with a steel cable winch. I've done around 30 winches between the two so have some experience (the other is strictly a toy so spends a lot of time on the tracks).
I called into a large 4x4 store when the winch rope had pulled out on a subsequent winch and explained my problem as I needed a new fitting. They had seen this several times before on different brands of winches all using rope. They were the ones that advised doing the funny wind to strart off with so that the rope wasn't dependent just on the fitting despite the fact that I wasn't pulling unless I had 10+ winds of rope on the winch drum.
I have done one proper winch with this new wind (on an obstacle where the other car broke his CV joint and it was a long pull so lots of rope out. It worked fine (this time). So I may have solved the problem but be aware it may be a problem on any winch using rope.
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I had my winch and bar fitted together, however, I don't believe there'd be any problem retrofitting a winch. At worst, the bar may have to be partially removed but that's really not a big deal.
One adverse comment about the Smart Bar. I've had mine for 5 years. Almost immediately rust started to bubble up the paint on the winch and spottie mount. After a couple of years it was so bad on the spottie mount I removed it, had it bead blasted and repainted. The winch mount is terrible. Paint flaked off everywhere and it needs to come off.
I'm finding this regularly (for example my front recovery points). All shiny and nicely powdercoated when bought and within months paint flaking off and within 18 months one of my recovery points has no powdercoat, just rust. And I don't do beach driving. None. Whoever is manufacturing the metal for these businesses is powdercoating over already rusting metal.
Have a good look at the metal work on the bar and if you detect any bubbling, insist they fix it before fitting.
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