My 99 GXL

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

Re: My 99 GXL

Wow your lucky there, I didnt find ARB so. Mine you most of the outlets are just stockists or franchises. I met one guy recently from our local ARB shop and he told us all sorts of stories, seems Prado owner are rather fussy. Goverment vehicles get fitted to the hilt and then there back months later in for repairs. The problem is most of them dont know how to drive a 4wd, no wonder so many end up at Pickles to be auctioned as a wreck. Anyhow heres some pics of my bar, not really happy with my fairlead. Ive decided to go synthetic winch rope and alloy hawse fairlead.

[pythonkeeper Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pythonkeeper]

Re: My 99 GXL

Looks good mate, i wish i had the warn winch to fit the W cut out, that's about the only thing i don't like about the bar, if you don't have the warn winch you have a big W hole. Did you have to drill new holes to fit your spotties ? i did, they don't give you much room to fit lights do they.
I'm thinking about going down the synthetic rope and hawse fairlead road also.

[Snaga Wishing I was lost Find all posts View Profile Close Snaga]

Re: My 99 GXL

Great stuff Alan,
The bar work looks great. really sets the front end off nicely

Enjoy the Lockers :twisted:

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

Re: My 99 GXL

Hi Alan,
Theses spotties just fitted, I mean the botton of the lights touch the bar and I couldnt fit them back any further anyway. It was a relief really as I didnt want to drill more holes. Not real happy with the fairlead as last post. In the instructions it said to drill 2 x 1/2" holes to mount fairlead higher then winch or you get this bar rubbing on the winch rope. Ill order the synthetic rope and hawse fairlead soon and see if I stll have to.

You can see the bottom of the bar between the rollers.

You have to agree the "W"s a nice fit. Makes sense now why its there,

Zook.

[pythonkeeper Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pythonkeeper]

Re: My 99 GXL

Hi Zook,

Yeah i didn't want to drill extra holes in the bar but i had to to fit my lights.

My fairlead looks to be mounted up a bit higher than yours. Did you drill new holes in your fairlead (25mm from memory) lower than the originals like it said in the instructions ?

Here's some pics to compare.

Cheers,
Alan

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

Re: My 99 GXL

No I havnt drilled the holes yet until I get the rope and hawse fairlead. I dont have any winch rope at all ATM. Thanks for the pics though, im in the process of cleaning the house up as my wife gets back from our home town of Wollongong tommorow so im in a bit of panic mode.

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

Re: My 99 GXL

Love the roof rack, thats my next bit to go on my Playdo. Had my eyes on one for some time now. ARB had a deal with recovery gear when you buy a bull bar so I decided to get that first instead of the rack. I know I made the right choice, as I had the winch already. Imagine fitting the bar without the winch only to take it off and mount it when the funds allowed it? That would be a pain in the butt. I had to remount mine a few days ago because I mounted it crocked, the gap between the flairs where different plus add the correct factory welded chassis bracket. All good now, it just weights a ton so had to borrow my mates chain block again and lifted it off from the pillars under my house.

[pythonkeeper Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pythonkeeper]

Re: My 99 GXL

That explains why yours sits lower then. I wonder if you will have to drill new holes in your bar to get the hawse fairlead to line up right ? Don't forget to post some pics if and when you install the hawse.
Yeah i'm happy with the rack, we can fit heaps of gear on it when we go away and the OZ tent fits in it perfectly. I got the recovery kit with my bar also, its not a bad kit hey. I'd hate to have to take the bar of to fit a winch at a later date, fitting it once is enough for me . At the end of the day it wasn't that difficult to fit but the weight of it makes it a bit of a hand full when you are fitting it by yourself. Those brackets of yours were a bit of a joke. When i was fitting my bar i realised i didn't have enough bolts so i called ARB and they ran some out to me straight away.

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

Re: My 99 GXL

What I would have done is to mount the winch control box where it was and extend the winch control plug and mount it to the "W" , that way it wouldnt look odd. The only problem now is your got a hole there to let in dirt, mud, dust etc. Its not too late though, if your handy with wiring and a little welding. The cotrol box is a real simple construction and the control lead only has 3 wires. It would be a prob for me as im a Sparkie. You should pop around one arvo sometime and we will fix it up :lol: :lol:

[pythonkeeper Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pythonkeeper]

Re: My 99 GXL

Yeah no probs i'll just pop over, it should only take me an hour or 2 to get there :lol: . The drive would be nice though 8) .
I was actually thinking of doing something similar to what you suggested , i could make up an insert to fit the W out of perspex or aluminium etc.. and extend the plug out through it, it's just one of those things i have to get around to. I was also going to make enquiries as to whether or not you can buy the warn control box as a spare part and if it would control the t-max, this would make things much easier.

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

Re: My 99 GXL

I think a Warn control box would suit your winch, lets face it everybody has copied Warn anyway. Winch motors and the controls are all the same on most low mount winches, all winch motors have 2 sets of brushes and solinoids. The 3 leads from the control box is a Forward Positive +, Reverse Positive + and the Field Return ( I should know I rebuilt Electric motors for a living). Negitive is majority of the time mounted to the frame as the Warns, so the only real difference is the outside design, paint, labeling and maybe the gearbox design. It can be done at some expense, although I like your idea with perspex. That is a hell of alot cheaper thats for sure. Anyway it looks the goods, ARB bars are the best money can buy really.

[VWNuts Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close VWNuts]

Re: My 99 GXL

Looking good
Do you still have the alloy bar? Our 99 looks a little bare on the front

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

Re: My 99 GXL

Heres a bar for your Prado VWNuts,

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Prado-90s-Alloy- ... 286.c0.m14

[luked Member Find all posts View Profile Close luked]

Re: My 99 GXL

What a car! perfect colour.. haha i'm getting tints tomorrow..maybe I should buy your car instead.

I want to ask you about your snorkel but i'll post it in the Accessories section as its probably re-opening a can of worms..