| Author | Message | ||
     Kennith P. Whichard III (Kennith) Senior Member Username: Kennith Post Number: 291 Registered: 05-2002 |
Well, I have finally gone and done it. I figured I'd just wait as long as possible, but I had the money, so what the hell. My front bumper is all but demolished, and the Trek Outfitters is on the way. I have the winch downstairs. I used the directions on Expedition exchange to install the front springs, and they were complete while being well written. A word of warning about those damn nitrochargers that I haven't heard around here: Don't underestimate their ability to extend themselves, and don't underestimate their desire to do it at the most inoppertune moment. Mayby I was making a simple job difficult (which I usually do), but those shocks drove me crazy! One thing I know I should have done is remove the front radius arm bolt, believe me, I will next time. I think that would have alleviated my woes a little. Either way, I haven't measured or anything, but it looks like I netted a little over 2" in the front so far. I sure hope they settle a bit, hell, I can't reach my engine without standing on a tire!  I'll post some pics when I'm done tomorrow. Cheers, Kennith | ||
| Chris Marcel (Gumarcel) Member Username: Gumarcel Post Number: 181 Registered: 11-2002 |
Yea I did the same exact thing on monday, putting on a rovertym 2". Its great, i'd like to see some pictures. I think i got about 2.5" total. And its awsome!!!!!! Marcel | ||
| Kennith P. Whichard III (Kennith) Senior Member Username: Kennith Post Number: 293 Registered: 05-2002 |
Well, I am putting the rears on today, so I'll send some pics to my gallery, and maby put some in this thread. Cheers, Kennith | ||
| R. B. Bailey (Rover50987) Senior Member Username: Rover50987 Post Number: 459 Registered: 07-2002 |
I have learned that even with the new springs - putting them on the rear - a good set of spring compressors allowed me to do it without even disconnecting the swaybar. I did have to try several different types to get them to compress the springs properly, fully, and without getting in the way of other things. http://landrover.mrbaileyshistory.net | ||
| Kennith P. Whichard III (Kennith) Senior Member Username: Kennith Post Number: 294 Registered: 05-2002 |
Yeah, I had a set of compressors, and it helped a lot. I just did one of the rears, and what made it much easier was using the stock bottle jack. I inserted it between the trailing arm and the frame and jacked the axel downward for added clearance. Cheers, Kennith | ||
| Paul D. Morgan (V22guy) Senior Member Username: V22guy Post Number: 1388 Registered: 02-2002 |
Spring Compressors? Sway Bar Disconnect? Man just jack up the vehicle via a floor jack and your slider. Then after disconnecting the brake line brackets, use your bottle jack to push the axle down allowing the spring to be removed by hand. Stand back, take a look, and it will all come together for you. Paul '00 Pig | ||
| Kyle Van Tassel (Kyle) Moderator Username: Kyle Post Number: 193 Registered: 11-2002 |
Yeah paul spring compressors. WHy take anything else off ? All ya wanna do is a spring swap. Compress , remove , compress install. Walk away.. Kyle "Blow me" | ||
| Kennith P. Whichard III (Kennith) Senior Member Username: Kennith Post Number: 296 Registered: 05-2002 |
Yeah, That method is much quicker, and a lot easier. I simply didn't do the first two that way. Either way, now I can't wait to get my bumper in. I have a Trek Outfitters bumper coming in a couple of weeks. I have the winch in the basement. I went stock for too long. I could wheel it pretty damn well stock, so I just left it that way. I never really had any trouble, aside from tearing up my front bumper and ruining that front tubular cross-member that is supposed to protect the steering. I guess it did. That and I wrapped the tailpipe around my axel, and ripped my front right fender off. I broke a couple of those expensive fog lamps. I think that's pretty good considering what I was doing with it. I've now got a 2" lift with 32" Mud Terrain T/A KMs, and I'm going to work on the diffs and such for a while, as well as the other things. Cheers, Kennith | ||
| Carter Simcoe (Carter) Senior Member Username: Carter Post Number: 2169 Registered: 04-2002 |
Just curious Kennith, what made you decide on the trek bumper?? I've personally never understood them as it seems like a lot of money to have your winch stick really far out. Not slamming you choice (hell I have an ARB right now) just wondering what you see in it because it doesn't seem like many people use them. | ||
| Kennith P. Whichard III (Kennith) Senior Member Username: Kennith Post Number: 300 Registered: 05-2002 |
Well, The primary reason I chose the Trek Outfitters bumper over similar options (TJM, ARB, etc...) was the thicker guage steel. One of the other reasons was the position of the roller fairlead, higher up on the Trek bumper than the ARB. I also like the quality. I feel I am getting what I paid for. Not some bumper stamped out of sheetmetal, but an actual, honest to God fully welded 3/16" thick bumper with a 1/4" thick winch plate. The Trek bumpers are more expensive, yes, but I feel that amongst their competition, they are the elite. These bumpers don't pretend to be rock blades, rather they are solid front end protection, with proven winch and recovery point options. I suppose you really have to see an ARB and a Trek Outfitters bumper side by side to tell the difference. I reckon it's like the difference between a Defender and a Jeep. Why pay more? Let me ask this... how much cheaper would the Trek bumper need to be in order for you to consider a purchase? Not knocking your choice either, simply curious Cheers, Kennith | ||
| Paul D. Morgan (V22guy) Senior Member Username: V22guy Post Number: 1390 Registered: 02-2002 |
"Compress , remove , compress install. Walk away.." Good Point. | ||
| Greg (Gparrish) Senior Member Username: Gparrish Post Number: 1176 Registered: 04-2002 |
"Compress, remove, compress, explode. Go find your missing body parts." Good point. | ||
| Carter Simcoe (Carter) Senior Member Username: Carter Post Number: 2174 Registered: 04-2002 |
Somewhere around the $700 range I guess. It just looks to me like that fairlead sticks out even further than an ARB. Your points about front end protection are good and the reason I got my ARB in the first place, I wheel my disco but most of the time I am driving fairly fast in the middle of no where trying to get to fishing spots and stuff like that, I've had more than my share of close calls with deer and when I hit one I want a big bumper up there distributing a lot of the impact. If I had to do it over again I would probablly get the TJM (or possibly just say 'screw it' and get the rovertym blade for less headaches while wheeling). But in all fairness my ARB has been good to me, I've bashed it on plenty of stuff and winched from many crazy angles and it hasn't shifted, I do think mine is an excepting though as I had to have spread the mounts apart with a come along to get it to slide on the frame and I then drilled all the holes out larger (so the ones on the bumper and frame where the same size) and used larger bolts. I doubt your average ARB would stand up to what mine has. | ||
| Kennith P. Whichard III (Kennith) Senior Member Username: Kennith Post Number: 302 Registered: 05-2002 |
Well, On the bumper flexing issue, I don't think that should at all be a factor. They shouldn't flex. Look at the SG bumper, flexed like an OME spring. You are paying for something and it dosn't do it. How can a bumper protect your front end acceptably if it flexes like that. Another thing is the winch, if all I wanted was a stable winch mount, I'd get that mount LR sells, but I want full front end protection. The fairlead on the Trek bumper is well up out of the way IMO. Also, I have rarely hit something I have not suspected I might hit, so I make sure to creep over these things. Those fairleads are tough as hell, so I wouldn't worry about it. The problem on the ARB for the Disco II, is the fairlead is down under the main bumper assembly, reducing your step height, and making it vulnerable. The fairlead will probably be fine, but that part of the bumper is prone to get smacked up. Like I said before, the Trek Outfitters bumpers just do their job better than the ARBs and TJMs. Mainly because the differences in production techniques. Each one is hand welded. That 3/16" steel is tough too, just 1/16" less thick than 1/4" plate. I guess you just need to look at what you are paying for: A solid winch mount, recovery options, capable front end protection, aesthetic value, and overall usefulness versus value. I think the Trek bumpers speak for themselves. I wouldn't put a cheaper bumper from Trek out of the picture, though, you never know, it may happen. Cheers, Kennith | ||
| Carter Simcoe (Carter) Senior Member Username: Carter Post Number: 2175 Registered: 04-2002 |
yeah I wasn't really suggesting the ARB as an alternative or anything I was thinking more along the lines of Rovertym or something like that but then you made you point about wanting more front end protection even if it came at the cost of a little approach angle (which makes sense if thats what your needs really dictate). I also sort of forgot we were talking DII here because yes those DII ARBs look absolutly horrible compared to the DI version (which isn't so great in its own right). I think the Trek bumper looks like a good bumper and it sounds like it will fit your needs wonderfully my point was just that it seems a bit overpriced when you look at how much less even a small operation like Rovertym can get them out there for. But hey if you've got money you may as well spend it, it doesn't do much when you just sit there and look at it Post some pics when you get it on, like I said earlier you don't see many of them around here. | ||
| Kennith P. Whichard III (Kennith) Senior Member Username: Kennith Post Number: 303 Registered: 05-2002 |
No prob, I'll post the pics when I get them. Yeah, I do see your point, hopefully in the future they will be able to reduce the effect of that issue on people's purchasing decisions. Cheers, Kennith |
