| Author | Message | ||
     Jamie (Rover_puppy) New Member Username: Rover_puppy Post Number: 37 Registered: 05-2003 |
I am trying to figure out the options for mounting a front recovery point on TJM15 winch bumper on D2. Especially for when I need to be recovered from deep mud. I will need something that I can attach shackle/recovery strap to by "feel" reaching down into mud. I don't know that I will ever be skilled enough to safely use winch for self recovery from deep mud. Even if I was skilled enough to do so, I would still prefer to err on the side of caution. Using potentially dangerous equipment in zero visiblity is not a risk I am willing to take. Would appreciate hearing possible solutions. While I am asking, has anyone put on a winch skid plate? I did not know that there was such a thing, and was told I might need one... (Now mind you, 3 people told me that I needed to tie my rover tightly to a tree overnight to stretch out my winch line. Good thing I could NOT do it - only because I don't have a tree strong enough in my yard. Real funny, what a joke to play on the new person!) Thanks AGAIN for all your help. It seems like each thing I attempt to figure out brings 10 more new things to figure out. I think I am going to enjoy getting to the stage when I know enough to give good input to questions posted from others! Jamie | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 639 Registered: 02-2002 |
Quote "I will need something that I can attach shackle/recovery strap to by "feel" reaching down into mud." Umm, you want to attach it before you go in, and wrap it around your bumper. | ||
| Chris Marcel (Gumarcel) Senior Member Username: Gumarcel Post Number: 809 Registered: 11-2002 |
Yea I am with Dean about attaching it first. Go to expedition exchange and I think you could use their shackle mount. Get this: http://www.expeditionexchange.com/smb/index.htm Then you might want the backing plate: http://www.expeditionexchange.com/backingplates/ That would be my first idea. | ||
| michael burt (Mikeyb) Senior Member Username: Mikeyb Post Number: 365 Registered: 03-2002 |
hello again jamie, i was going to try and let one of your posts go by without me commenting, but damnitt...here it is anyway...;) i plan to use that bumper as well and have talked to john lee and expedition exchange (.com) about attaching recovery points *to* the bumper (on a DII). he tells me that the bumper is not set up to recover from because of the air bag adaptations. that is why you had to buy a seperate winch mounting tray to put your winch on. the tray mounted to the frame and the winch to the tray. very sturdy and without some of the *rotation* issues some have with the arb bumper. so what do you do? hmmmm...i am not sure. but, i am also not sure if i would attach the shackle mount (from above) to your bumper. as soon as i get mine in, i plan to spend some time on my back (without a beer this time) looking around as to how to mount JATE rings to the frame. if you decide not to use the steering guard on your truck, i think there is a place for a ring, but with my southdown (lrna) steering guard, i will have to modify the mounts/guard. which i will do, but until i get the bumper mounted, i will not know exactly how or what to do. i will be watching your post to see if anyone else has any ideas...(!) you might talk to john at EE to see what they have figured out as well... best wishes! mike | ||
| Jamie (Rover_puppy) New Member Username: Rover_puppy Post Number: 39 Registered: 05-2003 |
Thanks! And duh... I sure was dumb bunny on that one for sure -- guess I was not thinking clearly! I always attach strap to rear shackle and loop it into my rear ladder before heading out (I learned to do that the hard way of course, in DEEP mud, and I did have to reach way under to attach it -- however, since I was stuck so DEEP in the mud, that did come along with the added feature of having the rear cargo door open out at mud level -made the SEARCH for my strap and shackles easier!. I have never had a front recovery point, so I guess I did not think that thru at all! My front recovery point was covered by the brush guard that I added when I purchased rover. The first time I got stuck in a swamp and needed front recovery, I found that out. That time I was standing in deep swamp asking why did I buy that stupid thing then?? (yep, I got laughed at!!). Oh well, the brush guard did allow me to go through some fun and dense brush pretty good. Waiting in swamp, I did enjoy the intriguing little waves that went in and out of rover whenever I opened or closed the door - that was kind of cool - not high enough to hurt electronics - whew! A big range rover saved the day when he was able to manage thru swamp brush to winch me out from the back. I sure was glad to get out of that alligator territory! Especially since dogs are their favorite food, did you know they can smell a dog from a mile away? Dogs stayed IN rover, and we did end up getting a few good photos. Keep me posted on what you might figure out under bumper. There are a few areas with perhaps enough room to mount recovery point and put plate behind for reinforcement. However, as you said, that could be big trouble to crush cans. I have decided that the undercarriage stuff is a BIG puzzle trying to get all the pieces to fit right! If we get this figured out, then we will never have problems -- you do know that anything you are prepared never happens, don't you?? I DO HOPE you buy your TJM from John Lee. He was the one who convinced me that it would be my best choice and I had planned to purchase from him. It turned out a friend was able to get my bumper to me another way which saved me shipping costs. I still have needed gear to purchase, and I will order all I can from John Lee at EE. I still feel bad that I did not purchase bumper from him, he was wonderful, really took the time to explain to me. In any case, just because he was such a big help on that, anything that he sells that I will need to purchase, I am buying from him for sure!! I sure am interested in that area 51 night run he has on EE website! Thanks again! Jamie | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 641 Registered: 02-2002 |
Jamie, I know its too late now, but I'm wondering why you didn't just get a winch bumper in the first place? Is it just the air bag you're hung up on? | ||
| Jamie (Rover_puppy) Member Username: Rover_puppy Post Number: 41 Registered: 05-2003 |
Dean, This is the first "truck" I have ever owned. I bought my rover a year ago, and purchased only a few accessories at that time like brush guard, rear ladder, bike rack... just silly stuff that I liked. Back then, I couldn't even have told you what a winch bumper was to save my life! I thought ALL bumpers were the same! I never thought I would EVER own a winch. Get ready to laugh: When I bought my rover, honest to God, I thought it would go anywhere WITHOUT MODIFICATIONS! I was not a happy camper when I found out that my rover was not like the rovers I had been reading about that are in other countries. Ha Ha. For now, yes, it is important to me to have a winch bumper that has been air bag tested. Early deployment of a non tested winch bumper (although rare occurances) would NOT be a good thing for me at all. The only 2 air bag tested winch bumpers that I know about are ARB and TJM. I was not crazy about ARB (low) due to the off road driving conditions in my state. TJM has a bit better clearance than ARB, but obviously not as much clearance as the more agressive and capable winch bumpers. I may be ok with it. In any case, I am preparing my "truck" for Moab and Hole in Rock. It has been more than challenging to learn about mods necessary in those places (at least to see the good places!). Here, we have ONLY flatlands, mud, and swamps. I'd be lost without the knowledge, wisdom, support, advice, suggestions, you name it, etc, etc from other rover owners! TJM 15 Winch Bumper was air bag tested, and I felt a pretty darn good compromise when I looked at all the winch bumpers that are out there. If a day comes when I would feel comfortable with a winch bumper that has not been air bag tested, AND if I can manage to adjust my thinking on having a more radical looking (but much more capable) winch bumper on, I would go with RoverTym. In any case, I was thrilled to finally remove my stock bumper and the land rover brush guard! Have not had any clearance problems at all with it yet (should I tell you that may be because I have not had the opportunity to take TJM off road yet?) It took me until today to FINALLY figure out what the pressure in my tires should be! In my opinion, it is very important to just keeping laughing at all these obstacles faced in fixing up rovers - after all, off roading is all about getting up, over, around or thru obstacles! (and having the good sense to know when to turn around or back down)! Jamie | ||
| Jamie (Rover_puppy) Member Username: Rover_puppy Post Number: 42 Registered: 05-2003 |
Mike, I am glad you are responding to my gazzillions of questions, I appreciate the input very much. I just remembered something you may want to check out - someone told me that it is a good idea to put on a skid plate to cover the winch? I am thinking that the easiest thing to do might just be to gently turn rover over (in soft thick grass might be best), get someone to cut a huge piece of steel to cover the entire underbelly -- and maybe secure it with some self locking hinges so giant piece of steel could be opened and closed easily for repairs. Whatcha think?? (that is, besides the obvious fact that I definetly am getting silly and simple minded staying up too late reading and learning about rover stuff!) Time for me to call it a night and turn off this computer! | ||
| Mike M (Mikem) New Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 34 Registered: 02-2003 |
I will be ordering a TJM bumper from John in the near future and would be interested in hearing about any solutions to the front recovery point problem as well. I sent an email to TJM asking about recovery points and will post their reply. | ||
| One_Bad_Metro (Koby) Senior Member Username: Koby Post Number: 437 Registered: 02-2002 |
I own a TJM T-17 (non bullbar version) and am in the same situation re: front recovery points. I have purchased the winch tray but not to date installed a winch, which I see as the only viable recovery point on the bumper. However, in a pinch (should I get stuck) there are a lot of ways we could make do with an impromptu recovery point, especially since I have the winch tray installed. Ultimately, if you are buying the bumper for its intended purpose, you will be buying a winch, which will serve as the point from with you self-recover. I doubt that anyone here would recommend pulling on a locked winch spool, so this leads me to believe that self-recovery with another truck serving as the anchor will be my likely recovery scenario. | ||
| michael burt (Mikeyb) Senior Member Username: Mikeyb Post Number: 367 Registered: 03-2002 |
no problem jamie...;) i am glad that you are getting some real use and enjoyment out of your truck! in my conversations with john about the bumper, he told me that the best recovery option was *to winch* out (as koby points out above). my goal for attaching recovery points was not *to BE winched* out, but to have attachment points for a snatch strap when winching is a little much for where you may be stuck, or to be able to rig a two line pull if you are really stuck. i am not sure about the winch skid...but not having the set up on and ... set up, but i would think that the winch tray would go some way in protecting the winch. and, as always, a good spotter always goes a long way in protecting parts! but... jamie's hinged underbody armor would surely protect the winch...;) but that would have to be some really soft thick grass. |
