| Author | Message | ||
     Nadim Samara (Discodino) Member Username: Discodino Post Number: 70 Registered: 02-2003 |
Well, After 2 years of dreaming about it...here it is:  Mounts at 4 bolts per chassis rail with a steering dampner mount on the PS (2 original, 3/4" right behind it, and the last one 1/2" behind the 1st cross-member):  The winch basket is made out of 8mm steel sheets and tucks the winch as much as possible to the inside (hindered by the A/C components) for the best approach angle:  Granted, the thing is BUTT ugly, but it does the trick:  It got tested on Saturday when the truck got stuck several times and it did not budge at all. The combined weight of both the winch and the bumper is less than 100kgs, which should come down to 90 with the synthetic rope and aluminium fairlead. | ||
| Ramsay (3toedsloth) Member Username: 3toedsloth Post Number: 158 Registered: 07-2002 |
I dig it. | ||
| Chris Marcel (Gumarcel) Senior Member Username: Gumarcel Post Number: 821 Registered: 11-2002 |
yea it is not butt ugly, granded I don't like those kinda designed bumpers, but it looks pretty good. At least you didn't put a catcher's mask on there.  | ||
| Brent Fox (Bfox) Member Username: Bfox Post Number: 87 Registered: 10-2002 |
I like it! That looks beefy! | ||
| Mark Groenda (Mhg9797) New Member Username: Mhg9797 Post Number: 4 Registered: 07-2003 |
I think it looks great. I'm all for custom fabrication. | ||
| Garrett (Rover7592) Member Username: Rover7592 Post Number: 232 Registered: 03-2003 |
Looks mean as hell! Great job on the fabrication, looks like a nice clean setup. | ||
| Nadim Samara (Discodino) Member Username: Discodino Post Number: 75 Registered: 02-2003 |
Thanks for the kind words. The objective was to have the most minimal bumper ever, whilst having a very strong basket for the winch that can sustain sideway and rotational forces. Now to go for the sliders and the rear bumper/winch basket. | ||
| Milan (Milan) Member Username: Milan Post Number: 227 Registered: 10-2002 |
So I take it (based on this and another post I read which mentioned a rear bumper mounted winch) that you abandoned the idea of a centrally mounted winch with fore and aft cable outlets? ;) I still have not forgotten about that, you know, but I too have decided on a bumper mounted winch. P.S. I like the extra bolts but really feel that the 4 stock mounting locations would be enough, although I will most likely add that bigger 3/4" bolt as well (nice touch). I know RTE uses a cross member mount and it is better but in reality aren't the 6 bolts enough? I think they are. Also, don't you think 5mm plate would be strong enough? Since you have the shackle mounts there as well, the 8mm is better but for just the winch, 5mm with bracing should be strong enough, no? Thanks | ||
| Peter Matusov (Pmatusov) Senior Member Username: Pmatusov Post Number: 894 Registered: 09-2002 |
Nadim, what's so precious in the grille that you didn't want to recess the winch? also... a bitchy cop may nag you for bars obstructing the headlights. and i have no say about aesthetics... | ||
| Milan (Milan) Member Username: Milan Post Number: 229 Registered: 10-2002 |
The oil cooler is right there, so it would have to be moved. | ||
| Nadim Samara (Discodino) Member Username: Discodino Post Number: 76 Registered: 02-2003 |
Milan, The central winch mount system is STILL haunting me. After discussing it with several competitors in the RFC, Outback Challenge and so forth, they pointed out that 2 winches would be better, the rear one being a back-up...so that did it for me. Plus, after the 2" Body lift, there was NO PLACE for any winch in the middle without cutting a LOT of stuff...so the idea was not implemented, but it is NOT dropped...I hope either of us get that done eventually. As far as the number of bolts is concerned, 4 is NOT enough, 6 is ideal, and the last one behind the first crossmember is OVERKILL (hehehe). At 26cm further back from the stock 4 bolts, I really wanted to use the last one to make sure there were no rotational possibilities. I HIGHLY disagree with RTE's use of the crossmember since it was designed for compression and not tension, and any sort of middle "pull-out" is not good. 8mm was the norm, the difference in weight should I have gone from 8 to 5 in everything BUT the winch plate would have been 6kg, which, to tell you the truth, is not worth it. The bumper sticks out 15cm from the tip of the grill, so that is not bad at all. The ARBs stick out ~17, and they are level with the bottom of the chassis, versus mine being level with the TOP of the chassis. All in all, for a hi-mount AND A/C, this is as good as it gets. I do not have the Saudi grill (yet), so I simply butchered the hell out of my current one. Simple. Peter, the winch is resecced AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE: it is 2cm in front of the A/C pipes & oil cooler. In Lebanon, we do not have cops, so there is no one to have any problems with. Aestethically, yeah, its ugly, but at least it does the trick. | ||
| Milan (Milan) Member Username: Milan Post Number: 230 Registered: 10-2002 |
Thanks Nadim, I'm currently working on swapping over a winch from my Jeep to a portable mount for use on the back of either vehicle. The Jeep and the Disco will get the 8274 winches up front. I still have the ramsey without a motor, so once a motor and few misc parts are obtained, the centrally mounted winch idea will be entertained again. So we seem to think alike in that department. I will use 6 bolts on my bumper, I'm sure. I still think that even the winch plate can be 3/16 (less than 5mm actually) if the front plate is braced to the back of the bottom plate and if the bottom has a profile to prevent twisting. But I'll see when I get there. 1/4" won't hurt as that's what I have on the heep. I too would not like to mount to the middle of the crossmember but I was going to expand the idea by mounting to the crossmember on both sides near the frame rails. However, as mentioned earlier I may not even bother doing that. | ||
| Nadim Samara (Discodino) Member Username: Discodino Post Number: 79 Registered: 02-2003 |
Warn recomends going MINIMUM 6mm thickness, so better head to 1/4" land at LEAST. | ||
| Milan (Milan) Member Username: Milan Post Number: 232 Registered: 10-2002 |
I know that's what they use for their mounts and I have no problem with 1/4" for a winch mount. But I have one done up in 3/16" and have seen others in 3/16" and they did not budge either. Hence my thinking about it. It just has to be done right, I guess. But 1/4" is the norm and it does make sense. I just wish the frame was 3/16", instead of that paper they used. Hehehe. | ||
| Paul D. Morgan (V22guy) Dweb Lounge Member Username: V22guy Post Number: 1722 Registered: 02-2002 |
Nadim, That is an impressive and stout looking bumper. I pity any animal that strays in front of you while driving down the motorway. Hey Peter, Nadim here lives in Lebanon, therefore I think the local police have more important issues to worry about. Paul | ||
| Nadim Samara (Discodino) Member Username: Discodino Post Number: 81 Registered: 02-2003 |
Thanks Paul. |
