Think I picked up a bargain winch :)

[Steve F]

Fitting some Dana 60's too? Those diffs look massive.

I wish

Started on the bar yesterday, made frame brackets and the winch mount, just a few small beads to hold it together at the moment. Drilled 8 of the 12 mounting holes today but then it started to rain so I went inside for a Christmas eve beer. Hope to have it done for the Bylong trip.

Anyway, some pics from yesterday.





Cheers
Steve

[tim]

Thats a nice looking front bar design for the front of the XJ.
different. I like. The hoop also looks good.
And I have some time off to build one. (all of January)

so I have a bunch of questions.

How do you cut such straight lines in the steel ? tools used?

Do the 2 main supports that extend back to the chassis bolt hole just above where the upper swaybar connects).

Do you still have any of the templates measurements etc?

In your design images, it looks like you have 2 recovery points on top of the bar or are they for something else?

Where do you get your steel from?

Cheers
Tim

[Steve F]

Thats a nice looking front bar design for the front of the XJ.
different. I like. The hoop also looks good.
And I have some time off to build one. (all of January)

so I have a bunch of questions.

How do you cut such straight lines in the steel ? tools used?

Do the 2 main supports that extend back to the chassis bolt hole just above where the upper swaybar connects).

Do you still have any of the templates measurements etc?

In your design images, it looks like you have 2 recovery points on top of the bar or are they for something else?

Where do you get your steel from?

Cheers
Tim

To cut straight lines I clamp a small piece of box to the plate and use an angle grinder with 1mm cutting discs, works well.

Yep goes back to the large sleeved hole near the top of the link.

Also got a template, I tweaked it a bit but can make the adjustments and send it to you, I won't be back until Tuesday though.

Yep recovery hooks on top, they will bolt through the bar body and then on to some 6mm angle that will be welded to the main plates.

Got all th steel from edcon steel at Brookvale, cost close to $300 but I have plenty of spare so could have got away with around $230 I think.

Cheers Steve

[tim]

Thanks Steve.

What program do you use?

Cheers Tim

[Steve F]

Google sketchup, free and pretty easy.

Cheers Steve

[Steve F]

Since the last pics I have made some angle brackets in 6mm steel that reinforce the front two mounting holes, they bolt to the bar and the through the two holes in the cross member, the same as the one that comes with the tow hook pack. I also cut the bar out of the flat steel, I am doing the lower sections separately, the reason I did the top section in one piece was to ensure I could keep it all straight and get the pieces right, I made a ply template for the wings.

I was going to bend the plate but the 4mm is too thick and after scoring the back I still cant easily get a 90o bend (dont have the equipment to bend it) so ended up cutting through the upper sections and clamping them at 90o and welding, I did bend the face of the bar to get the angle though.

Anyway, a couple of pics prior to bending and welding, should have the finished face without the lower skids tomorrow. Everywhere there is a dotted line is a bend.



Cheers
Steve

[Steve F]

Did some more





Cheers
Steve

[Steve F]

Bit more done, just need to cap the ends of the wings and put on two tabs for the spotlights. Also waiting for the fairlead to turn up so I can cut the mount on the front to size. Also started smoothing it out, need to run a few more beads to sort out my far from perfect welding, still pretty happy with it though





Cheers
Steve

[sir_camel]

Roller or Hawse Steve?

Looks very tidy...as per usual...

[Steve F]

Hawse, I have a roller one but ordered a cast steel hawse for the lower profile.

Cheers
Steve