ARB Install

[ChuckH]

And next week we do lights!

Overall, things went pretty well and mudphud did participate in putting his bumper on!

Now for the big question. Is it just in pictures, or do I really look that f'ing fat? :o You guys better stop feeding me pizza and Geno needs to have the camera taken away from him. Yikes!!!

[Mosi]

DAMN!! I just did a quick tally and PNWX is up to 17 or more members with ARBs!! At roughly $625 each, that's $10,625 !! I think they need to buy us Pizza an beer one of these days!!

[ChuckH]

Damnit Mosi...what did I say about pizza? Um, nevermind, give me pizza!

[Schludwiller]

You guys really should swing by ARB if you get a chance and show them the holes are in the wrong spot. If something changed in the more recent shipments it would help other owners if you let ARB know.

At least give Marc at ARB a call.

[ChuckH]

Well, I didn't want to feel left out so I did the bottle opener mod too! I painted mine to match the bumper though. Uh oh, I can already feel the flames!

[mudphud]

Yeah, thanks to Rick and Chuck for all their help. I think after we experimented with the installation of Rick's ARB the week before, the installation of my ARB went much more smoothly. The top of the ARB is still flush against the plastic, but the space along the sides between the side panel and the ARB is pretty even, so I think it's level.

Also reattached the toe hook upside down so it doesn't run into the ARB. Don't know if anyone else has done this and actually tried to use it. Problem is that it points upward rather than downward now.

[rrdstarr]

Mudphud, I forgot to get a pic of that installed? I'll get mine installed on Wednesday and post a pic if you don't have time!

[Aquamander]

Well I got the bullbar today, I'm going to install it in the shop in case I run into any complications. The question I want to ask is how exactly were you able to mount the stock fog lights? I havent looked at it real well yet I was just wondering.

As for the winch, does the roller kits come with them or is that something else you have to buy?

[rrdstarr]

Aquamander, look on the first page of this thread and see how I an XOC and others have theirs mounted.

The winch comes with all the parts necessary to install on the ARB. I saw a XD9000 for $689! Might have to go pic that up!

Has anyone mounted their tow hook back on after installing their ARB?

[xoc]

Originally posted by rrdstarr
Has anyone mounted their tow hook back on after installing their ARB?

Interesting, the stock one fits upside down and rotated 180 just fine.

I just added the off the shelf hooks back on.

[Aquamander]

I saw the pics but I was curious about the hardware. How is it actually connected?

[rrdstarr]

Hopefully you saved the nut that held the light on the original bracket. If you did, just drill a hole through the sheetmetal and put the nut back on! Taaadah! Then you can ziptie up the wire that dangles down.

[Aquamander]

Yeah, I guess that's the thing to do for now. Has anyone else come up with any other ideas?

I'm searching through the shop, trying to aquire my material I'll need to make a decent front skid plate out of. Which brings me to another question.

I have;

1/4", 1/2" and 3/4" T6061 cold extruded plate. I also have some 3/16" stainless steel sheet.

What would most people here want to use for a front skid plate (radiator protection)?

I will use 1"x1"x1/8" stainless angle to reinforce it to the bumper. I was thinking about machining some small slots for air to pass through it too. While the aluminum would be eaiser to make, I think the stainless may be less troublesome as far as cleaning and easier to bend. But then again, stainless would probably dent easier. Actually, I'm thinking the aluminum would probably be more impact resistant over a flat area than the stainless. Guy's in the shop are split 50/50. I don't have the bar on yet, we're tossing around some ideas.

Opinions?

[rrdstarr]

I think I would go with Aluminum if your NOT a super aggressive offroader! but you'll probably want to put a reinforcement down the back and have like a two inch lip/bend at the bottom to cover the area not covered by the factory skid. Stainless for corrosion resistance! It is as strong as steel! And if you want to go cheap, just get the mild steel plate. I don't think your really need the holes? The ARB has a pretty good duct to scoop air in. Unless of course you have a winch and lights blocking above the bumper.

my .02

[rrdstarr]

Here is the way I did mine.