Tigerz11 Grande 12000LB winch, D2 2003 TD5, ARB Bull bar, Installation Query

[rstevensen]

G'day to you all. Hope someone can answer my query please.
I would like to purchase and install this winch (myself), very good prices now for XMas.
I have a D2a, 2003 with an ARB Bull Bar, as shown on the photo taken on a recent trip to the high country.
Can someone let me know if I need to remove the bull bar in order to install the winch?
Cheers

[DiscoWeb]

Mate,

I believe you can install a winch with the bar in place provided you can get access from underneath the vehicle and manage the cable installation. However you would probably need someone to assist as the winch is pretty heavy to handle and fit by yourself.

It would certainly be easier to remove the bar which should unbolt pretty simply and disconnect you fog lights ?

My other thought/comment is, have a think about where you want to locate the control box. In hindsight I would have preferred to located it tucked away in the engine bay rather than on the bar as it pretty bulky and ugly.

I have recently fitted one of these winches in an Opposite Lock bar on a D3, however had the work done at OL South Sydney.

Whilst I am yet to use the winch in anger, it has performed well when I have played around with it. However it is almost impossible to free spool the cable out by hand I need to actually run the winch to release cable not sure if that is a common thing with these winches ?

Good luck,

George

[AndyW]

I installed my 12,000 lb winch into the ARB bar on my D2A on my own without removing the bar. It will just slot into place from underneath. Just looking at your photo I suspect you may need to remove your bash plate to do it but.

[rstevensen]

Thanks to you both. I will give it a try initially, more rewarding and I will know exactly how it is done.
Cheers

[Toppa]

im not sure what the fit of a 12,000pnd winch is like, but i installed a 9,500 one by myself with the winch on. The 9500 was very heavy so im tipping the 12000 is a killer!

I used a trolley jack and a block of timber to lift the winch in place - made for a very easy fitment albeit a little bit of a juggle to hold the winch level while raising the jack. If you have another set of hands, definitely use them.

As for the wiring, remove the grill first. It makes it much much easier to run the cables- i did it the hard way - dont do it the hard way with the grill in, trust me its a PITA.

If you dont know how to remove the grill, find out. Im not sure if the D2a is the same as the pre-facelift model, but you need to pop off the indicators to access two hidden phillips head screws (i found this out later - hence the hard way) Then there are just the plastic screws in the top of the grille to remove. I think thats all?

Also, make sure before you go to fit it that the winch handle (lock / freespool) is going to line up in a spot that is accessible when the winch is fitted. I had to not only rotate the RH end of my winch 90 degrees, but grind down my handle so it would engage properly - it was fouling on the b/bar.

This pic show the handle before the modification (grinding) You can see that it hits the b/bar well before it locks into position.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/65352124/scaled_image.jpg


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/12/510.jpg

[rstevensen]

Very good tips, very much appreciated.. I will be surely taking them on board for the install.

[sheerluck]

im not sure what the fit of a 12,000pnd winch is like, but i installed a 9,500 one by myself with the winch on. The 9500 was very heavy so im tipping the 12000 is a killer!......

The 12000lb winch I have was ~45kg in weight. Difficult enough to do with just one person, you do need 2.

[DiscoWeb]

make sure before you go to fit it that the winch handle (lock / freespool) is going to line up in a spot that is accessible when the winch is fitted.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/65352124/2012-11-14%2022.04.14.jpg


https://www.dropbox.com/s/c0uebd8ctka13i0/2012-11-14%2022.04.14.jpg

Great point.

I think the Tigerz11 website has a link to some "how to" videos about rotating the winch, best to work it our first than have to remove and do it again.

Good luck.

George

[G Griggs]

I have recently installed this winch into my D2. I rotated the free spooler lever so that it was accessible (on top). The only thing I had to do to bolt it in was shorten the two bolts that go through the hawse because they bottomed out into the winch. I made a new plate that bolts to the top middle access panel of the bar that gave me easy access to the free spool lever and also mounts the control box. It is not the most weather proof installation but I have it set up to make it easy to remove as only plan on having the winch mounted for trips/weekends. It takes me about half an hour to remove/install.

[Disco Muppet]

My least favourite job so far :p
I secured my fairlead with the bottom two bolts, and had to muck around cutting some longer bolts to length, as the stock ones were too short and the long ones were two long! :wallbash:
It can be quite fiddly, and I'm still yet to hook up the control box, as I too would like to have it underneath the bonnet as opposed to on the bar.
My advice would be to take it off, as it's insanely heavy (particularly if you have steel cable).
Definitely a 2 person job IMHO.
Cheers
Muppet

[rstevensen]

Thanks about the tips on the Control Box, I will see if I can find room under the bonnet (maybe where the jack sits). I bought the winch with the DYNEEMA rope, should bit a little lighter.

Cheers,
Romy

[AndyW]

Thanks about the tips on the Control Box, I will see if I can find room under the bonnet (maybe where the jack sits). I bought the winch with the DYNEEMA rope, should bit a little lighter.

Cheers,
Romy

When I had my winch on my V8 D2A I had the control box mounted where the computer is on the TD5 in the battery compartment and it was a perfect fit. Couldn't do it with the TD5 because of the computer. I know some guys relocate the computer out of the battery box but to be honest I'd rather have my computer protected in there than the winch controller. I ended up with the controller on ARB bar with the TD5 as I just didn't have any room under the bonnet for it. ARB have a V shaaped bracket they use when mounting winch trotrol boxes on there bars. if you use 1 you can tilt the box upwards. If you use one it will tilt the box upwards. If you bolt two together the box will be level again aand the plug is then high enough on mine to cleaar the bottom bar on the Bull Bar. When I asked the local ARB about the brackets they just gave me two.

[Tombie]

My least favourite job so far :p
I secured my fairlead with the bottom two bolts, and had to muck around cutting some longer bolts to length, as the stock ones were too short and the long ones were two long! :wallbash:
It can be quite fiddly, and I'm still yet to hook up the control box, as I too would like to have it underneath the bonnet as opposed to on the bar.
My advice would be to take it off, as it's insanely heavy (particularly if you have steel cable).
Definitely a 2 person job IMHO.
Cheers
Muppet

Seeing you need to re-spool the wire under load - Take it off. :)
Makes lifting the winch much easier ;)

Attach the wires to the motor before lifting into place.
Then lift up and put a bolt through from the front to hold it. :cool:

Easy 1 person job - Perhaps some Weetbix for Breakfast :wasntme:

[Tombie]

When I had my winch on my V8 D2A I had the control box mounted where the computer is on the TD5 in the battery compartment and it was a perfect fit. Couldn't do it with the TD5 because of the computer. I know some guys relocate the computer out of the battery box but to be honest I'd rather have my computer protected in there than the winch controller. I ended up with the controller on ARB bar with the TD5 as I just didn't have any room under the bonnet for it. ARB have a V shaaped bracket they use when mounting winch trotrol boxes on there bars. if you use 1 you can tilt the box upwards. If you use one it will tilt the box upwards. If you bolt two together the box will be level again aand the plug is then high enough on mine to cleaar the bottom bar on the Bull Bar. When I asked the local ARB about the brackets they just gave me two.

I just went a different Albright control pack... Water sealed... :cool:

[Disco Muppet]

Seeing you need to re-spool the wire under load - Take it off. :)
Makes lifting the winch much easier ;)

Attach the wires to the motor before lifting into place.
Then lift up and put a bolt through from the front to hold it. :cool:

Easy 1 person job - Perhaps some Weetbix for Breakfast :wasntme:

You mean take the winch off or the wire? :p
Dyneema rope was on my christmas list.
It's all in place now, buggered if I'm taking it off again :lol2:
I did all the mounting by myself, just makes it a bit easier to put the bar back on if you've got a mate and a hoist, getting close to 100kg you know :angel:

[Tombie]

Take wire off winch.
Leave bar on
Lift winch into bar.
Attach bolts
Feed wire through and attach
Spool under load

That way u aren't juggling 100+ kg

[DiscoWeb]

That way u aren't juggling 100+ kg

Yeah, then its only 90kgs, easy I will send my 10 yr old son around !!:wasntme:

Even with the use of a trolley jack or some other lifting device it would still be a difficult job by your self I think.

Taking the wire off is a good idea, the dyema rope is a lot lighter so might not be worth taking off.

George

[boofdtl]

What winch do you guys have that weighs 100kgs :confused::confused::confused::confused:

[Disco Muppet]

100KG is bar and winch combo.
Tigerz 12000lb with steel cable is around 45KG, ARB bar is 60KG.
Cheers for that Tombie.

[Tombie]

Yeah, then its only 90kgs, easy I will send my 10 yr old son around !!:wasntme:

Even with the use of a trolley jack or some other lifting device it would still be a difficult job by your self I think.

Taking the wire off is a good idea, the dyema rope is a lot lighter so might not be worth taking off.

George

Winch without rope drops like 20kg...

Bar is a huge, easily worked object.... at worst a trolley jack to lift it into position then push on the mounts by hand...

Dont fit winch into bar then fit bar... too awkward...

Fit bar to vehicle, then lay underneath and offer winch up to bar...

Support with 1 hand and slip a bolt through from the front with the other... (perhaps get your 10 yo Son to do that bit for you :) )

[rstevensen]

Thanks all, always good to see the great information and banter out of this forum. As it happens, i have a 10year old son, I will get him to do just that, lol.
Have a great XMAS everyone