Grinding bits off my ARB Winch Bar

[Plutei]

Can I grind off the fairlead mounting bracket on an ARB Defender winch bar without compromising the strength of the bar?

My bar is like this one (http://landrover-exchange.com/images/2007-Land-Rover-Defender-110-Bodywork-for-sale-in-SA_3332.jpg) with the standard steel-cable fairlead bolted under a mounting bracket which is welded to the front of the bar. I'm refurbishing the bar before mounting it and will be removing the fairlead as it's rusty, I don't have a winch, and come the time that I do it will be a dyneema rope. So I'd also like to remove the mounting bracket as well as it is an unnecessary protrusion and useless otherwise but I've got no idea whether it serves a critical structural purpose for winching aside from securing the fairlead. This (http://cdn.assets.cougar.bauer-media.net.au/s3/digital-cougar-assets/Motoring/2014/01/14/4382/defender-110-3.jpg)defer and http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3189/2994942894_e288324fe1.jpgone have the dyneema fairleads but retain the mounting bracket which strikes me as unnecessary but begs the question why.

And as far as compromising the strength goes I don't go hard-core wheeling or hammering through packs of big reds so it just needs to hold up to regular touring duties.

[loanrangie]

It will be fine, the bracket is only to hold the fairlead roller.

[rrturboD]

I have a similar mod proposed on my RRC bar, having changed from roller fairlead. At a show a couple of years ago I was talking with a group of old ARB peoples and we were discussing the 'recovery' points, that are not strong enough to be recovery points (unless you add a 10mm round rod from under the chassis bolts, along the edge, and up the front) and we got onto the winch rope changes. One of the blokes was involved with the early RRC bars etc and advised that the fairlead holder, was in fact part of the reinforcing for the winch. He proposed that I could remove the bolt holes section, but should retain the curved edge. Maybe this is why I have not modified mine yet, as it did not seem a simple task to retain the front curved edge without it looking very second hand. I will take to mine soon, with a 1mm grinding disk, and then reweld it back in place as a straight line with curved edge across the top of the hawse.

Hope this makes some sense!

[Slunnie]

I really wouldnt remove the upper roller fairlead mount.

If you look at all ARB bars, they are designed totally around box section reinforcement everywhere and any large section is also reinforced at it edge with at least 2 folds. They are a really well engineered bar.

On a regular low mount bar, the front plate is prevented from bending by the fold plate below it and the bar deck above it. The deck is then also reinforced at its edges so it doesn't buckle when hit like what the TJM ones seem to do.

With the high mount bars they don't have that deck surface to reinforce the upper part of the plate that the winch mounts to. The roller fairlead mount acts as that reinforcement to stiffen the bar otherwise it would bend quite easily. I really wouldnt remove that fairlead mount on the front. Thats also the reason why lowmount bars dont need them.

[Plutei]

Cheers chaps, guess I'll save the hassle and leave it on.