ARB Bumper install frustration
- Thread starter oliverlove
- Start date
oliverlove
Adventurer
I'm not doing the end cap mod...yet. I don't have a winch yet to install, so its just the bumper at this point. Unfortunately I don't have any experience with welding, so without help I can't do the end plate mod. If I had the ability to the do that mod at this point I would.
Where I live wayyyyy down here in South Texas there aren't any shops around I would trust with that type of work either.
Yes it is 1st gen with the L and R units. Bottle jack is standing by to aid with the install. :sombrero:
Where I live wayyyyy down here in South Texas there aren't any shops around I would trust with that type of work either.
Yes it is 1st gen with the L and R units. Bottle jack is standing by to aid with the install. :sombrero:
oliverlove
Adventurer
Progress!!! So the ARB tech told me today that the bolts that horizontally attach the large brackets to the frame extension blocks are unnecessary. The vertical bolts are more than strong enough.
So, Turn signals wired up, and both crush cans installed
I will beat this hunk of metal...
So, Turn signals wired up, and both crush cans installed
I will beat this hunk of metal...
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I got you all beat
Before you re-think the end cap mod take a look at the pics of my ARB completely underneath my truck after breaking off the mounts on the trail. I was in borrego about 1.5 years ago, hauling *** down a trail 40-50mph, a fairly good size whoop came up out of nowhere and it was too late to brake so i accelerated in hopes to float over it. It popped me up and i was airborne, what did me in was another whoop right on my landing which was no match for my suspensions so i bottomed out pretty hard and the bumper decided to no longer be attached to my truck. One mount completely sheared off, and the bumper somehow swung underneath my truck and drag until i came to stop. Miraculously the radiator or anything else was not damaged, I am actually surprised the airbag did not deploy. Needless to say those mounts are defanetly the weak point and should be strengthend. At the time i did not have a winch but had the hi lift jack mounted on it so the weight should be about the same as to having a winch. Since then I reduced the weight of the bumber by at least half, getting rid of the bull bar, built a new bar for lights, and trimmed the bumper to suck it closer to the truck since i am not planning to have a winch, and re-located the hi lift. I completely made new frame mounts, has been good ever since. Another picture shows the bumber after my modifications, it doesnt look like an ARB at all, much sleaker, and defantely not as heavy. I forgot to mention, after the fiasco, I put the bumber in my bed and continued offroading, it bounced around and broke the back window of my camper shell. That was one of those trips.
Before you re-think the end cap mod take a look at the pics of my ARB completely underneath my truck after breaking off the mounts on the trail. I was in borrego about 1.5 years ago, hauling *** down a trail 40-50mph, a fairly good size whoop came up out of nowhere and it was too late to brake so i accelerated in hopes to float over it. It popped me up and i was airborne, what did me in was another whoop right on my landing which was no match for my suspensions so i bottomed out pretty hard and the bumper decided to no longer be attached to my truck. One mount completely sheared off, and the bumper somehow swung underneath my truck and drag until i came to stop. Miraculously the radiator or anything else was not damaged, I am actually surprised the airbag did not deploy. Needless to say those mounts are defanetly the weak point and should be strengthend. At the time i did not have a winch but had the hi lift jack mounted on it so the weight should be about the same as to having a winch. Since then I reduced the weight of the bumber by at least half, getting rid of the bull bar, built a new bar for lights, and trimmed the bumper to suck it closer to the truck since i am not planning to have a winch, and re-located the hi lift. I completely made new frame mounts, has been good ever since. Another picture shows the bumber after my modifications, it doesnt look like an ARB at all, much sleaker, and defantely not as heavy. I forgot to mention, after the fiasco, I put the bumber in my bed and continued offroading, it bounced around and broke the back window of my camper shell. That was one of those trips.
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oliverlove
Adventurer
Holy Poop Loober!!!!! Well that show me more than enough to get the end cap mod done asap.
oliverlove
Adventurer
Could someone post up the link to the end cap mod. It might be useful to the members here.
TangoBlue
American Adventurist
The original and one of the best on-line write-ups...
http://www.nwtoys.com/content/123-frame-endcap-modification.html
http://www.nwtoys.com/content/123-frame-endcap-modification.html
oliverlove
Adventurer
Sooooo how the hell does anyone fit their fingers up inside the bumper to attach the 6 bolts that hold it onto the crush cans? I think I need to buy a small monkey that understands sign language!
oliverlove
Adventurer
I'm fast becoming one of those people that will pay others to do the hard work...
Tango, thanks for the link, very helpful! I knew I had seen it somewhere, but was having trouble finding it.[/I]
Tango, thanks for the link, very helpful! I knew I had seen it somewhere, but was having trouble finding it.[/I]
dippitydoo
New member
I just installed the Arb bumper on my 08 Taco. It took 5 hours. I can't really help with the install (because I mostly just watched) but one thing I will say is that ARB's lighting and bumper people must be 2 separate groups that don't talk. I got the bumper with the built in area for lights. Yeaaaaaaah... you need to install that BEFORE you put the bumper on. After you install the bumper and try and fit those little tiny light fixtures in, well, it's awful. Another problem is that there were 50 different part numbers for lights and harnesses and this part and that part. It wasn't clear WHAT exactly you needed (or I'm retarded.) I ended up getting the light kit and it was just fog lights. No harness, nothin.
Palehorse1
Observer
My 2011 came with the white light driving lamps in the factory bumper and I'd like to see if I can reuse those in the ARB deluxe before sourcing another pair of light assemblies so if anyone has first hand experience with fitting or attempting to fit these I'd be grateful to hear your input. If not possible then I reckon sourcing true amber fog lights would be the ticket since I intend to add accessory driving lights above the bumper regardless. Thanks for the link to the "end cap" mod TB, I was one of those that was a little in the dark as to what you guys were referring to.
I hope you get it sorted out Oliver, look forward to your tale of success.
RememberTheFallen
Explorer
If it makes you feel any better my trip out to Utah and Arizona is currently being delayed because of this friggin ARB bumper install! Between a crappy drill, then crappy bits in a good drill, then good bits in a good drill, the vertical bolt hole is not my friend. It took me a day and calling ARB to figure out exactly where I was supposed to drill and I am still not sure I am in the right place. Adding insult to injury; mu genius idea of getting the holes started and pulling it apart to finish the holes was a great way to make sure my holes do not line up! Hopefully I will get it in the morning and I can take off out of here. Good luck with your install!
I finally replaced my front bumper with an ARB; but by the time the bumper arrived, I'd gotten really busy with work. I arranged to have a well-known Denver area shop install my bumper while I spent most of the day on a long teleconference. I figured these pros would be able to remove my old Fab-Fours and install the ARB in no time. They quoted 4 hours. To make a long story short; I arrived at the shop at 8:00am and left at 7:00pm. At 6pm, the tech still hadn't wired the lights or the winch. The next day, I crawled under my truck to check the work, and realized I needed to torque down everything, most bolts were finger tight, at best.
I never actually learned what took so long-but I did learn that next time, to wait until I can do it myself. I feel your pain; I've had more than one simple project take all day. It's all part of the fun.....
I never actually learned what took so long-but I did learn that next time, to wait until I can do it myself. I feel your pain; I've had more than one simple project take all day. It's all part of the fun.....