• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Homemade winch bar

S

Steve F

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Australia
Built a front bar a few years ago (http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=867639) but have a winch now so started on the winch bar today, 2hrs and I've got the frame mounting plates cut and the winch plate fitted. To fit the plate and have the most weld area I cut a slot in the mounting plates half the depth of the winch plate and then cut a slot in the winch plate half its depth and then slotted the two pieces together (did the same for both mounts). Just ran a small weld on each plate/mount so far. Its nice and strong and thats without adding the box section between the mounts on the rear of the winch plate.

Anyway, some pics.

100_6516.sized.jpg


100_6519.sized.jpg


And how it should end up

Above.jpg


Cheers
Steve
 
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.

100_6528.sized.jpg


Cheers
Steve
 
You can probably trim down the steel for the fairlead it looks taller than it needs to be.Lookin good so far!
 
99Redxjbuilder said:
Looks great! But how did you bend the front?
Click to expand...

To bend it I scored the back with a 3mm (about 1/8") cutting disk and then after it was bent welded up the score line. For the curved section I did several cuts all close together and did a small bend at each one, a flapper disk over the front will take off any signs of the numerous bends and make it look curved :)

Cheers
Steve
 
Done some more this morning, should finish all the cutting of parts today and get them tacked on at least, need to do the corners of the lower skid and do some small pieces of the upper section. It's getting heavy but there wont be much more added to it in the way of weight now, I can still take it off and put it on by myself easily enough.

100_6548.sized.jpg


100_6546.sized.jpg


Cheers
Steve
 
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 fair from perfect welding, still pretty happy with it though :)

100_6554.sized.jpg


100_6555.sized.jpg


Cheers
Steve
 
What did you use to design it?
 
this is off-topic but i thought they stopped sending XJ's to australia in the late 80's. bumper build looks awesome though!:cheers:
 
To answer some questions.

For the lights I'm welding two tabs on the bar of the sloped sections that go from the top of the bar to the winch mount there's enough room there for the lights.

I used google sketchup to design it, The XJ was already available in the library so I downloaded that and did the bar.

They stopped sending Jeeps altogether to Aus in the l80's but then started bringing in the XJ in 94ish and the TJ later, we've had Jeeps here since then with the XJ coming in until it was replaced in 2001.

Cheers
Steve
 
when you take it off to paint it will you also weigh it? i'd like to build a lighter/stronger bumper
 
Steve F said:
They stopped sending Jeeps altogether to Aus in the l80's but then started bringing in the XJ in 94ish and the TJ later, we've had Jeeps here since then with the XJ coming in until it was replaced in 2001.

Cheers
Steve
Click to expand...


Ahh i see. Glad to hear you got some jeeps over there to make those yota's and Nissans and Rovers look bad! :cheers:
 
Pretty much done, the lights are just hanging in the mounts at the moment so are almost resting on the tow hooks, they will be further back giving room to hook a strap on the hooks. The winch is not mounted yet, need to work out how I'm going to mount the controller to the top of it (is there a standard mount that can be bought?) then when it is wired up I'll mount it. Also haven't trimmed the front for the fairlead yet, should get that tomorrow in the post.

Anyway, pics.

100_6572.sized.jpg


100_6573.sized.jpg


100_6574.sized.jpg


100_6577.sized.jpg


Cheers
Steve
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

sdspearo
Sector shaft brace with WJ sway bar?
Replies
17
Views
6K
sdspearo
sdspearo
J
Rear Bumper fabrication/strength questions
Replies
2
Views
2K
Joshua13
J
Anak
Trailer Modifications: Receiver Mount for Winch
Replies
2
Views
907
Anak
Anak
Anak
Hitch Stinger Storage
Replies
0
Views
549
Anak
Anak
S
Correct light bar installation
Replies
2
Views
3K
RCP Phx
R
Back
Top