Wildman's TJ is getting a face lift

[mudmaster]

My 2 cents, I've had a non-knurled one slide and had to weld it to keep it in place.

 

[Wildman]

My 2 cents, I've had a non-knurled one slide and had to weld it to keep it in place.

That is interesting, I wasn't easy on mine either and you can see it was a smaller clamp and isn't anything special.

I'm going to try the TMR clamp first and see how it goes then if it's rubbing too much or causing other issues I'll swap to one of the clamps with tabs on it.
But ultimately yes I'd like one of the Webb's knurled clamps.

 

[Wildman]

Wasn't looking forward to this but it isn't that hard. I pulled the instrument cluster back out.

For those who haven't taken one apart there's 2 screws holding the plastic rear cover on. Then there's 24 screws holding the circuit board to the front part of the instrument cluster.

Once you've pulled the rear circuit board off the LED's are labeled.

So you're not going to screw this up.
I'd started off putting tape over the LED right on the circuit board.

But then decided against that and instead put the tape over the opening for the air bag symbol.

Plugged the cluster in to verify I'd covered the symbol enough.

Put it all back together and checked it one more time.

 

[Wildman]

Then I removed the air bag module since I don't need it anymore.

I'll zip tie the wires and plug up out of the way behind the center console.

 

[Wildman]

Found the first leak.

Fixed

Soapy mess where the AiRock controller is mounted.

But i found the other leak under the Jeep. I'd cut the main line coming out of the air tank at an angle. Put a straight cut on the line and no more leak.

 

[mudmaster]

Easy enough fix. Hopefully that's it

 

[Wildman]

The first two leaks were easy to find and fix.
But I've still got a leak somewhere.

5 minutes later

Now I've got 1 way check valves on the ARB and AiRock systems so that's why they stayed the same. Plus it isolates each system so if one was leaking it'd be easier to find.

I've got a distribution block under the Jeep so I'd have to pull the skid to get at it.

 

[Wildman]

10 minutes later I've lost another 15 PSI.

Being a slow leak is just making it that harder to find.

 

[Wildman]

I've been toying with the idea to put a hook on the upper tube of the bumper for a place to attach the winchline. I'd use a cheap soft shackle to hook the thimble to it.

But do I want the hook facing out?

Or facing in?

Once it's welded onto the tubing I'll cover it with heater hose. The end would be rounded off to keep from getting hung up on it.

Safety says to go in with it but then it's going to pull against the lightbar.
Where if it's facing out it would keep it off the lightbar more.

Last possibility is to cut the ends even and weld it on as a loop? Then split the heater hose and wrap it. Would sill use a soft shackle to attach it to the thimble..

If the loop is pointing out just a tiny bit it's going to help keep it off the lightbar. But then nothing pointy sticking out to get hung up on.

 

[FarFire70]

I've been toying with the idea to put a hook on the upper tube of the bumper for a place to attach the winchline. I'd use a cheap soft shackle to hook the thimble to it.

But do I want the hook facing out?

View attachment 567419

View attachment 567420

Or facing in?

View attachment 567421

View attachment 567422

Once it's welded onto the tubing I'll cover it with heater hose. The end would be rounded off to keep from getting hung up on it.

View attachment 567423

Safety says to go in with it but then it's going to pull against the lightbar.
Where if it's facing out it would keep it off the lightbar more.

Last possibility is to cut the ends even and weld it on as a loop? Then split the heater hose and wrap it. Would sill use a soft shackle to attach it to the thimble..

If the loop is pointing out just a tiny bit it's going to help keep it off the lightbar. But then nothing pointy sticking out to get hung up on.

View attachment 567426

Rick - can you help out a guy slow on the uptake? What are you looking to accomplish here?

From the angles, you're only moving the thimble a few inches north, with a soft shackle's droop when you'd pull the line tight. Plus, then the LED bar is semi-blocked.

Seen others go off to one of the sides. What about going that way - any of your hook or loop add-ons would support those within the hoop?

For a guy who doesn't have a winch yet, I'll go back to the original question - is the intent to just not have the thimble sticking straight out of the fairlead? Is that for aesthetics?

 

[Wildman]

Rick - can you help out a guy slow on the uptake? What are you looking to accomplish here?

From the angles, you're only moving the thimble a few inches north, with a soft shackle's droop when you'd pull the line tight. Plus, then the LED bar is semi-blocked.

Seen others go off to one of the sides. What about going that way - any of your hook or loop add-ons would support those within the hoop?

For a guy who doesn't have a winch yet, I'll go back to the original question - is the intent to just not have the thimble sticking straight out of the fairlead? Is that for aesthetics?

It's to get the thimble so it's not sticking straight out and getting damaged by running into stuff.

Bringing up top keeps the winchline from going over a side roller and again getting damaged from bumping into something.

I'm just trying out ideas at this point.
The winchline going in front of the lightbar isn't going to be large enough to block anything I don't think.

 

[FarFire70]

It's to get the thimble so it's not sticking straight out and getting damaged by running into stuff.

Bringing up top keeps the winchline from going over a side roller and again getting damaged from bumping into something.

I'm just trying out ideas at this point.
The winchline going in front of the lightbar isn't going to be large enough to block anything I don't think.

Thanks Rick! Seen many others trying to do the same. I appreciate your explanation. Makes a lot of sense that I hadn't considered.

—-

For your ideas, I clearly don't have good recommendations with a total lack of experience.

I'll just leave this - the reverse hook looks like you'd rip into the LED bar with either the shackle, thimble, or line - if you pull it taut. Or move it back some.

 

[Wildman]

After playing with the winch itself I answered my own question. The only way this will work is if the hook is coming out the front & the thimble is put directly onto the hook itself. If I used a soft shackle it'll be too long and the thimble would be right in front of the lightbar. I'll post some pictures in a few. So I'd cover the hook in hose so it doesn't hurt the thimble. I've got to make sure that the thimble will fit once the hose is on the rebar. Will do that after dinner.

So if I put the hook off the front I'd make it just a short bit longer than what the thimble is and then round off the end. Of all the places I've looked to put something to hoof the thimble to so far this is my best place.

 

[FarFire70]

After playing with the winch itself I answered my own question. The only way this will work is if the hook is coming out the front & the thimble is put directly onto the hook itself. If I used a soft shackle it'll be too long and the thimble would be right in front of the lightbar. I'll post some pictures in a few. So I'd cover the hook in hose so it doesn't hurt the thimble. I've got to make sure that the thimble will fit once the hose is on the rebar. Will do that after dinner.

View attachment 567434

View attachment 567435

So if I put the hook off the front I'd make it just a short bit longer than what the thimble is and then round off the end. Of all the places I've looked to put something to hoof the thimble to so far this is my best place.

Makes good sense to me. I was trying to say the same issue on using a soft shackle leading to blocking the light bar.

Appreciate you covering the idea that you'd cover the hook to avoid thimble damage. I likely couldn't have thought about that on a future capture idea but makes a lot of sense if you're protecting the thimble for synthetic lines.

Again - I have no winch (yet) so just a guy saying things... Love that your build is talking winch and not engine!

 

[reddvltj]

After playing with the winch itself I answered my own question. The only way this will work is if the hook is coming out the front & the thimble is put directly onto the hook itself. If I used a soft shackle it'll be too long and the thimble would be right in front of the lightbar. I'll post some pictures in a few. So I'd cover the hook in hose so it doesn't hurt the thimble. I've got to make sure that the thimble will fit once the hose is on the rebar. Will do that after dinner.

View attachment 567434

View attachment 567435

So if I put the hook off the front I'd make it just a short bit longer than what the thimble is and then round off the end. Of all the places I've looked to put something to hoof the thimble to so far this is my best place.

Just thinking out loud here.....

Instead of welding the rebar around the tube to make a hook, how about drilling the tube and running a chunk of rebar through the tube and making a L hook with just enough sticking up to keep the thimble from sliding off.

 

[mudmaster]

I used this:

 

[Wildman]

I used this:

View attachment 567503

That would mean I'd have to buy new rope or modify my current rope & a new fairlead which is not what I want to do right now. I've got a rope from a forum member plus I like my roller fairlead over the hawse fairlead. But if I was going with something different I do like that setup. It's nice plus very compact.

 

[mudmaster]

That would mean I'd have to buy new rope or modify my current rope & a new fairlead which is not what I want to do right now. I've got a rope from a forum member plus I like my roller fairlead over the hawse fairlead. But if I was going with something different I do like that setup. It's nice plus very compact.

I cut the hook off mine and used a FID to make a new loop. I get it though, it can wait.

 

[Apparition]

I cut the hook off mine and used a FID to make a new loop. I get it though, it can wait.

Have you encountered any issues with pulling the rope out when it's stored like that? not much to pull on

 

[mudmaster]

Have you encountered any issues with pulling the rope out when it's stored like that? not much to pull on

Not yet