I did a bit of a marathon this week:
First I painted the new bumper. For the price it’s not bad, however I think I’ll end up buying the Savvy aluminum after the eventual tummy tuck. My painting booth is my front tree:
Once that was ready I went in to removing the old bumper and factory sway bar (now to clean it up for sale):
Next I checked the fit of the new bumper, got new grade 8 bolts, swapped over the winch, painted my fairlead (waiting to buy a new one until I can also get synthetic), and mounted up the bumper... but found it collided with the end caps on the Antirock. I filed those down a bit and got it all buttoned up (this paragraph is like the yadda yadda from Seinfeld since I didn’t take pics at each phase
).
The keen eye will probably notice the AR links are a bit long (even after trimming them 1.5”). Im running out of room on them and the $20/e made the 6.5” links compelling - they’ll be here Monday and this will have to work for the weekend (no play time to avoid killing my fenders).
I got a bit ahead of myself planning for my upcoming trip and decided to suck it up with doing onboard air with the single can ARB. This thing is beefy and high quality feeling. What sold me on it is the CFM, Duty Cycle and “buy once cry once” mentality (I probably should have on the bumper too, but live and learn and I stayed under budget).
That’s now in my ABS tray
I’d like to find a good way to store the tubing and other airing supplies with it so it’s all together. I’ll probably be on the lookout this week for a box that I can fit in there.
I had to refresh my familiarity with wiring and relays as I didn’t want the ARB to be an obvious passenger. So I am recycling the switch from the lights on the old bumper. I spliced the ARB harness and kept the excess in the box in case I change my mind and want to get showy. However the switch looks nothing like the TJ stock ones and I want to retain the feel (sadly that ship sailed with the previous owner’s installation of this switch below).
I spliced the positive lead in from my CB line for the moment, however I may move it to an ignition wire if I start to forget it’s on ever.
There’s a few necessary follow ups to do:
* Clean/Sell the old Bumper
* I’d like small flood lights - undecided on which.
* My front license plate, which I’ll probably flatten and screw partially obscured by the winch on the bumper lip
* replace the sway bar bolts to avoid another avenue into the frame for water
* air supplies storage
* bring the steering skid over from the old bumper.
