can't get to the clutch on the winch thru bullbar

[crunk81us]

Well as the title says.

Got 100 series with winch mount bullbar, am putting winch in when I notice there is no hole/cutout in the top plate of the bullbar to get my hand in to engage the clutch. So unless there is room under my bullbar when I am stuck I cannot get to the clutch.

Do I cut a section out so I can?

Do I leave the clutch engaged so I can reverse the rope out?
(would take forever)

How have you got around this?

Cheers[/u]

[jessie928]

Well as the title says.

Got 100 series with winch mount bullbar, am putting winch in when I notice there is no hole/cutout in the top plate of the bullbar to get my hand in to engage the clutch. So unless there is room under my bullbar when I am stuck I cannot get to the clutch.

Do I cut a section out so I can?

Do I leave the clutch engaged so I can reverse the rope out?
(would take forever)

How have you got around this?

Cheers[/u]

cut the hole. much easier.

Jes

[joeblow]

what brand bar?......what brand winch? don't go cutting holes in air bag compatible bars.

[bru21]

you can rotate the clutch assembly easily if that helps. Its as easy as undoing the cap screws turning it and re tightening.

Most Bars I have seen latley suck big time for winch access / installation. An ARB nissan bar I fitted one to a few months back was that bad that if it were my car I would have got another bar. Its that hard to do regular maintaince that it just doesn't happen and the winch fails when you need it.

[crunk81us]

what brand bar?......what brand winch? don't go cutting holes in air bag compatible bars.

Not sure what brand bar, Possibly TJM or ARB.. TMAX 12000 lbs. cutting holes should be ok in airbag compatible bars.. its when you add too much strength in the bar that it affects airbag... (i think)

[crunk81us]

you can rotate the clutch assembly easily if that helps. Its as easy as undoing the cap screws turning it and re tightening.

Most Bars I have seen latley suck big time for winch access / installation. An ARB nissan bar I fitted one to a few months back was that bad that if it were my car I would have got another bar. Its that hard to do regular maintaince that it just doesn't happen and the winch fails when you need it.

Yeah it sucks alright... good bar otherwise. would love a tube bar but funds.. :( no point spending money when something you have will do the job. shouldn't be too bad getting it out for maintenance. I have had the bar off to clean it up and treat the surface rust on the bar and corrosion on the nuts+bolts. I think I might be able to cut a couple of rungs out of the original black plastic grill and make an access hole there instead.. not sure yet tho'.

[Toy80Diesel]

Can you get to it by reaching under the car? Mine faces the radiator and I can get to it by reaching under the bullbar. But I guess your bar might not have much clearance under there. Mine has enough that I got the winch in without removing the bar!

[Guy]

Can you get to it by reaching under the car? Mine faces the radiator and I can get to it by reaching under the bullbar. But I guess your bar might not have much clearance under there. Mine has enough that I got the winch in without removing the bar!

Sounds like a mongrel of an idea to me .. if stuck in bar deep mud\water your on a scuba expedition in god knows what to get your winch working,

[jimako]

Best option is to rotate the clutch housing so the clutch release handle is at the top of the winch, you will only need a large enough hole for the lever to stick out of.

[Toy80Diesel]

Sounds like a mongrel of an idea to me .. if stuck in bar deep mud\water your on a scuba expedition in god knows what to get your winch working,

Well, if I know I'm in for something like that, I get some of the (plasma type) rope out of the winch and wrap it around the bullbar so its ready to go when I need it. If I forget and can't get to the clutch, I have to power it out.

[Toy80Diesel]

Best option is to rotate the clutch housing so the clutch release handle is at the top of the winch, you will only need a large enough hole for the lever to stick out of.

I was thinking of doing that but in my case the winch isn't high enough in the bar to get near the handle, you'd need a decent size hole. I suppose you could make some sort of extension to reach it, removable or not, so you wouldn't need to get your hand through the hole.

[jimako]

Best option is to rotate the clutch housing so the clutch release handle is at the top of the winch, you will only need a large enough hole for the lever to stick out of.

I was thinking of doing that but in my case the winch isn't high enough in the bar to get near the handle, you'd need a decent size hole. I suppose you could make some sort of extension to reach it, removable or not, so you wouldn't need to get your hand through the hole.

Do you have a closer picture of your bar and winch,

[Toy80Diesel]

Do you have a closer picture of your bar and winch,

Yes, but currently photobucket isn't letting me online due to maintenance.

I'll post it up asap. In the meantime, its a standard Toyota bar with an Ironman 9500 winch.

Here's the photo:

[krusty182]

+1 for cut an access hole in the top of the bar

[GRIMACE]

next they will start using rivets to hold the shit in place.

[jimako]

Mate it looks like the winch is high enough, cant go any higher.
From what i think the clutch lever should stick out far enough so when the clutch housing is rotated to point the lever to the top of the bar it should stick out.[/img]

[bazzle]

Strange?? Is there a hole under the control box?

Bazzle

[ludacris]

Hole saw big enough to get your hand in there.

Cris

[chunks]

Do you have a closer picture of your bar and winch,

Yes, but currently photobucket isn't letting me online due to maintenance.

I'll post it up asap. In the meantime, its a standard Toyota bar with an Ironman 9500 winch.

Here's the photo:

Is that actually a winch bar or just a standard bar modded for a winch?

[DavidM]

Same as mine, factory winch bar. The mounting points for the winch are re-enforced. I have to access the clutch lever from underneath the bar as well. Never been a problem

[DR Frankenstine]

Just cut a hole in the bloody bar GEEEZ its not that hard. You are not adding strength. Not as much as the extra bracing a winch would provide. If your worried about a hole you should be way more worried about adding a winch.

[bigbear]

Could need more piks of the bar to make suggestions, inside and out. As someone else has said dont chop into an airbag bar. Possibly ring the manufacturer and ask where the best place is to chop for hand access.

[Toy80Diesel]

Strange?? Is there a hole under the control box?

Bazzle

No, the wires go straight out the back. I mounted it that way not to block air flow. I had to move the plug around to the front of the box and seal the side hole which you can't see from the front. But I've never used the plug as the wireless if easier!