ARB Bullbar: modify to fit a winch or switch to a winchbar?

[Ezookiel]

I have an ARB bullbar fitted to my GQ, I have no idea if it's winch compatible, but since it doesn't appear to have anywhere to fit one, I can only assume it isn't.
So my question is:
Is it feasible to get an engineer to modify it to take a winch?
Or should I just sell it off for whatever I can get for it, and put the money towards buying a winch bar?

[utesrthego]

mate, you are better off selling the original bar, and getting a properly engineered arb winch bar. saves a lot of hassle and mucking around, and at least you know its been done right in the first place.

[Ezookiel]

That's what I thought. Pity though, because unless I want to have a vehicle without any bar on it for a while, I'll have to buy the new one first, then sell the old one. It would be nice to do it the other way around.

So what do people think of the Ironman brand "The Protector Winch Bullbar" (www.ironmansuspension.com) with integrated driving lights?

I know the ARB are tough, cause I hit a roo with one just last week, and didn't mark the bar or the car (can't say the same for the roo though)
But the ironman ones sure look smart.

[0xyg3n]

Just recently fitted up an ironman 9500 lowmount onto my GQ which has (or had ) a non winch ARB bar. I had the orig bar modified to accept the winch, worked out way cheeper than buying a new bar and no hassles of offloading the orig bar. All in all it came up ok. have linked to a picture as I have no idea how to attach a picture to this post. if you need any info yell out.

http://www.users.on.net/~nofearz/gq/patrol2.jpg

[toaddog]

Get a cradle made up to take the winch and put it in behind the bar heaps cheaper

[blkmav]

Like this

[Ezookiel]

Phew, that is good news, cause it was ARB that suggested I get it engineered to take a winch, so they ought to know, and I'm sort of surprised they didn't just tell me to get a whole new bar for the extra sale.
They even gave me the name of an engineer they recommend.
Looks like I'll be doing it that way then.

That photo, doesn't the winch hang down a little low, does it affect approach angles much? I'd have thought they'd have mounted it a but more up in the middle of the bar (like where the plate would have gone previously)

[bogged]

just buy a winch bar, you see them all the time on Ebay for $500 tops... sometimes even on here.

but your old bar wont be worth a lot.

[mavzilla]

winch rollers look like there in the firing line
i rotated my winch 180 degrees and put the rollers up higer , never hit them(and think about it ...it doesnt work backwards?????)