Before I put holes...

tomsjeep · **Posted:** Sat May 02, 2009 2:49 pm

OK, before I put holes where holes ought not to be, does anyone know if there's anything sensitive/puncturable/etc. underneath the plastic piece that sits in front of the windshield (between windshield and hood, where the wipers poke originate)?
I'm looking at this location to mount a small solar battery charger, and it will require drilling 4 holes... I just don't want to drill and hit "oil" or some such!

SweepnChoke · **Posted:** Sat May 02, 2009 3:06 pm

The cowl is pretty easy to remove so that you can inspect.

Remove the wiper arms
-Lift the front wiper arm to its over-center position
-Carefully pry the plastic nut cap off of the pivot end of the wiper arm
-Remove the nut that secures the wiper arm to the wiper pivot shaft
-Remove the wiper arm pivot end from the wiper pivot shaft

Remove the cowl
-Open the hood
-Remove the hood seal
-Remove the four plastic retainers
-Remove the cowl grill

sorry no pics

tomsjeep · **Posted:** Sat May 02, 2009 3:23 pm

Aside from being very mechanically uninclined, I think I can handle it. Thanks for the info.
Yours truly struggles with even basic bolt-on stuff, so it's always an adventure when I go out there with a wrench. Since I'm leaning towards the passenger side for this, I think I can get away with just uprooting that side and peeking under there. I'm headed outside to take a peek now.

SweepnChoke · **Posted:** Sat May 02, 2009 3:39 pm

My wife just reminded me I need to take hers off to clean out all the maple keys trapped inside, so if you can wait until tomorrow I can post some pics if you need em.

tomsjeep · **Posted:** Sat May 02, 2009 4:38 pm

Wait until tomorrow? hehe. That doesn't account for my mechanical inabilities!
I got the section of the cowl pried up well enough to look under/feel around under it to make certain all is clear in that area... so far so good. Then I start laying out the install, get all my little tools ready (oh boy, I get to use my super-portable Dremel!) and then discover that try as I will, there is no place within the engine compartment that conforms to placement of this thing with its wiring as it is now. So I'm going to have to cut and splice to get the silly thing placed.
Drat. And I was so ready to actually get a project done and drill holes in my KJ!
So if I fiddle around for a day or so, I can get the re-arrangement of the wiring done and sealed up so this thing can play. Gotta love it!

LIV42DY · **Posted:** Sat May 02, 2009 10:29 pm

There is nothing under there, the only thing you will see is the screen on the passenger side for the blower. My CB antena is isntalled this way and it comes up thru the plastic.

GeoJeeper · **Posted:** Sun May 03, 2009 1:39 am

LIV42DY wrote:

My CB antena is isntalled this way and it comes up thru the plastic.

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I'd like to see a pic of that. Sounds like a good idea.

SweepnChoke · **Posted:** Sun May 03, 2009 2:53 pm

Took the cowl off of both mine and my wifes earlier today, not much to it at all, flat head screw driver, 15mm socket, 15 minutes tops. If you need a pictorial let me know. But just for reference heres a few crappy pictures of the area under the cowel.

tomsjeep · **Posted:** Sun May 03, 2009 4:24 pm

Thanks for the pics. I'm equipped now to cut and splice wiring, should get this project wrapped up as soon as the weather clears.
Since I've heard some complaints about solar chargers doing bad things to batteries when they're parked in the dark for any length of time, I'm acutally taking advantage of the need to cut/splice to include a simple set of connectors so I can disengage the system if needed.
I know these things work well as intended because I saw them in use for HMMWVs parked in the lot that just sat for sometimes months at a time... and nobody is harder on batteries than the Army!
I promise to post up pics of the finished layout.

LIV42DY · **Posted:** Sun May 03, 2009 11:02 pm

GeoJeeper wrote:

LIV42DY wrote:

My CB antena is isntalled this way and it comes up thru the plastic.

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I'd like to see a pic of that. Sounds like a good idea.

Ill take a picture and post it, but it will be without the cowling off.

Before I put holes...

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