ARB front bumper ----- MORE PICS PG.4

jeepkj02 · **Posted:** Mon May 25, 2009 1:03 pm

I'm going to be installing an ARB bumper later this week. Don't have it yet, still shipping via FEDEX. Have a few questions. The directions says you need a 6mm & 10mm drill bit. You think I could get away with a 25/64" (9.9219mm) and 15/64" (5.9531mm) drill bits?

I have already relocated my washer bottle reservoir, should I bother installing the metal skid plate?

I don't have/require a front license plate, but would like add a "JEEP" plate later, would that require removing the bumper again?

What is a good "working load limit" for a d-ring shackle? Is 3-1/4 tons (6500 lbs) good? Does ARB include d-ring shackles with the bumper or is it sold separately?

From those that installed the ARB bumper, what would you say is the hardest part of the install? Any heads up? Advice??

shaggy591a · **Posted:** Mon May 25, 2009 1:19 pm

1. i think the size is fine. you are just drilling a hole to fit the bolt through to a nut and using washers.

2. i don't think you will have to install that skid, it helps protect the washer bottle.

3. i just bought d-rings for the size that fit in the holes for 4wd.com and i can't remember the work load they have.

4. the hardest part imo is bolting the bumper bracket to the unibody. it won't lineup with the holes right, u might have to pound some spots in with a hammer to get it to lineup. just take your time with it.

JL Rockies · **Posted:** Mon May 25, 2009 1:19 pm

I used standard drill bits because I don't have metric

You can add the bracket any time without taking the bumper off

I would add the skid for the sake of symmetry.

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon May 25, 2009 1:21 pm

VERY easy install for sure , I would say easier than doing a lift even. Straight forward, everything works as it should with no problems what so ever. I did mine by myself in just a couple of hours and was not even hurrying at all so could be done in less time if in a big hurry! :wink:

jeepkj02 · **Posted:** Mon May 25, 2009 1:54 pm

Thanks for all the advice, I post some before/during/after pictures. Very excited!!

Got the Hellas wired up and ready to go.

BTW, these are the d-rings I'm looking at, will have to check tomorrow if they stock them.

Grainger

Xodius · **Posted:** Mon May 25, 2009 4:34 pm

My install was fairly easy too...not at the time but looking back at it it was

I had an issue where my turn signal lenses would not fit in the brackets that are welded into the bumper. Took me some extra time to manipulate them into place. I also busted one drill, lol. It was old and cordless. Over all it is pretty easy though.
You will not have a hard time with it.
One word of advise, take your time when you are cutting your fenders. You don't want a huge gap

Look forward to the pics.

jeepskate · **Posted:** Mon May 25, 2009 4:39 pm

The install isn't hard. You can do it yourself, but having someone to help you lift the bumper into place is a big help, especially if there's a winch involved. I guess I'm not as fast as Tom. I needed about 4 hours.

I did have some difficulty getting the mounting bracket holes to line up. The bracket didn't want to sit flush on the passenger side for some reason. I used a screwdriver in the front mounting hole as leverage to pull it tight so I could get the other bolt in. There's another thread somewhere where someone had similar trouble and wound up drilling out the holes. Hopefully yours will go on easy like Tom's.

You'll need to cut the fender flares. I used a saw like the pictures show, but I think it would've been smoother and easier with a rotary cutting tool like a Dremel. Also, IIRC, the instructions don't really explain how to remove the factory fascia. There's a thread on here somewhere that explains it.

One big thing that you already know but is worth repeating: Be dang sure that you have every single part before you start. I was missing a huge part, the mounting bracket (ARB calls it the mounting system). Without that, you're not going anywhere.

RAYMAN975 · **Posted:** Mon May 25, 2009 4:44 pm

good to hear! i will be picking mine up from 4WD Hardware in Columbiana hopefully tues or weds if it came in, they said about a week, i ordered it wed. cant wait!

SweepnChoke · **Posted:** Mon May 25, 2009 5:29 pm

Hardest part I had on the install was getting everything to line up nice and clean (I am very picky). However I do see pics of Liberty's with the ARB installed that suffer some of the same issues I encounted, but thats what they stuck with.

Most noticable spot is the front of the wheel well/flare not meeting up with the bumper, most of the ones I see the bumper sits about 1/2" forward so it doesn't follow the line of the wheel well. Also on quite few I have seen the top of the bumper doesn't line up with the bottom of the grill under the lights.

----

Managed to find some of the install pics I had that show the gaps I was refering to, and snapped a couple new ones to show the difference. First fitting it looked like the bumper was sitting about a 1/2" low, and a 1/2" forward.

After some pounding, swearing, jacking the truck up by the bumper, some more swearing.....

mtnbikermatt · **Joined:** Sat Mar 17, 2007 9:29 am **Posts:** 66

I will be ordering my ARB bumper for my 06' in the morning and I am very excited about it.

How did you guys paint your bumpers? I was thinking about duplicolor truck bed liner

thanks
-Matt

jeepkj02 · **Posted:** Mon May 25, 2009 8:24 pm

mtnbikermatt wrote:

I will be ordering my ARB bumper for my 06' in the morning and I am very excited about it.

How did you guys paint your bumpers? I was thinking about duplicolor truck bed liner

thanks
-Matt

I was thinking of going with Rustoleum Hammered Paint.

jeepkj02 · **Posted:** Mon May 25, 2009 8:45 pm

Anyone cut the fender flare with a larger gap. I think it would look pretty good. Something like this, best pic I could find.

Xodius · **Posted:** Tue May 26, 2009 3:39 pm

SweepnChoke wrote:

Hardest part I had on the install was getting everything to line up nice and clean (I am very picky). However I do see pics of Liberty's with the ARB installed that suffer some of the same issues I encounted, but thats what they stuck with.

Most noticable spot is the front of the wheel well/flare not meeting up with the bumper, most of the ones I see the bumper sits about 1/2" forward so it doesn't follow the line of the wheel well. Also on quite few I have seen the top of the bumper doesn't line up with the bottom of the grill under the lights.

----

Managed to find some of the install pics I had that show the gaps I was refering to, and snapped a couple new ones to show the difference. First fitting it looked like the bumper was sitting about a 1/2" low, and a 1/2" forward.

LMAO, I am there with ya. Mine is the same way with the gaps. I was told that is normal...needless to say I was a bit POed but a few beers later I was all good

icarl · **Posted:** Tue May 26, 2009 3:55 pm

jeepkj02 wrote:

What is a good "working load limit" for a d-ring shackle? Is 3-1/4 tons (6500 lbs) good? Does ARB include d-ring shackles with the bumper or is it sold separately?

You should use one that is rated higher. My shackles are rated at 9500 ibs.

jeepkj02 wrote:

From those that installed the ARB bumper, what would you say is the hardest part of the install? Any heads up? Advice??

Cutting those darn plastic fenders. It turned out alright but took a few tries to get them to look good. I used an airsaw, a dremel, and an electric sander.

icarl · **Posted:** Tue May 26, 2009 3:56 pm

SweepnChoke wrote:

Most noticable spot is the front of the wheel well/flare not meeting up with the bumper, most of the ones I see the bumper sits about 1/2" forward so it doesn't follow the line of the wheel well. Also on quite few I have seen the top of the bumper doesn't line up with the bottom of the grill under the lights.

Yes, i had this issue also. Fixed it by jacking the bumper up as high as it would go to fill in the gaps. My bumper was used so it already had the holes for the bottom bolts. However, i had to redrill those holes because the original installer had them too low. Also, my bumper has a big ding in the metal on the top of it that gives it a gap on the drivers side. One of these days I'll get around to fixing that.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue May 26, 2009 4:21 pm

icarl wrote:

jeepkj02 wrote:

What is a good "working load limit" for a d-ring shackle? Is 3-1/4 tons (6500 lbs) good? Does ARB include d-ring shackles with the bumper or is it sold separately?

You should use one that is rated higher. My shackles are rated at 9500 ibs.

Man you all are using pretty weak shackles,my smallest shackles I have are alloy ones(5/8" pin diameter) rated for 7.5 tons working load.

SweepnChoke · **Posted:** Tue May 26, 2009 4:51 pm

jeepkj02 wrote:

Anyone cut the fender flare with a larger gap. I think it would look pretty good. Something like this, best pic I could find.

The only issue with this is the jeeps shown only have the flare, there is no inside plastic piece to the wheel well. With the ARB install the inside of the wheel well will bolt to the outside edge of the ARB and is only trimmed off at the bottom of the bumper. If you cut the flare up high enough because you want to see through to the tire, you will have to remove alot more of the plastic wheel well.

jeepkj02 · **Posted:** Tue May 26, 2009 6:16 pm

tjkj2002 wrote:

icarl wrote:

jeepkj02 wrote:

What is a good "working load limit" for a d-ring shackle? Is 3-1/4 tons (6500 lbs) good? Does ARB include d-ring shackles with the bumper or is it sold separately?

You should use one that is rated higher. My shackles are rated at 9500 ibs.

Man you all are using pretty weak shackles,my smallest shackles I have are alloy ones(5/8" pin diameter) rated for 7.5 tons working load.

I'm not finding a higher work load (3.25 ton) for 5/8" shackle body ; 3/4" pin diameter. What shackles are you using, a link would be helpful.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue May 26, 2009 6:44 pm

jeepkj02 wrote:

tjkj2002 wrote:

icarl wrote:

jeepkj02 wrote:

What is a good "working load limit" for a d-ring shackle? Is 3-1/4 tons (6500 lbs) good? Does ARB include d-ring shackles with the bumper or is it sold separately?

You should use one that is rated higher. My shackles are rated at 9500 ibs.

Man you all are using pretty weak shackles,my smallest shackles I have are alloy ones(5/8" pin diameter) rated for 7.5 tons working load.

I'm not finding a higher work load (3.25 ton) for 5/8" shackle body ; 3/4" pin diameter. What shackles are you using, a link would be helpful.

Okay I actually measured my shackle pins,thought they where 5/8" but they are 3/4",sorry for the mix up.They are military grade alloy shackles and they are stamped 7.5tons.

Here are similar shackles like I have,I believe the same company makes the military shackles also.
http://www.cmforge.com/shackles/dyproducts.asp?product_id=538

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue May 26, 2009 6:53 pm

jeepkj02 wrote:

Anyone cut the fender flare with a larger gap. I think it would look pretty good. Something like this, best pic I could find.

My right flare is cut up a little higher due to me wife :twisted:

she chose just the right moment to say " Look at my new pink, lacy, .......bra!" Too late............ cut was made and then I had to even it out!

But I still get a smile everytime I look at that flare :wink:

ARB front bumper ----- MORE PICS PG.4

Who is online