SteveG Posted September 12, 2006 Share Posted September 12, 2006 After lots of deliberations, some may call it indecision! , I finally decided on getting a Superwinch EP9 and a bumper to go with it. Had a good look at bumpers and decided that I wanted a tubular one, without the A bar and after days of mindless research and after asking around I finally decided on a FirstFour bumper. As they were near Tiverton and not a million miles away from Tony, White90, I decided to pick them up in person and at the same time pick up my roof rack that I forgot to pick up at Tony's BB06 event Doh! I also managed to get Tony to help me with wiring it up using his now famous crimping methods! I didn't take much persuading - thanks Tony! On the way down, I picked up a pair of HD 096 batteries from Mole Valley Farmers for 100 pounds the pair. they are wired up in the "west country' way in parallel. I did consider getting an Odyssey PC1200 in conjunction with the standard batt and an X-Charge, but this way saved me 80 pounds, and maybe a 100 if I sell the std batt for 20 quid - offers via PM are accepted EP9 from FirstFour came with an HD isolator switch.. So finally here's the bumper.. I liked the low profile look of this set up.. The bumper is mounted with two vertical bolts through the existing mounts and one horizontal bolt, again through existing chassis hole.. Fit and finish is excellent and the SS fairlead is very bling.. Approach angle is good.. We took apart solenoid pack and relocated Albright equiv sealed solenoid onto the passenger side inner wing. I forgot the flex to wire up my in cab control switch .The remote socket was placed underneath the Passenger side indicator... So, I'm very pleased with purchase. Peter at First Four seems a nice chap, very easy to deal and communication via e-mail and phone was very good and prompt. Only problem we had was that the thread on one of the vertical bolt plates stripped with little effort. Not an issue as we just used std LR plates, but I suspect plates need to be more heavy duty. Price for bumper, EP9 without fairlead rollers and wire rope, 2x SS swivel eyes and the SS hawse fairlead was 725 pounds, so a very good deal too. Here's a couple of more pics for any winch/bumper fetish persons and for people like Bogmonster using a modem! Cheers Steve Just need to get the roof rack off now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpb Posted September 12, 2006 Share Posted September 12, 2006 I do like the look of that bumper, looks a lot better without the A bar. Just a couple of questions. Are those 096 Batteries the biggest that you can fit two under the seat, as I want to fit duel batteries to my Defender? Have you done anything to the battery box to flatten it out or have you just dropped them in? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bishbosh Posted September 12, 2006 Share Posted September 12, 2006 Looking good Steve. Got any more tech on how to "relocate" the solenoid pack? I thought it was "hard wired" to the motor..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted September 12, 2006 Share Posted September 12, 2006 hmmmmmmmm nice bling, looks tidy too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted September 12, 2006 Share Posted September 12, 2006 Looks very smart. Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white90 Posted September 12, 2006 Share Posted September 12, 2006 they are hard wired using a bus bar arrangement these were dispensed with and replaced with 35mm2 cable, the solenoids are Allbright copies these were located behind the n/s headlight using the brackets they were mounted onto the motor with. time consuming but worthwhile and a very neat install. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveG Posted September 12, 2006 Author Share Posted September 12, 2006 Looking good Steve.Got any more tech on how to "relocate" the solenoid pack? I thought it was "hard wired" to the motor..? Nope, solenoid pack unbolts. Undo bolts to split open solenoid pack. Horizontal drum bars needed undoing and then the busbars that connect F1 etc to solenoid need unbolting so that you can lift the pack off. After removing solenoid earth link first You are then left with solenoid sitting on a braket. We bent bracket to shape to fix to inner wings. The remote socket simply unplugs as they have used spade terminal. Fixed bracket to inner wing, fixed remote to headlight surround, ran cables to winch motor and solenoid earth to inner wing bolt on bracket. Earth on motor back to battery along chassis along with positive from solenoid. simple ah Tony already posted I do like the look of that bumper, looks a lot better without the A bar.Just a couple of questions. Are those 096 Batteries the biggest that you can fit two under the seat, as I want to fit duel batteries to my Defender? Have you done anything to the battery box to flatten it out or have you just dropped them in? Cheers The 096's I bought are the Heavy Duty ones with 4 year warranty. There is more room, but you can't go up to the larger heavy duty types and fit two in. Yes Tony had some steel box section to put in there - thanks again Tony Cheers Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpb Posted September 12, 2006 Share Posted September 12, 2006 Nope, solenoid pack unbolts. Undo bolts to split open solenoid pack. Horizontal drum bars needed undoing and then the busbars that connect F1 etc to solenoid need unbolting so that you can lift the pack off. After removing solenoid earth link first You are then left with solenoid sitting on a braket. We bent bracket to shape to fix to inner wings. The remote socket simply unplugs as they have used spade terminal. Fixed bracket to inner wing, fixed remote to headlight surround, ran cables to winch motor and solenoid earth to inner wing bolt on bracket. Earth on motor back to battery along chassis along with positive from solenoid. simple ah Tony already posted The 096's I bought are the Heavy Duty ones with 4 year warranty. There is more room, but you can't go up to the larger heavy duty types and fit two in. Yes Tony had some steel box section to put in there - thanks again Tony Cheers Steve Cheers for that Steve, looks like next pay day im going shopping for batteries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honitonhobbit Posted September 12, 2006 Share Posted September 12, 2006 Nicely done Steve. I was in Mole Valley Farmers the other day pricing up those very same batteries for the 100", to do exactly the same thing with. Nice to see they fit so well - saved me the worry. I have moved the EP off the RaRo and put the solenoid box back on the winch! I had moved it from the motor about a year ago and muonted it on an inner wing. However, as I have used a bikini mount on the 100" I have loads of room so I thought I would reverse the process, but still have an in cab control. I am thinking of dumping the HD 'off' switch as it isn't man enough in an emergency, so I am trying out a solenoid from a fixed magnet motor as an electrically operated kill/stop switch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted September 12, 2006 Share Posted September 12, 2006 Very neat & purposeful, with the 2 front shackles get 2 ty-wraps/cable ties, put them through the shackle pin eye-end & round the shackle near the pin location, it might just prevent a pin unscrewing/dropping out & getting lost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted September 12, 2006 Share Posted September 12, 2006 Here's a couple of more pics for any winch/bumper fetish persons and for people like Bogmonster using a modem! Sorry m8 got ADSL connection now so the piccies had downloaded long before I finished wading through all your waffling Looks good. The only "apparent issue" with the EP's is that I understand the gearboxes are difficult to waterproof, it'll be interesting to hear how you get on with this. I like that bumper, I wonder if a Milemarker would fit in it? How much was the bumper by itself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicksmelly Posted September 12, 2006 Share Posted September 12, 2006 How far does the wench go in to the grill area? I have an overly large intercooler right behind the grill, but don't want a winch that sticks out too far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon W Posted September 12, 2006 Share Posted September 12, 2006 Its looking good Steve B) . Which springs are on the front at the moment as its looking nice and level. If your going to put the HD RR springs back on and the back is still lower as mine was i have just put 1 inch spacers under the springs but then this gives even more lift. I havent got round to trying out those yellow springs yet so if you want them back you can have them. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s2hotdog Posted September 13, 2006 Share Posted September 13, 2006 Steve Like the look of that May look into one myself have to see if it will take a pto H14 Cheers Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cols110 Posted September 13, 2006 Share Posted September 13, 2006 Very nice mate, the bar looks the part without appearing to be overly bling. Might have to get one myself when I get around to bolting a winch in the front of my 110. Keep us updated on your thoughts of the EP9, I am tossing up between one of those and a XP9.5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Brock Posted September 13, 2006 Share Posted September 13, 2006 SteveLike the look of that May look into one myself have to see if it will take a pto H14 Cheers Steve There is no way a H14 will fit in there, I had to strip my Scrapiron bumper in half, cut all the centre section out and re-do it.. start from scratch....its what I would do if I was to do it again.....which I would'nt Steve G.... Any chance of you getting those 8274 spares we spoke about at Tony's bash ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted September 13, 2006 Share Posted September 13, 2006 Looks good Steve. I also like the low profile, not "in yer face" look. Sorry, I clean forgot about your invitation to come along for the ride. D'OH! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark90 Posted September 13, 2006 Share Posted September 13, 2006 Any chance of you getting those 8274 spares we spoke about at Tony's bash ? Ah yes I was supposed to send you the rest of the brake kit too. PM me yer address mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveG Posted September 13, 2006 Author Share Posted September 13, 2006 Jon - Britpart 4202'a on front and 4204's on rear. 4202's are 50Kg 40mm lift on front and the 4204's are 100KG and 50mm lift. The RR red whites were fine until I fitted the spare wheel carrier and spare wheel, then loaded up with off-road gear, full tank of diesel (TD5 tank sits behind rear axle) it dropped down too much at rear. Found it bottoming out too much off-road so changed to 4204's. Sits slightly nose down with no load in rear and level with gear on board. Les yes I can, PM me with what you want. I'm not going out myself until late October but could get someone to bring them over before. Chris no problem - Stephen don't know, can only suggest sending First Four an email and see what they csn come up with How far does the wench go in to the grill area? I have an overly large intercooler right behind the grill, but don't want a winch that sticks out too far. Just less than 3" from front of grill. Their air-con version keeps winch in front of grill but obviously sticks out further. Posted same post on Devon4x4 forum site and Tim deleted saying it read like an advert Thought I was going mad when post get disappearing until Tim then sent me a PM on 3rd attempt. They must be sensitive about FirstFour, as I didn't think it was a blatant advert and it was similar to all other posts I put up about mods - anyway Cheers Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted September 13, 2006 Share Posted September 13, 2006 Posted same post on Devon4x4 forum site and Tim deleted saying it read like an advert Thought I was going mad when post get disappearing until Tim then sent me a PM on 3rd attempt. They must be sensitive about FirstFour, as I didn't think it was a blatant advert and it was similar to all other posts I put up about mods - anyway Nice here, not being ruled by commercial interests. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honitonhobbit Posted September 13, 2006 Share Posted September 13, 2006 Steve Best not to get into politics, especially Westcountry 4x4 politics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted September 13, 2006 Share Posted September 13, 2006 Nice here, not being ruled by commercial interests. Chris It is, isn't it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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