Member Since: 19 Aug 2007
Location: So. NH
Posts: 175
Problem with hidden winch mount on V8
On the 4.4L V8, there is no intercooler so the condenser comes all the way down to the chassis crossmember. This means that the receiver dryer comes further down as well. Since the dryer stands proud of the bumper mounting plane (forward of the bolt holes by 1"), the hidden winch tray can't be mounted. The problem is the upper tie bar of the winch tray - ie, the bar that connects the upper part of the winch tray mounting flanges.
I'm tempted to remove the upper tie bar. What do you guys think of that? Good idea or bad?
5th Dec 2008 7:14 pm
wiggs
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14368
Picture would be nice ..may be able to help then G4 Gone ...but not forgotten
5th Dec 2008 9:33 pm
phurley
Member Since: 19 Aug 2007
Location: So. NH
Posts: 175
Sorry, I didn't have an opportunity to take pictures. I did steal a photo of christyler's winch tray to describe what I did.
I cut off the entire bar circled in red all the way from flange to flange. There was no way to make it work with the A/C receiver dryer in the way (and no reasonable way of moving the receiver dryer). I also had to cut out a notch roughly where the purple circle is all the way down to the floor of the tray - dryer comes way down on the 4.4L V8.
I'll be sure to update this thread if my front end folds up the first time I put the winch to the test.
BTW, what did others do with the ambient air temp sensor from air duct? Where did you relocate it? I assumed it is sensitive to evaporative cooling (air blowing over it) so I trimmed its mounting plate and riveted it behind the cross member - but it was late so it looks kind of ghetto (can't see it but not up to my standards).
Additionally, I had some anomalies in the tear-down/rebuild of the front end while doing this project.
1. The fender trims had an additional retaining screw not indicated by the GTR. It's easily accessible after removing the headlamp units.
2. I broke a clip on each fender trim. Luckily from advice on this forum, I had pre-purchased replacements. Thanks!!
3. I had an extremely difficult time unclipping the headlamp washer hose from the pump nipple. What finally worked was inserting a thin screwdriver so I could lever the front ring down with sufficient force.
4. I had to unclip and unscrew the front half of the left wheel well to get to the left retaining screw of the air duct behind the bumper. Getting that screw out took at least 1/2 hr of cursing & grunting.
5. I had to cut away the back of the fins that cross the bumper cutout (see red circles in photo below - lifted from wiggs gallery - hope you don't mind!). (I think my winch tray sits up a little higher than wiggs does).
Click image to enlarge
6. There's a plastic tray that sits on the crossmember just below the horn. It's retained with what looks to be 3 phillips screws which are in fact plastic clips. They can be unscrewed if you don't push down but its probably easier to grab the head with pliers and pull up. I had to remove this tray because I couldn't get the bumper cover free.
Finally, thanks to all those that already did this and posted their work on this forum. I definitely would not have had the balls to do this without their pioneering work! Cheers!
7th Dec 2008 11:46 pm
wiggs
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14368
Cant see there being a problem with cutting out the bar ..it dosent do much . As long as the bracket is a good size metal ( at least 6mm ) you should be ok
Sensor located to here on mine
Click image to enlarge
3 , I have this same problem and i have removed mine many many times ..pair if plyers to open the ring up and move it back ..then big pull on the pipe does it for me
4 , I just broke the clip off !!! not ever going to put it back on again anyway .Athough i did find out afterwards that the screw is held on in two places ..one on the cowling itself and one on the car body ...you can undo the car side and the whole bracket comes off ...look at the first 5 pics here
5 , Yes your winch tray must be higher as i didnt have to cut any (very close though )
6 , I removed all that with the air duct ..no need for it anyway
Did you have to modify the free spool lever or have you got enough room to turn it ?G4 Gone ...but not forgotten
8th Dec 2008 11:44 am
CFB
Member Since: 02 Dec 2005
Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire
Posts: 6100
My hidden winch is off the HSE and going on the SE this week, I've always managed to do it without removing the washer pipe and just laid the bumper on a cloth on the ground still attached but this time I am swapping the whole bumper.
Do you need to remove the washer bottle to gain access to the pipe connector?2020 BMW X1 18d XDrive X-Line Auto
8th Dec 2008 12:23 pm
wiggs
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14368
No ..the pipe im on about is the one fitted to the bumper ..that goes of to the headlamp washersG4 Gone ...but not forgotten
8th Dec 2008 1:04 pm
CFB
Member Since: 02 Dec 2005
Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire
Posts: 6100
Cheers Wiggs, I broke that union though by forcing it so was wondering if it wasn't designed to come apart there.2020 BMW X1 18d XDrive X-Line Auto
8th Dec 2008 1:07 pm
wiggs
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14368
Just a very tight fit .. G4 Gone ...but not forgotten
8th Dec 2008 1:10 pm
phurley
Member Since: 19 Aug 2007
Location: So. NH
Posts: 175
No, I did not have to modify the winch clutch lever. My winch's gear housing can be clocked 360 deg. in 30 deg. Increments, so I reclocked the housing 60 deg forward from TDC.
I did not see the car-side screws for the air duct until you pointed it out above. Oh well, there's another wasted bit of my life I'll never get back again...
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so was wondering if it wasn't designed to come apart there.
