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jeff66
Member Since: 03 Feb 2007
Location: Perth, Australia
Posts: 29
  
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| ARB bulbar installation problems |
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Just had a new colour coded winch bull bar fitted, but had a few problems with the installation. Was fitted by Central 4WD Accessories, Welshpool. Western Australia.
1) Car front right indicator not working, Found out a few km’s down the road. Took 20 minutes to fix. Also had to tidy up the wiring once I returned home. Wires were just sticking up in the air.
2) One side of the bar was lower than the other so they had to adjust the bar. Another hour wait.
3) They managed to scratch the front left panel when they cut the wheel arch. There only response was that they would organise some touch up paint. So I had to return the following week. Not good enough.
4) The next day found all of the bolts holding the bottom right side panel loose. They forgot to tighten them up after the adjusted the bar.
5) Found that the right hand wheel arch was loose. Caused buy the use of a pneumatic hacksaw to cut the arch. Very difficult to tighten these screws back up.
6) The bottom panel wasn’t fitted correctly. So when I tried to remove it I found that all of the bolt threads were damaged and two of the cage nuts were stripped. So I had to use an angle grinder in the end to remove these bolts. I then redrilled this panel and fitted new bolts and two new cage nuts. So $15.00 latter.
7) The right hand wheel arch was cut level with the bottom of the front light. But this left a 20 mm gap that’s horrible. But the left hand side they cut on an angle, which meant it looked a bit better. Once I complained all they did was to cut the better side to match the bad side. What I have done to neaten this up is to install some rubber behind so you can’t see the internal panel work.
ARB winch bar design problems:
If you have a disco with headlight washers and fog lights all they do is lay the hose and associated cables in a trench along the fount of the bulbar. The problem with this is that they will eventually rub trough. What you need to do is install some cable tie mounts (Plastic clips with double side tape attached.) then you can tie down the hose and fog light cables.
The only comment they had to all of the above problems were that their usually installer was off sick. So they had organised for an experienced installer to cover his work. No mention of reimbursing me for the parts I had to buy or for the work that I had to do. Basically it wasn’t their fault. Lesson learnt only get your ARB products installed by an ARB store not an ARB on seller. This is my third bad experience out of three for on sellers verses three good experience using an ARB store.
One question I do have. Is it normal to have a 20 mm gap from the bottom of the panel to the top side of the bar. Or do I need to take it back to have it lifted. ATACAMA SAND SE ,V6 PETROL, AUTO ,WINDOW TINT ,SIDE STEPS, SPORTS ROOF RACKS, ARB BULLBAR, KAYMAR REAR BUMPER TWIN TYRE, HID SPOTLIGHTS, TX3540 RADIO, ICOM 400PRO, GPS, DUAL BATTERY SYSTEM, MITCHELL BROS TOW HITCH.
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 12th Apr 2007 7:10 am |
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sijui
Member Since: 03 Mar 2006
Location: Rosebank
Posts: 81
 
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sounds like a horror show 
I had mine done by an arb shop and they were quite neat. I will get them to check on the washer hose etc that you reckon may rub
The instructions say that a 10mm gap should exist between body and bar which is what they did with me. I would have preferred 5 or 8mm but with the very corrugated roads in the cape a reasonable gap is warranted. By the way if the inner guard is painted black per the instructions, then you don't notice the 10mm gap. 20mm is clearly way too much.
Ive looked at the instructions and they are quite good and the fitter should be ashamed with their performance
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| 12th Apr 2007 7:52 am |
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PCH
Member Since: 12 Jan 2005
Location: Anywhere but work
Posts: 812
 
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My ARB BB was fitted by an ARB Franchise (Southern ARB in Dandenong Melb) and it was their first and they did a reasonably good job (until I had a look under the bolt on panels). If I did it myself then maybe I would have taken a bit more care but I had no idea how hard it would be or how to wire the winch up properly so took a risk and was reasonably happy except for the way they busted the windscreen washer bottle mounts and the bottle was sandwiched in with a metal bracket and rests on the LHS panel which is fitted under the BB.
The instructions are pretty good as Sijui says and if you know how to wire a winch then you could fit the BB yourself.
I think you are right about going to an ARB store even if it is a long drive because you can at least complain to ARB.
Chris 2011 Discovery 4 (MY12) SDV6 HSE with General Grabber AT's, Traxide Aux Battery system, custom rear drawers and Autosafe half height cargo barrier
Gone - 2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE
ARB Bull Bar, Warn 9.5XP Winch, IPF D/Lights, Cooper STT's, LR Raised Air Intake, Traxide aux battery system, custom drawers and half height Autosafe cargo barrier, Mitchell Bros 4x4 tow hitch
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| 12th Apr 2007 10:41 am |
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jeff66
Member Since: 03 Feb 2007
Location: Perth, Australia
Posts: 29
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Just adjusted the ARB bar, only 6 bolts to loosen. Then I used two jacks to lift the bar into position and retighten. Now I have a 10mm gap. ATACAMA SAND SE ,V6 PETROL, AUTO ,WINDOW TINT ,SIDE STEPS, SPORTS ROOF RACKS, ARB BULLBAR, KAYMAR REAR BUMPER TWIN TYRE, HID SPOTLIGHTS, TX3540 RADIO, ICOM 400PRO, GPS, DUAL BATTERY SYSTEM, MITCHELL BROS TOW HITCH.
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| 27th Apr 2007 1:26 pm |
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fisherman
Member Since: 16 Jan 2007
Location: Hornchurch Essex
Posts: 1789
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Guys please excuse my somewhat foreigner approach but I'd have been down there with a baseball bat and some serious attitude if someone had done such a poor job on my D3.
The company doing the work I assume were a real company and not a mate with a workshop, and they did charge you the going rate for the job. Coz if so I would want the car put back to it's original condition and take it elsewhere. Or the cost of putting it back to original for someone else to put right.
Don't let them get away with it.  FFRR 2017 4.4SDV8 Autobiography. Cost so much I must be mad!
D4 HSE 2012 Like a second wife, more expensive but goes better! I almost cried this time!
D3 HSE 2006 (Almost 8 years together, true love)
Land Cruiser VX 1994 11 years together, wife cried when I p/ex'd for my D3
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| 27th Apr 2007 1:48 pm |
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away
Member Since: 18 Nov 2006
Location: Cossack
Posts: 111
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I asked for the bigger gaps. My last vehicle got chipped guards whent he 'roo bar bounced on heavily corrugated roads. You have to suss it and see but I'm thinking 10mm might be a bit close if you do any off-road work. D4: Expedition Rack, 104 Litre Long Range Tank, Raised Air Intake
D3: Every bloomin' thing but the kitchen sink
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| 27th Apr 2007 7:34 pm |
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Desert Traveller
Member Since: 06 Aug 2006
Location: The Gabba - QLD
Posts: 420
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I had mine done the local ARB shop. They did a good job. They also fitted the Kaymar rear bar with no problems. Their next job is a Safari snorkel. 06 TDV6 SE with many LR and after-market extras. Used only on weekends and trips out west.
Audi TT Roadster (Daily and around town drive)
VW Eos TDI For Sale
Previously 01 TD5 and 94 TDI
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| 28th Apr 2007 2:51 am |
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