ARB Bull Bar Install help (1 Viewer)

[Patrick]

Hello! This is my first posting and I'm in need of some help/advice.
I am the new owner of a 96 LX 450 and I have purchased an ARB bull bar. My problem is placing the bull bar onto the frame horns (?). The bar is a little too narrow to fit the frame. Has anyone else encountered this? I can fit one side on the frame but then the other side doesn't have clearance to slip on. How tight should it be? Does it require "gentle persuading" with a hammer? I've removed the adaptor brackets that held the stock bumper in place and I'm not sure if these should be left on the frame. The bumper fits with these adaptors hooked onto the frame but then the bull bar is out too far and the mounting holes don't line up. I hope that I've explained this adequately. Thank you in adavance.

 

[e9999]

Hi, welcome to the best LC forum in the world!
You may want to do a search as I recall reading about similar issues that were posted some place. IIRC it took some serious persuading (come along or something similar). Seems to be a bit of fuzziness in the ARB specs and/or LC frame rails.
good luck

 

[In2cruisers]

Same prob..

I just took a 5lb hand sledge and a couple wacks on each frame horn and it slid on tightly but smoothly


Good luck and welcome

 

[Trunk Monkey]

A BFH may do the trick, if not, you can try a hi-lift jack and spread them a little. I had to smack the top of one of the frame horns down a little too. I also found with mine that both mounts had to slide on at the SAME time. If one got a 1/2" uneven, it would bind up.

 

[Junk]

Used the BFH on the last one.

Some have used the BFH, some a porta power, hi-lift jack etc. Just be carefull. At least it isn't heavy so you can hold it up and whack it with the BFH if needed.

Oh, and welcome

 

[Biff]

The same thing happened when I tried installing my ARB bar on my cruiser. I put a little greese, used a bfh, and whacked it into place.

 

[NorCalDoug]

Welcome aboard

Bang, bang, bang...slide it on.

 

[MTNRAT]

Get rid of the adapters and widen it with a little persuasion from the sledge hammer. Slip it on. Good to go.
Cheers,
Sean.

 

[Patrick]

Thanks for the feedback

Thanks for all the advice. I'll give it another go Sunday and let you know how it went.

 

[Zang]

Encountered the same problem. Balance the bar on a floor jack, raise until aligned with the frame horns and place a regular scissor jack between the bar's mounting frame to spread slowly until it slips right in. Use 4x4 lumbers on both sides of the scissor jack to reach the inner side of the bar's mounting frame.

 

[stuck in GA]

My frame was really bent from an accident an the frame bars went in the oppisite dirrection. So I had to take it to a frame bender. But for you a Hi Jack should git er done.

 

[NorCalDoug]

My frame was really bent from an accident an the frame bars went in the oppisite dirrection. So I had to take it to a frame bender. But for you a Hi Jack should git er done.

You mean you did all that before you had Urban Land Cruisers put it on for you.

 

[stuck in GA]

No Urban didn't put the ARB on.

 

[ace10]

are you sure that URBAN LAND CRUISERS didn't put it on?

becasue if URBAN LAND CRUISERS installed it for you, then URBAN LAND CRUISERS should be able to answer this question. so, did URBAN LAND CRUISERS install it or not? personally i think that it was URBAN LAND CRUISERS.

 

[NorCalDoug]

No Urban didn't put the ARB on.

then it was already on when you got the truck...right?

 

[stuck in GA]

Yeah thats a negative! But you guys did catch me. I got the guys at the frame bending shop to slap it there.

 

[NorCalDoug]

Yeah thats a negative! But you guys did catch me. I got the guys at the frame bending shop to slap it there.

No worries...
Figured as much though. If you're not changing your own oil...you're not about to bust a nail fitting a bull bar on your rig.

 

[stuck in GA]

Yeah well I try to attempt to do things myself a lot. But because I don't have a garage or space my parents get pissed when I am in the middle of the driveway trying to do stuff to my rig. Then if I do something that makes it so I can't drive it that day it really pisses them off. In this case I took off the stock bumper and tried to put the new one on and it didn't fit. I tried bending it myself and I couldn't do it. At this point my parents wanted me to just get someone to do it for me so I could drive around with a bumper and be safe. So I went to this place and got it done. Oh well no excuses.

 

[CruisinGA]

Oh well no excuses.

I have seen, am seeing, and probably will see plenty of excuses.

 

[Texus]

and all this time I thought is was the other way around... (slide it on....bang,bang,bang...thanks Norcal!