Trail Taylor and Smittybilt 12k installed

[Fishinsea]

I would like to thank everyone for the time they gave and advice on how to's to get this job done.

It was way easier than i expected with the tips that i received from you all and massive searches on YT.
Cutting out the fairlead with dremel took a bit of time but it did come out perfect, I also raised my license plate with a relocation kit from autozone.
I also did a little custom work to the top cover in front of the radiator, the push pins were going to be a pain in the butt when i need to access the winch to put it free spool or turn on the wireless switch so I cut the pins flat and super glued them on and have that OEM look still, I used velcro to secure the cover and it works awesome. Now all I need to do is pull the cover out to access the winch without removing each push pin and then replacing each push pin.

Using the Factor 55 1.5" fairlead i had to source some longer bolts and I also sourced some other bolts for the mounting of the winch to Trail Taylor bracket
Job took about 4 hours 100% complete.

Thanks again all.

 

[Vestal]

Oh man, that looks fantastic.

You should celebrate with a drive up to La Marmotte in T-ride (although it doesn't appear you're in Durango..)

 

[CharlieS]

Nice work! Looks great. Glad to hear it went smoothly.

My HWM is arriving tomorrow, if Fedex tracking is correct. I am going to run the factor 55 1.5" fairlead too. Mind sharing what you used for hardware on the fairlead, so I can grab it in the morning before I start my install? Also, what did you end up using for the winch mounting hardware (I naively assumed it came with the winch., but haven't checked the box to be sure)?

 

[Fishinsea]

Oh man, that looks fantastic.

You should celebrate with a drive up to La Marmotte in T-ride (although it doesn't appear you're in Durango..)

I planned to spend the winter in DGO but i'm taking the time to rebuild one of my engines on the Charter boat this winter here in VA, I love T-ride jst an AMAZING place it is !

 

[Fishinsea]

Nice work! Looks great. Glad to hear it went smoothly.

My HWM is arriving tomorrow, if Fedex tracking is correct. I am going to run the factor 55 1.5" fairlead too. Mind sharing what you used for hardware on the fairlead, so I can grab it in the morning before I start my install? Also, what did you end up using for the winch mounting hardware (I naively assumed it came with the winch., but haven't checked the box to be sure)?

The winch did come with hardware for mounting but when I first installed it, I stripped out 2 of the bolts that came with it so I got some others, same size and torqued to 49 foot pounds, manual says no less than 60NM. For the fairlead, " 1.5 " " you will need bolts that are about a 1/4" longer.

I suggest you mounting the winch on the HWM prior to install as well to make your life much easier, prop the winch up flat on a 2x4, set winch on HWM, center it for the fairlead and square it up nice, once squared up take a sharpie or something and mark the corners so you no if it moves as your torquing it down, I also used blue Loctite, another thing is that the oblong holes in the HWM are large so I doubled up a few fender washer as so when touqering it down the bolts didn't want to pull through. Once you have things mounted, take the longer bolts you got for the fairlead and install them in backwards, place a dot of grease on each bolt end then mount the bumper carefully and press to bumper in so it touches the grease you put on the bolts, now you know where to drill your holes, drill you holes out, then slide bumper back on again so the bolts come through the bumper, then slide fairlead on and trace it with sharpie, then go to town with the Dremel tool cutting on outside portion of your trace, clean things up and use this around the cut

Amazon product ASIN B073TNRBS7
If there is anything else, just ask away bud

 

[CharlieS]

Thank you!

 

[TeCKis300]

Looking awesome.

Got any pics of it installed without the bumper cover in place?

 

[Fishinsea]

Looking awesome.

Got any pics of it installed without the bumper cover in place?

Sorry I don't, kinda cold today so I was fairly focused on getting thing done and yes, I knew I should have taken a few pictures with bumper off

 

[CharlieS]

My Trail Tailor HWM made it today. I know what I'm up to tomorrow. Woo hoo.

 

[Fishinsea]

My Trail Tailor HWM made it today. I know what I'm up to tomorrow. Woo hoo

My Trail Tailor HWM made it today. I know what I'm up to tomorrow. Woo hoo.

View attachment 2576904

Sweet ! please post a picture or two for us

 

[CharlieS]

Sweet ! please post a picture or two for us

In process:

 

[Fishinsea]

In process:

View attachment 2577528

Looking great Charlie !

 

[tbisaacs]

Cutting the middle out of that grill support will make it much easier to free spoil your winch.

 

[Fishinsea]

Cutting the middle out of that grill support will make it much easier to free spoil your winch.

I modified the top cover in front of radiator utilizing velcro instead of the push puns, I can have that access panel off and on before someone could get just 2 push pins out, I think its a GREAT mod and you don't have to cut out any of the grille.

 

[tbisaacs]

I’m referring to the grill support, not the grill itself.

I modified the top cover in front of radiator utilizing velcro instead of the push puns, I can have that access panel off and on before someone could get just 2 push pins out, I think its a GREAT mod and you don't have to cut out any of the grille.

 

[Fishinsea]

I’m referring to the grill support, not the grill itself.

Gotcha, my misunderstanding.

 

[CharlieS]

Wrapped it up for the night. I still to fiddle with the remaining underbody shields since the places they used to attach are no longer present.

 

[Fishinsea]

Wrapped it up for the night. I still to fiddle with the remaining underbody shields since the places they used to attach are no longer present.

View attachment 2577974

Came out excellent Charlie, good work sir !

 

[CharlieS]

I appreciate all the help and guidance you provided. Thank you!

 

[tbisaacs]

cut looks great