Started installing the front bumper.
Bunch of videos out there on how to remove the bumper.
Note: If you have already installed a sway bar disconnect guard, make sure that it does not hit your toes as you remove the bumper.
Need to install the fog lights from the OEM bumper and the winch, but I just had to see how the Artec bumper was going to look on the Jeep.
Bunch more work needed to finish the front bumper assembly.
After installing the Artec rear bumper, a license plate relocation bracket was needed.
Looked around, and the one that seemed to do the job the best was the one from Rough Country.
The original plan was to modify the RC bracket so that the plate would sit below the backup camera. After looking at the Rusty's tire carrier and the RC plate bracket, figured out that I would need to order a thin wheel spacer to install between the tire and carrier. Then install two wheel studs into the spacer, then modify the bracket, then... too much work.
So basically installed the RC bracket as the instructions stated.
To get the wiring to work with the Rusty's Tire Carrier, it required that I spliced in two extra feet of wiring for the light.
One thing that was noted was a vibration of the RC plate bracket. To get rid of the vibration, added two 1/4" all thread nuts and 1/4' SS button head allen bolts shown above. No more vibration. :D
Need to carry a 19mm socket, metric allen wrench combo pack, and a small crescent wrench to get the spare off.
Now if the license plate gets beaten up on the trail, then I know that the Jeep is going through some crazy stuff.
Installing the Artec front bumper has several steps.
Install fog lights
Install bumper
Install winch (Warn Zeon 10S)
Install Artec Bumper Skid
Install Artec sway bar skid.
There are no real instructions, so his what was documented
Starting with the OEM fog lights. After removing the front OEM bumper, completely disassemble the bumper and remove the fog lights and the wiring harness. The Artec bumper is designed to work with the OEM fog lights, but there is no hardware provided in the kit. Went to the hardware store and picked up four 4mmx20mm stainless steel (SS) bolts and four 4mmx20mm SS allen bolts along with a box of SS 4mm washers and eight 4mm nylock nuts.
There is not much room to work with to install the metric fasteners.
The allen bolts go on the bottom.
For the wiring harness, move the factory harness from the outside of the frame to the inside of the frame on the passenger side.
Install the factor wiring harness. The extra threads on the 4mm fasteners will be used to hold the wiring harness in place and a couple of stainless steel loom harness clamps.
Next on the list was to install the skid plate for the Artec front bumper.
Since the Dirty Life wheels are gold in color, thought the skid plate could be powder coated gold too.
The supplied 3/8" steel cone head allen bolts were replaced with stainless steel ones.
Installation started with carefully aligning the skid plate to the Artec bumper.
Recommend drilling a couple of the inner holes first and then securing the skid to the bumper. Then use a center bunch and start drilling the rest of the holes with small starter bit (~1/8" bit), but don't drill all the way through. After all the holes are started., remove the skid and drill all the holes.
After all the holes are drilled, apply some paint to the holes. Then bolt the skid to the Artec Bumper.
Next was the bumper installation.
For some unknown reason, I was determined to use the extra OEM bumper brackets that were on the side of the frame.
If you want to used those extra OEM brackets, be sure that the two holes for each bracket are aligned with frame.
Bolt the bumper to the frame and then place the winch onto the Artec bumper.
If a Warn Zeon 10S is going to be installed, part of the bumper brackets and OEM brackets will need to be trimmed to get the winch to fit.
Installing the Warn Zeon 10S winch started with placing the winch onto the bumper and securing it to the bumper. Warn supplies for 10mm x 35mm bolts. Decided to replace two of those bolts with SS 10mmx35mm button head allen bolts as a bit of anti theft measures.
To route the cables, the air box was removed.
The winch cables were fished up from then inside portion of the frame up to the air box area and around the battery box.
This method of routing the cables makes a clean install as the winch cables are hidden well.
Still need to install the Artec sway bar disconnect skid and install the winch cable; however, just had to take the Jeep out of the garage to see how the bumper looked.
Hopefully, I can finish all the front bumper work tomorrow.
Thanks again to Diezel at Stacked Off Road in pointing me to the Artec front bumper assembly.
Had some time to work on the Artec Skid Plate for the sway bar disconnect.
The kit come with four steel 3/8" button head allens. Those were replaced with stainless ones
The instructions state that a 3/8" nutsert were to be installed after drilling the appropriate size hole.
The nutsert tool in the tool box did not fit, so a homemade one was mfr out of a 3/8" bolt.
After bolting sway bar plate to the Jeep, just was not happy with the how the back of the plate just had two 3/8" bolts holding it up. So, 1/2" holes were drilled through the lower part of the skid.
A quick photo taken in the garage.
Then another just before the test drive.
Next, gutting the front fenders and adding the Artec front fender liners.
The next task seemed simple enough, install the winch line.
(Another 1 hour task that took all day)
First, the loop on the Warn line did not fit the Factor 55 Splicer.
Some say to reduce the size of the metal part of the loop with a hammer.
Liked the idea of a press better.
Now the line fits into the splicer.
Next was the installation of the winch line.
Seemed easy enough in the video...
Turned out to be a lot tuffer than planned.
The line does not want to fit through the hole in the winch bobbin.
Some silicon help.
After pulling and tugging, wound up having to use a little bit of leverage, the line was installed.
Gutting the front fenders and installing the Artec front fender liners was next on the list.
There's a bunch of videos how to do gut the fenders and install the front liners.
Here's a couple of shots of the liners.
Was really please how well the Artec liner fit into drivers side.
Used stainless steel fasteners and loctite to hold everything in place.
Next was to install the American Adventure Labs (AAL) Led turn signals and fender retention clips.
Ran the AAL wiring through the gap between the grill and the fender, and then along the engine compartment. Also installed AAL's wiring adapter so the LED warning light is happy.
With the Artec liners, the fenders gutted, and the stubby front bumper, hope to get more flex out of the Jeep. :D
That's a great build, but ive never understood the HUGE bull bars. Every time I see them I just assume its there to get pulled behind a big motorhome all its life.