chewed up grill

[Tagg]

The winch cable has chewed up the bottom of the grill.  Is this a common problem?  Can a guard be inserted? How is this preventable?
Maybe more careful when using the winch? Anyone?

[specialk]

What kind of clearance is there between the winch and grill?  Did the wire touch when getting bunched up on one side from a longer pull?

[w squared]

You've got an ARB bumper (by the looks of your avatar pic) which means that it's going to be hard for you to see how the cable is spooling on.

I'd say smooth out the damage that is already done, and switch to synthetic.

[Tagg]

There's just bearly enough room to let the pegs out of the bar on removing the grill.  I had to spool out a little to get it out the last time. I think it just bunched up on one side in one of the pulls.  Wouldn't synythetic cable do the same thing, only maybe not a severe?

[specialk]

Jim - synthetic is nice...  Synthetic would rub the paint,  but should not dig in like the metal cable.  Those are some pretty tight tolerances though...

Regardless, remind your winch wench to watch the cable during the pulls too.  Sometimes, you need to stop the pull, let cable out and respool it some so it doesn't bunch up to one side.

Sorry to hear that you got some damage there.  How bad is it?   Your rig is too nice to get any scratches on it. Need some help fixing it?

[Tagg]

Its no big deal!!  Unfortunately it didn't come pre scratched. now its starting to look like it should!!  I probably won't get all the mud out of it either!!
Seriously, I think that grill is fibreglass an if that's the case I'll lay a cloth of fibreglass along the bottom of the grill and paint the lower section with that undercoat paint.
It doesn't show anyway.

[sn4cktime]

I didn't think the mount points on the ARB bumpers where far enough back for the line to rub, even when all bunched up........

.....thinking..... can you maybe fit a 1/4" thick piece of angle iron between the winch and the plate with the "up" leg between the drum and the grill?  That way you'd have a cable guard.  If you think it could fit let my know what size you need and how long  Maybe I can chop you one at work and bring it to the next meeting.  I MIGHT, stress the might there, be able to find some 3/16" angle, but 1/4" is more likely.  Oooo, OR we might have some bent plate kicking around, it would be 3/16". Let me know right away before we empty our dumpster again.

[Tagg]

Actually there is only about 5/8" between the winch housing and the grill.  and only a side to side adjustment that I can see to move the winch.  the point of touching is 3" above the deck where the winch is attached. If I put in aa angle iron guard I would have to remove it to remove the grill, and also I'd worry about jamming the winch.  Thanks for you offer but maybe I just need to be more careful with the winch.  Also,I'll have to check what the synthetic line costs but I suspect it isn't cheep!!

[w squared]

That part of the grille on a JK isn't all that rigid. If the winch line were to start putting any real pressure on it, it would just bend out of the way.

On the JK, the whole grille is a single piece of plastic, and is held on by seven little plastic pop fasteners and a couple of tabs 

[Evil-Jeep]

Just thinking out-side-the-box....... could you not use a couple strips of 1/4 or 5/8 flat steel to create a "spacer" between the bumper and the frame?

[Tagg]

There are 4 metal clip inserts along the bottom of the grill and an alignment tab dead center. Your right there is give in the grill along the bottom.  I'll have to check tonight, but if the bumper bolts inserted front to back then a washer spacer could be used to easily add to the space. I hadn't thought of that.