Dave's 2004 SR5 Build

[DavidSR52004]

Well I have posted a few things and asked a few questions on the forum, and have been thinking for a while about putting my progressive build up. As with a lot of other peoples cars i suspect, it gets left untouched for lengthy periods then, another trip comes along and a few new things are added.

So far in chronological order, the story goes like this.
2009 - Purchased rig (came with alloy bar, spotties that did work, and an old 40 channel UHF, and that was it)
2010 - Got Hella Ralleye 2000 spotties working.
2011 - Second hand canopy.
2012 - Fit out for dual battery in the tub.
2013 - Fraser Island trips - Old Man Emu suspension and Safari snorkel.
2014 - Northern Territory trip - New tyres (Cooper ST's) new Lifestyle Camper Trailer and new 3 inch exhaust.
2015 - Western Queensland Trip - new high gain antennae for UHF
2016 - Cape York trip - Exciting times as a new steel ARB bar and Winch are ready to go on (with lots of pictures to describe the process).

I'll post a stack of photos for each upgrade as I dig up the old photos.

[DavidSR52004]

Pic of ute not long after buying it.

[DavidSR52004]

Its been a big weekend. ARB Bullbar and Winch installation, lights and radio refit.
Thought Id start from the most recent efforts and go backwards in time when I get the chance.

So bull bar was meant to be installed by supplier this week, but after chatting to them and wanting a winch and 2 tow hooks installed when they put the bar on, they pretty much said they will only do what they can do in 2 hours. Having read that installing a winch is easiest to do when putting bar on, and also thinking the tow hooks would be going on through the same bolts holding the bar on, I didn't want to pay them to put it on, only to have to pull it off again when i got it home to put winch and tow hooks on. So I opted to save $200 on install and do it myself.

New ARB Bar in a box

[DavidSR52004]

Looks good, now what do I do with it. I think in a Reno this is the demolition stages of the build.
Moe updates to follow in the coming days weeks, as my bruised knees and skinned knuckles recover.

[TOYZX]

Your installer not like the work or what? Why did he tell you that bs? Pretty poor on their behalf. Oh well good for you tho, more satisfaction in having a go yourself. I've only been in the job for a couple of years and haven't had to do you model yet so I can't even give you any tips. Enjoy!

Sent from my SM-N920I using Tapatalk

[DavidSR52004]

Yeah seems like it is getting harder and harder to fit out models more than 5 years old. Never mind, like you said I did get a lot of satisfaction out of doing it myslef. I'll put up a stack of progress shots as i get time.

[DavidSR52004]

First step was remove the old bar, pretty straight forward . Bolts removed,





Job done all removed.


Found one of the three chassis bolts had been stripped out, so is going to be problem to solve later on.

[DavidSR52004]

Next step was mounting the bar brackets, only to find all the hardware for the main three chassis bolts supplied were coarse threat, not fine thread. Oh well lucky I could re-use the original bolts for these. Does anyone know if bolts get weaker with age. Some slight surface rust but not apparent loss of thread depth.


First bracket attached.




Both brackets attached.

[DavidSR52004]

Next step is fitting the winch to bar.


And of course a problem arose, the clutch handle would not turn to engage as it touched the rear of the bar frame. Had to turn the clutch around 45 degrees to angle forward into a space i could get to and engage it without hitting anything.


Pretty easy to undo allen keys and carefully rotate clutch taking care not to let the gasket fall out or get misaligned.


A chair and a couple of ratchet straps is my makeshift lifter to raise it up to get the right fit into the support brackets.

[DavidSR52004]

Bar is attached now and bolts done up tight. I wonder if there is a torque setting to tighten the 8.8 bolts too? Firm but not sphincter puckering tight until i find out otherwise.

Time to hook up the winch electrics. Thought i would wrap all the cables in conduit to provide extra protection from wear through cable. Nothing frightens me more then a which cable short.