installation

[dallp]

Am trying to put together a touring camper trailer set up.

From what i can see purchasing a lot of gear from the net is way cheaper than retail.

But, having made the purchase, if you are not confident in DIY installation, how do you get on?

The problem is where to go what is reasonable to pay?

I have a 2011 Holden Colorado 4wd and would like the following installed:-

- a Tigerz 11 1200lb winch

- a UHF radio

Can anyone advise an estimate of what would be a reasonable price for the instal.

Thanks in anticipation

dallp

[sooty]

Hi, I could do the UHF no problem and can not see any great concern with the winch though I have never installed one.

Is the electrical side that worries you or the full winch installation?
Kev

[BigJules]

This is where this forum can become much more than simply an online escape from work or whatever. I spent half of yesterday with another member pulling the winch out of his vehicle and servicing it. We both learned a lot.

I have fitted and refitted a few winches now, and generally I would say it is an easy DIY job, that common sense will cover. Hopefully you don't need to remove the bullbar, but if you do it isn't all that much harder except for the bit where you lift both the winch and the bar back onto the vehicle.

Even with a Tigerz11 it is beneficial to remove the rope. Just free spool it off and unclip it from the drum.

To fit your winch, firstly, you need a mate; you cannot do this safely by yourself. This is because one of you needs to lift the winch up underneath and into the back of the bullbar. The other ten needs to put in the bolts. Usually you secure a feww turns on the top two bolts, then fit the fairlead and the two lower bolts that go through there. It can help to you a little silicon on the (not really) captive nuts in the winch so they don't drop out as you're lifting the winch into position.

Once you've fitted it, check that you can access the gearbox lever. If you can't, and this is common, you need to drop the winch out again and rotate the gearbox. This is easy, do not be afraid. You have to undo and remove about 10 bolts, then rotate the gearbox one hole (usually this is enough) and resecure the bolts. Like a wheel, do one each side as you tighten them. I use a drill will hex bit to make removal and replacement faster.

[BigJules]

OK, winch is bolted up, gearbox is aligned and accessible and the fairlead is in place, it's time to fit the electrical system.

You need to decide where you want the control box. Did your bullbar come with a mounting bracket? I am a firm beleiver that out front is not a great place to mount them, but most do and they're fine. Do a search or reply here and we can go into your options.

There is a power lead from the positive battery terminal to the soleniod, a negative cable fromt he battery to the front of the winch motor (the trickiest one to do up once fitted) and then three cables from the solenoid to the winch motor. These are colour coded on the Tigerz.

Once all of these are connected you can test run the winch in and out, with no cable, engine running. Try the wireless controller and the handheld.

If it's all good, fit the rope, remembering that it will feed underneath the drum as the you wind it on. You feed the first row by hand, as tightly and closely as you can, this is what gives the friction for the winch to operate. Then, attach the line to something solid and with some pressure on the brake or an uphill gradient, wind the remainder of the cable onto the drum in neat tight layers. Stop a few metres from the end and wind it in without load as you'll be trying to locate the hook now somewhere it won't rattle, damage your bullbar or scratch and score the alloy hawse.

That will take a couple of hours the first time you do it, but it is genuinely possible to have a go. Tools required. 10mm spanner, 13mm spanner, 15mm socket, cable ties and whatever else it takes to remove any underbody guards.

Good luck, ask any questions here or via PM. Offer a carton and I'm sure you'll find a member nearby who'd happily spend some time with you fitting it.

[BigJules]

UHF Installation is not too hard either. You need a soldering iron to fit the plug to the in-car end of the antenna coaxial cable.

You need to find a mounting location that works for you.
You need to find a power source under the dash, or run one from your 2nd battery.
You need to remember that once you've fitted the antenna and run the cable through the engine bay with cable ties periodically and through the firewall and soldered the plug on, it's bloody annoying to have to pull all that cable back out so you can remove the antenna from the bar or bracket.

Use an existing grommet in the firewall, bit of spit as lube, or WD or anything will help the cable slide through easier.

The installation costs for these two jobs would be north of $500 I would expect.

[LJs GU]

UHF Installation is not too hard either. You need a soldering iron to fit the plug to the in-car end of the antenna coaxial cable.

Don't think you need to even do that... my Uniden model was just a matter of screwing everything together. It was all pre soldered.

Anyway, I know you asked about the cost of getting someone to do it, but regardless of whether you or someone else does it, I'd recommend wiring it up direct to the battery (main or aux if you have one) so it's always powered, without the need for 'keys in the ignition'.  (I was under the impression it also helps reduce interference?! but that could be an old wives tale).

LJ

[fuji]

Well BJ I will have a job for you soon when the new car comes in. I have room at my place for you to stay. Hee hee
Wayne

[dallp]

Thank you gentlemen, Big Jules in particular. Given the estimate of north of $500 and the simplified directions on what is required I feel emboldened to have a go myself.

Particularly given a recent bad experience with an Auto lecky installing a dual battery isolator, anderson plug and brake controller. Thought I would get a neater job rather than having a go myself. Wrong!!

My main concern is with finding power behind the dash. ie dismantling the dash and identifying what to use from amongst the vipers nest of wires.
I have heard a rumour that there should be spare "plug and play" connections behind the dash. Can anyone confirm this? Would purchasing a workshop manual for the vehicle be of assistance?
Anyway, as appears both winch and UHF can be connected direct to the battery I feel confident I can handle this.

regards

dallp

[rodw]

I would not bother looking under the dash to wire in your UHF. I always wire them in direct to the battery so they can be left on at camp if required.  So all you need to do is to runs a wire back to the battery and include a fuse near the battery. This is probably included on your UHF anyway but I prefer not to use a glass fuse and grab a rubber blade fuse holder.

I would look for an earthing point under the dash and connect the negative (black ) wire to it and run the positive (red) wire back to the battery positive terminal. Get a piece of coat hanger wire and push it though a hole in the firewall somewhere where other wires are. Sometimes there is a small tit that you can cut the end off to do this easilly otherwise untape a bundle of wires that pass through the firewall, push a screwdriver through and then get your coat hanger through. Tape the wire to the coat hanger and pull it through. Sometimes you need to lubricate the wire with a bit of silicone spray.

Feed the antenna out to wherever it goes. If on the bullbar, it will go through the firewall too. Normally, the antenna plug supplied needs the tip to be soldered on. They screw on to the outer braid, but the tip needs soldering. I'll see if I can find a photo. Alternatively, once you get it all together, take it somewhere and ask them nicely to fit the connector with a crimping tool. This will require a different connector. Some say this is preferable but I have never had issues with soldered antenna.

[dallp]

thanks Rod

Dallp