[fordem]

http://www.zuksoffroad.com/ZOR-Paramour-Front-Winch-Bumper-1999-04_p_1587.html

Someone on another forum drew my attention to the winch bumper in the link above - looking at the pictures on the site closely (there are four pictures on the page, and four more in the image gallery), I got the impression that the bumper may have actually designed for a different vehicle and then the mounts modified to fit the Grand Vitara - in fact, one of the four pictures on the main page show it fitted to a blue SE series Sidekick/Vitara

Has anyone ever tried fitting a winch bumper for an SE series Vitara to an SV or SQ series vehicle?

To be honest I don't particularly care for this bumper, especially the way it mounts (which cannot be seen from the pictures) - the only thing that is attractive about it is the fact that it's made in the US, and that is because it reduces my shipping costs considerably - the Uneek bumper is more to my liking but the cost of shipping it from Australia to Guyana makes it wildly expensive - I can actually source an ARB for the SE series (Low Range Off Road) for less than I would pay Uneek, and that price includes free shipping to the Port of Miami, from where I can get to Guyana, also at no cost to me.

[got_bar_work]

Calmini one

[fordem]

I'd consider Calmini if it weren't for one thing - I've done business with them before, lets just say I was left with a bad taste in my mouth...

[Gwagensteve]

Seems to be a common experience.

[frak]

Yeah i have been trying to buy suspension gear from them since june. Keep telling me they are waiting on stock or not replying. (To order to aust you need to send them a message. I am tempted to send to a reshipping company to see if i get anything but if yhey arent lying i would just be out of pocket)

[Gwagensteve]

No that's the normal situation. I'm tempted to believe they don't actually stock anything.

[ZUZUKI]

Neither of the two SE Vitara front chassis arrangements (50mm diam. round tube (common on SWB) & flat pressing with dimpled holes types) are anything like an SQ series car, which is much simpler to deal with in this regard - flat plates can bolt to the sides of the chassis rails - very conventional.
The ARB bar is likely to only suit the 50mm round tube type (uses 'U' bolts as part of the mountings).
At least there is a situation where the removal of the stock bumper in both series, leaves the car with a straight, horizontal edge at the bottom of the grill.
I haven't really taken a whole lot of notice, but the curvature of the grill looks similar. SQ car would be wider.
Any SE series bracketery would need to be cut off & replaced.

Anything (almost) is possible with enough time & money.
Have fun, Michael.

[fordem]

Thanks Michael

[steak_knife]

That bar may let you have a winch, but lack's protection for everything else, seem's to protect the grill and that's it.

Not a fan of leaving a plastic tanked rad open like that.

[fordem]

I did notice that, and it was a concern, but the real reason behind the question was not to get your opinion on that bumper but on the possibility of fitting an SE series ARB bar without too much fab work - an idea which I have since abandoned, based on Zuzuki's comments (notably the difference in width of the vehicles).

E-mail inquiries to Calmini (whose winch bar does have the option of a skid plate to protect the vulnerable underside) and Zukination have both gone unanswered - reducing me to the original idea of having a design of my own done by a local fabricator - the problem there is likely to be one of weight, since I suspect I will not find anyone with a press brake larger enough to fold the sheet the way I want and will have to compromise and use heavier gauge sheet cut & welded.

Since we're discussing winch bars let me ask a different question - what has your experience been adding 75 kilos or so of weight on the nose of the vehicle - I anticipate there will be some droop in the suspension and have no problem moving from the OME2959 springs (~35kgs) which are currently fitted, to the 2962s (36~75 kgs) to compensate, but what other undesirable side effects am I likely to encounter adding weight to the front of an already nose heavy vehicle?

[steak_knife]

fordem wrote:

I did notice that, and it was a concern, but the real reason behind the question was not to get your opinion on that bumper but on the possibility of fitting an SE series ARB bar without too much fab work - an idea which I have since abandoned, based on Zuzuki's comments (notably the difference in width of the vehicles).

If you have a welder & a grinder, anything can fit.

Sorry I have an opinion mate.

But if you don't feel like making spark's just buy one that fit's

Sorry again. just had another one.

[fordem]

a) Finding one that fits so that I can buy it (without having to ship it halfway around the world) appears to be difficult.
b) I don't make sparks myself, so I have to find someone who does, to turn my ideas into reality, finding someone suitably equipped appears to be equally difficult.
c) No apologies necessary, all opinions & experiences welcome.

[steak_knife]

fordem wrote:

a) Finding one that fits so that I can buy it (without having to ship it halfway around the world) appears to be difficult.
b) I don't make sparks myself, so I have to find someone who does, to turn my ideas into reality, finding someone suitably equipped appears to be equally difficult.
c) No apologies necessary, all opinions & experiences welcome.

I know that feeling very well.

I don't even like shipping in my own country.

I saw a nice bar yesterday, I'll try find it again.

[fordem]

steak_knife wrote:

I saw a nice bar yesterday, I'll try find it again.

'preciate it.