Lucky8 Winch Tray Install
#12
10-25-2021, 01:56 AM
#13
10-25-2021, 08:31 AM
Three Wheeling
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Summer in Upstate NY, Winter in South Florida, Spring and Fall in Kentucky
Posts: 94
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#14
10-25-2021, 10:28 AM
Recovery Vehicle
4x4Dave and Gurka01:
This winch is out of a supplier in the EU -- it just came on the market and no one on this forum has shared their experience with it, to my recollection.
There are a couple of things I would confirm before considering it:
1) depth of the winch tray -- it looks a bit less deep than the OEM and Lucky8 trays, and may be designed for a specific EU winch. The Warn OEM winch just fit into the depth of the OEM tray (which was designed for the Warn?). Also check the mounting hole locations to ensure your winch will fit. The width looks similar to the Lucky8 tray, so may also not accomodate the wi-fi winch (which I think is an unnecessary complication, but others may feel otherwise).
2) I suspect this install may not work with the V8 or potentially the P400, as both (may?) have a pusher cooling fan mounted in front of the primary radiator (not behind it). Something important to check on. (I suspect, looking at the picture, there is not enough room).
3) The mounting to the vehicle, width, location and overall approach is very similar to the Lucky8 winch tray. I am looking forward to hearing from a Lucky8 user how low is cut the front of that tray - this EU version being flat at the bottom is an interesting (and maybe less stiff -- for good or ill) approach?
What we need is someone in the EU to purchase this one and share their experience, hopefully.
-----------------------------------
The question was asked earlier as to why the bumper is just not replaced with an ARB one and the winch moved to it -- similar to on a Toyota Forerunner, etc.
Sarek has successfully tackled the task and the picture on this new EU winch installation is very helpful to show the challenges of trying to replicate what the OEM bumper accomplishes:
1) light weight -- Sarek's first bumper was Steel, their second Aluminum. As noted in other comments the weight may make a difference in how the sporty, zoom-zoom Defender drives.
2) Only one hard point for mounting anything up front, which is not even actually at the front of the vehicle. You can see the only structural point of contact able to carry a metal bumper or a winch or anything else which is not plastic -- it is the eight bolts (3 visible in the photo) back into the vehicle -- basically > foot away from the OEM front of the vehicle. NOT similar to a CJ - derived Jeep, certainly.
3) Electronic functioning -- the OEM bumper houses in specific locations all the cameras and sensors. A very compelling reason to keep the OEM bumper.
4) Carry-throughs which consume the bumper planform area -- the license plate; fog lamps; cooling for brakes for zoom-zoom driving (you see it on the left of the photo); cooling for up to two added, substantial radiators (you see this Defender has one on the right of the photo -- mine has two, one on each side); and the headlights, which as a % of the front planform are quite greedy of space.
5) Aesthetics - the curviness of the bumper as it approaches aft towards the front wheels and suspension closes down the useable space behind it (drastically) in service of supporting the look of the vehicle -- unlike many truck frame 4x4s. My look at the comparative compactness of suspensions suggests the idea that the very creative design of the front suspensions (very very compact) helps the designers get away from the flat-front look of previous Off-road capable vehicles -- which loses for us the dead space normally available for customization.
Enjoy !
This winch is out of a supplier in the EU -- it just came on the market and no one on this forum has shared their experience with it, to my recollection.
There are a couple of things I would confirm before considering it:
1) depth of the winch tray -- it looks a bit less deep than the OEM and Lucky8 trays, and may be designed for a specific EU winch. The Warn OEM winch just fit into the depth of the OEM tray (which was designed for the Warn?). Also check the mounting hole locations to ensure your winch will fit. The width looks similar to the Lucky8 tray, so may also not accomodate the wi-fi winch (which I think is an unnecessary complication, but others may feel otherwise).
2) I suspect this install may not work with the V8 or potentially the P400, as both (may?) have a pusher cooling fan mounted in front of the primary radiator (not behind it). Something important to check on. (I suspect, looking at the picture, there is not enough room).
3) The mounting to the vehicle, width, location and overall approach is very similar to the Lucky8 winch tray. I am looking forward to hearing from a Lucky8 user how low is cut the front of that tray - this EU version being flat at the bottom is an interesting (and maybe less stiff -- for good or ill) approach?
What we need is someone in the EU to purchase this one and share their experience, hopefully.
-----------------------------------
The question was asked earlier as to why the bumper is just not replaced with an ARB one and the winch moved to it -- similar to on a Toyota Forerunner, etc.
Sarek has successfully tackled the task and the picture on this new EU winch installation is very helpful to show the challenges of trying to replicate what the OEM bumper accomplishes:
1) light weight -- Sarek's first bumper was Steel, their second Aluminum. As noted in other comments the weight may make a difference in how the sporty, zoom-zoom Defender drives.
2) Only one hard point for mounting anything up front, which is not even actually at the front of the vehicle. You can see the only structural point of contact able to carry a metal bumper or a winch or anything else which is not plastic -- it is the eight bolts (3 visible in the photo) back into the vehicle -- basically > foot away from the OEM front of the vehicle. NOT similar to a CJ - derived Jeep, certainly.
3) Electronic functioning -- the OEM bumper houses in specific locations all the cameras and sensors. A very compelling reason to keep the OEM bumper.
4) Carry-throughs which consume the bumper planform area -- the license plate; fog lamps; cooling for brakes for zoom-zoom driving (you see it on the left of the photo); cooling for up to two added, substantial radiators (you see this Defender has one on the right of the photo -- mine has two, one on each side); and the headlights, which as a % of the front planform are quite greedy of space.
5) Aesthetics - the curviness of the bumper as it approaches aft towards the front wheels and suspension closes down the useable space behind it (drastically) in service of supporting the look of the vehicle -- unlike many truck frame 4x4s. My look at the comparative compactness of suspensions suggests the idea that the very creative design of the front suspensions (very very compact) helps the designers get away from the flat-front look of previous Off-road capable vehicles -- which loses for us the dead space normally available for customization.
Enjoy !
Last edited by TrioLRowner; 10-25-2021 at 10:40 AM.
The following users liked this post:
GrouseK9 (10-25-2021)
#15
10-25-2021, 12:36 PM
Pro Wrench
Well written, @TrioLRowner . I suspect most folks will miss #3. There are a crazy number of sensors. I never watched enough of the video/series to tell if Simon actually discovered one behind the Land Rover badging on the front. But there's more than meets the eye.
#16
10-25-2021, 03:26 PM
Pro Wrench
My LK8/Zeon 12S is going on tomorrow. It will be the first for the LR and Defender-specialty shop north of Atlanta that's doing it. They're reading/watching installation manuals/videos in preparation. I warned them about the "bricking" phenomenon with TFL's dealer. Fingers crossed!
Also getting little bitty P300 brakes in back at the same time.
Also getting little bitty P300 brakes in back at the same time.
The following 3 users liked this post by NoGaBiker:
#18
10-25-2021, 04:45 PM
Recovery Vehicle
Trauma:
For off-roading, the smaller the wheels (and the bigger the resulting rubber sidewall) the better. 15 to 18 inch wheels are standard for off-road use across vehicle brands and geographies. To obtain 18" wheels on a Defender (no smaller are available), the buyer must either purchase a 4 cylinder engine and receive small brake calipers from the factory or purchase a larger engine (P400 in U.S.) and replace the stock larger calipers with third party ones small enough to use 18 inch wheels.
The stock wheel sizes from JLR for the large engines are 19" (difficult to find a global supply of off-road tires), 20", or 22" (not practically suitable for serious off-road driving)
For off-roading, the smaller the wheels (and the bigger the resulting rubber sidewall) the better. 15 to 18 inch wheels are standard for off-road use across vehicle brands and geographies. To obtain 18" wheels on a Defender (no smaller are available), the buyer must either purchase a 4 cylinder engine and receive small brake calipers from the factory or purchase a larger engine (P400 in U.S.) and replace the stock larger calipers with third party ones small enough to use 18 inch wheels.
The stock wheel sizes from JLR for the large engines are 19" (difficult to find a global supply of off-road tires), 20", or 22" (not practically suitable for serious off-road driving)
Last edited by TrioLRowner; 10-25-2021 at 04:50 PM.
#20
10-25-2021, 06:55 PM