Okay here's the scoop, after WAY too much time and effort getting the frame brace and upper brackets installed (those things are TOUGH to get to with big hands!) I finally managed to get my Go Rhino winch "bumper" grille guard installed. Overall I am pleased with it. I installed the center section, winch, lights, made my wiring connections, THEN I installed the brush guard / headlight protector hoops / wings, whatever you call them. You can see I took the photo from the drivers side, because the passengers side is a BIG manufacturing flaw... But it looks fantastic from the drivers side...


Now I am probably going to eventually catch some hassle from my local gents in blue uniforms over the front license plate. I kind of messed up and forgot to move it before installing the winch. I actually have a plate bracket that covers the roller fairlead that I got from Quadratec. Now they send me Jeep parts magazines all the time. Oh well... Anyway, hopefully I won't catch it to bad from them as it IS there, it is just behind the winch...

I did spool the cable out, probably about 50 feet or so, and winched the truck up to the tree to see how well that Engo works. No hassle at all. Just slow. Very, very slow. But I expect that from a winch... I have no doubt it will get me out of whatever stupid situation I can manage to get into on the deer lease and, well wherever I am willing to stick a full size pickup truck into...

Proof in the pudding as it were is coming soon. Once I get it on the road and test it out. I might have to do some more grinding on that ridge in the back of the inner fender...

The ProComp lights are a fresh set that replaced my original set of 130 watt Pro Comps... I wish somebody made a replacement lens assembly and rubber bushings for those lights. I hate to waste a good set of lights! I know, I went old school with the Halogens instead of LED or whatnot, what can I say, it's what I know... I love the look, and the light output is really nice too!

Anyway, now to give you an idea of what the issue I am having is... The passenger side brush guard / hoop thing a ma bob was built with the bottom tube shorter than the drives side. angles all wrong, and it puts the end actually into the upper bumper on the truck...


I am working with CarID to get a replacement from Go Rhino, and I am hoping / praying I don't have to pull the whole thing apart again just to swap the hoops out...

All of this after I spent a week of frustration trying to get UPS Freight to actually honor their delivery appointments for this thing.

So far I can say I am VERY happy to be doing business with CarID though, they have really stood behind me on this issue, even getting a partial refund from UPS for the shipping... I will be buying from them again VERY soon. Particularly if they can help me avoid having to uninstall and repackage my entire mount back up to get RMA'ed...

Okay this part I am adding for search engines. I am having trouble finding this post doing a gogole search for 2004 F150 winch mount. I figure if that specific string is in the post, I might have a better chance of getting in the results higher...

 

Well aside from all the issues you've had, it looks really good! I'm glad to heat that CarID has treated you well. I definitely agree with the frame brackets being a PITA to deal with . . .

 

The upper brackets mount to the bumper bracket and the bolts route through the bumper bracket between the bumper bracket and the bumper grille. I sliced my index fingers on both hands pretty good doing the job... I really do like the looks of it, and the material is WAY stouter than I would have expected. The plate is roughly the same thickness as the OEM 4x4 tow hook plate material... Plenty stout. And if Go Rhino can get it straight I will be very happy with it...

 

I've often cut my hands up too trying to fit them into places while working on my truck, my hands and fingers are pretty big too. I hope they get everything sorted out for ya! And I hope this bumper and accessories hold up for you better than the last one

 

I got it figured out, it was a mere adjustment issue with the wing... The scuffs were removed with Showroom new, and it is all solid as a rock at this point. At this point, the only remaining issue is the screwy placement of the Go Rhino sticker placement.

I sure wish these companies would actually write COMPLETE and useful installation instructions... I have found the instructions with this thing not only not useful, but actually counter productive.

 

Okay sorry for the blurry cell phone pic, but here it is, adjusted. I am a happy camper now...

 

Looking good

Is there like a cover you could put on the which?

 

Haven't found one. My wife knows a seamstress. Might have to get one made...

 

league city pd most likey wouldn't pull you over for front plates. but every now and then a state trooper likes to camp on 518 lol

 

Much better! What bottle or package or Showroom New did you get?

I've noticed that certain areas are told to pull over for front plates, or lack thereof. I went months without a front plate, but got pulled over twice in two weeks in Stafford. It's out front now haha

 

Ack... I was in Stafford yesterday... And 8 oz...

 

Those Stafford bastards got me on West Airport twice on Wednesdays exactly two weeks apart at the same exact intersection, but I didn't even get written warnings, so it was fine. But they'll get ya if you're on side roads and feeders. Most of 'em are country guys though, which makes it better. Got out of a 13 over speeding ticket cause of my Secede decal and my red/white/blue CB whips lol.

And thanks! That 8 oz lasted you pretty good last time, right?

 

Yep. Got the Ford Trucks plate for the stock bracket ordered. The fairlead plate bracket works, but needs a means of vertical hold... Oh... FYI, the front plate is there, it's just behind the winch.

 

CarID has been awesome...

 

It is perty much an all day mounting job and then the next for the wiring and winch. It would be so much nicer if there were welded nuts in place on the frame. There is the real headache. Getting those pesky things started where no man was ment to go. It is tough though and can hang the truck up overnight on it.

I did the Warn Transformer II system ! Also the Warn cover for the winch in bad weather.