Hi-Lift Jack 4XRAC |
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Hi
Lift 4XRAC Bumper Mount
A
Hi-Lift Jack is one of the best trail tools you can own and something
every Jeep owner should have. They are affordable, versatile and virtually
essential if your Jeep is lifted. The only real draw backs of this
great tool is that it's big, bulky, weighs a ton a quite dangerous
to use if not used with extreme care... but i digress. One of the
biggest issues with owning a Hi-Lift Jack is of course, how do I bring
it along with me? That's where a Hi-Lift 4XRAC comes in. Cheap and
easy to install, a 4XRAC will allow you to carry your Hi-Lift Jack
out on your bumper.
What
You Will Need
•
Hi-Lift 4XRAC
• Metric 13mm Deep Socket & SAE 7/16" Socket &
Wrenches
• Torx Bit T-55
• Ratchet
• Hand Drill
• 1/8" & 5/16" Metal Drilling Bit
• Drilling Oil
• Safety Glasses
• Sharpe or Pencil
• Center Punch
• Hammer
• PB Blaster
• Breaker Bar
• Small Locks
Installation
1. If your Jeep is still wearing
the factory rubber front bumper pads, you will need to removed them
in order to install your new 4XRAC Hi-Lift Jack mounting brackets.
Unfortunately, the only way to this is to completely remove your front
bumper from your Jeep. So, before you get started, make sure that
you have all the tools you'll need ready to go and that you in fact
have metal drilling bits.
2. If
you have factory fog light like my Jeep has, these will need to be
removed prior to pulling your bumper off. To do this, you will need
to look underneath the inside of your bumper and remove the single
13mm nut securing the fog light. With the nut off, simply lift up
your fog light and allow it to dangle from it wiring harness.
3. Using a Torx T-55 Bit, remove the 4 upper bumper
bolts (2 on either side) which also secures your tow hooks if you've
got them. If you've never removed these bolts before, it may take
some effort to do and stripping a Torx head is nothing but bad news.
Try applying some PB Blaster to the bolts and use a breaker bar to
crack them loose.
4. Now, look underneath
your bumper and remove the 2 bottom bolts (1 on each side) using the
same Torx T-55 Bit. Again, pay special attention to not strip the
head of the bolt. PB Blaster and a breaker bar should do the trick
well.
5. With all the bolts
removed, your bumper should slide off the frame with ease. Place it
on the ground or on a work bench face down so that you can access
the rubber bumper pad fastening nuts.
6. Using a deep 13mm
socket or a standard socket with an extension, remove the 2 nuts securing
each of the bumper pads to the bumper.
7. Turn your bumper
over and if the bumper pads didn't already fall off, they should come
off with very little effort.
8. Now, position your
new 4XRAC mounting brackets on the face of your bumper and then place
your Hi-Lift Jack on top of them like it would when everything is
installed. If you don't care about details, you can just slap them
anywhere you want but I like a mod to look like it was meant to be
there so I took the time to measure everything off. Specifically,
I made sure that the Hi-Lift Jack would look centered when all was
said and done. I also made sure to locate the 4XRAC brackets a little
higher up on the face of the bumper (top edge of the brackets 3/4"
down from the top of the bumper) so that little to none of the actual
jack would hang below the base of the bumper.
9. With the Hi-Lift
jack in position on top of the 4XRAC brackets, take a marker or pencil
and mark off where everything needs to be.
10. Carefully remove
the Hi-Lift Jack, 4XRAC brackets and then mark your drilling points
with a center punch and hammer.
11. Drilling through
steel can be a bit tricky with a large drill bit so I always like
to make a small pilot hole first. For this particular job, I used
a 1/8" metal drilling bit to do it.
12. With all your pilot
holes drilled, come back and drill them out using a 5/16" metal
drilling bit. The use of a drilling oil will make the job a lot easier
and quieter.
13. Clean up your drilling
mess and then bolt up your new 4XRAC mounting brackets to your bumper
using the hardware supplied with the kit. You will need a 7/16"
socket and wrench to do this.
14. Place your front
bumper back onto your Jeep's frame and bolt it back on. Torque the
bolts to 80 ft. lbs.
15. Re-attach your fog
lights if you have them and took them off.
16. Place your Hi-Lift
Jack onto the 4XRAC, slip on the retaining brackets and then fasten
everything in place using the wing nuts provided.
17. You should notice
that the threaded studs on the 4XRAC brackets have holes drilled through
them. These are provided so that you can lock your Hi-Lift and prevent
it from being stolen. Granted, the only kind of locks that will fit
through them are really tiny, it should provide enough of a deterrent
for most would be thieves.
That should be it. Please let me know if you have any questions. |
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