Help! Winch bumper, Detours not making Backbone...

tommudd said:

tHOUGHT OF THAT AS WELL
WHOOPS , sorry caps
But some companies do that either sell plans or all of the metal cut out etc for the build. Problem again is that even metal cut and bent etc would be more than a lot to even pay.
Selling plans....not sure what to even charge.
Have to admit , not downing anyone at all , but a lot of KJ owners are either new to the whole 4x4 thing or just plain cheap. To them even a spacer lift is too much.
They've never build anything and never looked at prices of even a good JK/TJ lift for example. They look on line and see a bumper for a JK for 375 bucks, not realizing its a cheap hardly fits China knockoff thinking one for a KJ should be the same price.

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That's it I'm switching to a spacer lift now:help:

tjkj2002 said:

That's it I'm switching to a spacer lift now:help:

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Yep and I want a cheap Chinese bumper that's more breakable that the stock plastic one....



....wait, I have a KJ not a JK. Dyslexic moment :gr_grin:

righopper said:

3 week backlog when I ordered my KJ Backbone this past Thursday.

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Please let us know if/when you get the backbone. I'd like to order one too. I left a message on his facebook page, but got no reply back.

righopper said:

FB Messenger Detours.
@DetoursOffroad.Hardware
He is taking orders through messenger. He'll send you a PayPal invoice to your email for your payment. 3 week backlog when I ordered my KJ Backbone this past Thursday. He's back filling orders, but not fully up with the website and full product line.

Patience young grasshopper...

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

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So he's back open now again ? Interesting, ........

Up here in canada, that arb bumper is $1800. no taxes no install.......

i wish i could pay $1000 for an arb bumper

KJ604 said:

Up here in canada, that arb bumper is $1800. no taxes no install.......

i wish i could pay $1000 for an arb bumper

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Going to make you cry since I bought mine brand new for $600,then again way back in '05.

That's $780 in today's money...
...yep keep crying. LOL

tjkj2002 said:

Going to make you cry since I bought mine brand new for $600,then again way back in '05.

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Mine was less than a year old when I got it in 05, had to drive 5 hours to get it but for 250 wasn't a bad deal I didn't think
Should of bought more back then Troy , 400 markup on each one selling them now LOL

:icon_cry::icon_cry::icon_cry::icon_cry::icon_cry:

it is disappointing though becuase I would probably have coilovers if the dollars were even

Fab a KJ Winch bracket.

Every Liberty has a reinforced spot to mount a tow bar....with holes already punched in the frame...in front of the front suspension. Its engineered sufficient to tow, and mine works just fine for a winch mount. Measure the tow mount holes and drill matching holes in a piece of steel angle....L2x2x3/8.....thru bolt the steel angle to the frame with washers and nuts inside the hollow frame rail...access to nuts from the front if the hollow frame rail. Let the angle stick out the front. Position, matk and trim the Harbor Freight winch plate ($40) to match the width of the protruding angles. Clamp and drill matching holes through the winch plate and the protruding angle...2 on each side. Bolt the plate and angle together...high grade bolts....trim the protruding angle....I added tow hooks as well...then mount your winch. Mine is a Smittybilt 9500. Sorry, I jumped straight to the fabrication. Of course, to do all this, you must first remove the plastic bumper cover, discard center section of the inner crush box...then trim the plastic bumper cover to fit around the winch and remount for a factory finish...maintainting OEM turn signals, fog lights, etc. Winch $300, steel angle and winch plate $60, high strength bolts and nuts $10.....rescuing countless cjs, kjs and pick up trucks with my Liberty...priceless.

Fab a KJ Winch bracket.

sparky27 said:

I have bought myself a new winch. I was excited and had visions of using this winch w my Jeep. Now as I research I am finding that Detours is not even currently producing the backbone...I do not have $1,000+ to buy an ARB bumper. What are my options if any? Any member made bumpers or bull bars that aren't a grand that could mount a winch? I feel as though I've hit a wall.

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Every Liberty has a reinforced spot to mount a tow bar...it was a factory option...with holes already punched in the frame...in front of the front suspension. Its an easy fab and mount....Measure the existing tow bar mount holes, layout and drill matching holes in 2 pieces of steel angle....L2x2x3/8.....paint the angles, then thru bolt the steel angle to the frame with high strength bolts, nuts and heavy back up washer...letting the angle stick out the front. Tighten the nuts and bolts thru the open front of the frame box. There are also access holes on the side of the frame box. Lay the Harbor Freight winch plate across the protruding angles, mark and trim to width (it's too wide) to match the width of the protruding angles. Clamp and drill matching holes through the winch plate and the protruding angle...original hole on the winch plate didn't align. Bolt the plate and angle together....high strength bolts and nuts...trim the protruding angle...I added tow hooks as well...then mount your winch. Mine is a Smittybilt 9500. Sorry, I jumped.directly to the fabrication. Of course, to do all this, you must first remove the plastic bumper cover, discard the inner crush box...then trim the plastic bumper cover to fit around the winch and remount for a factory finish...maintainting OEM turn signals, fog lights, etc.

From 2017 to today...................up from the grave

Wouldn't mind seeing some pictures of your setup

interesting thread, I had the same problem

olecowpoke said:

Every Liberty has a reinforced spot to mount a tow bar....with holes already punched in the frame...in front of the front suspension. Its engineered sufficient to tow, and mine works just fine for a winch mount. Measure the tow mount holes and drill matching holes in a piece of steel angle....L2x2x3/8.....thru bolt the steel angle to the frame with washers and nuts inside the hollow frame rail...access to nuts from the front if the hollow frame rail. Let the angle stick out the front. Position, matk and trim the Harbor Freight winch plate ($40) to match the width of the protruding angles. Clamp and drill matching holes through the winch plate and the protruding angle...2 on each side. Bolt the plate and angle together...high grade bolts....trim the protruding angle....I added tow hooks as well...then mount your winch. Mine is a Smittybilt 9500. Sorry, I jumped straight to the fabrication. Of course, to do all this, you must first remove the plastic bumper cover, discard center section of the inner crush box...then trim the plastic bumper cover to fit around the winch and remount for a factory finish...maintainting OEM turn signals, fog lights, etc. Winch $300, steel angle and winch plate $60, high strength bolts and nuts $10.....rescuing countless cjs, kjs and pick up trucks with my Liberty...priceless.

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Sounds good, any pictures of the work, before, during or after?

JasonJ said:

Sounds good, any pictures of the work, before, during or after?

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any chance we can get template or cut diagrams for the fabrication part, I never got a winch because the detours backbones are not available

RenKJ said:

any chance we can get template or cut diagrams for the fabrication part, I never got a winch because the detours backbones are not available

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Are you sure? He is still in business and still has the templates

tommudd said:

Are you sure? He is still in business and still has the templates

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They said they couldn't help me on FB

Dang! Been wanting another for the '06 I have now.