Olive - Meanderthal’s BS BL

[Oval Office]

 

[Mark S.]

I see I can do some mods to tow hooks and have both...

Can you be more specific?

 

[Oval Office]

After I install nudge bar, I will see what it will take to reattach the tow hooks, should not take much. If I need to modify the hooks, it’s just steel. Heat-weld-grind-paint, nothing too it. I will post pics, I have to get nudge bar first been waiting almost 6 weeks

 

[jhnvan]

oops posted in wrong thread somehow...

 

[Winds of Change]

Grille Letters

The giant 3D letters on the grill has always been something I didn’t really like. The white letters makes that worse. I’ve seen so many people post about putting the overlays on the letters. This is an improvement for the white letters but still a compromise to me.

So I started thinking about what I could do to change it to something I would like. I looked at eBay for pictures of the grille without the letters. Which started to spark some ideas.

At first I wanted to eliminate the “BRONCO” all together. I decided in the end that it would be too plain. I also thought about putting a light bar to carry the light all the way across from one headlight to the other. That too would have issues in that there would be a spot between the headlight and the custom light bar. Then would the light bar light match the headlight light? Again, another dead end idea that just had too many issues.

So, I decided it was really the “white” and the “3D” that bothered me. I was determined to do something different that what I have seen others do. That really comes down to a PlastiDip spray or the sticker overlays.

Removing the 3D letters is quite the ordeal. There are a couple of hurdles here. The first try was to just pull the letters off, thinking that they would just be glued on. Unfortunately, Ford got way more aggressive than that. Pulling on the letters just did not seem to be an option. There is some adhesive but also a mechanical attachment. To get to the inside of the grille, you really have to remove the whole front of the car.



Once you get to this point, you’ll realize that Ford used push-nuts on the inside of the letters. These are essentially something that cannot be removed because they slide over the plastic during installation but will bite into the plastic when you try to remove it. Now, I was left with the decision to go “all in”. And I did, by breaking the plastic pins on each of the letters so that the push-nuts could be released.

The interesting thing is that Ford put a different clip on each end. On the “B” and the trailing “O”.


The other letters just have 2 posts


The other thing you might notice is the gate vestige from the injection mold in the field of the letter. This is in multiple letters.

Now how do I get all of this smoothed out? I started with some JB Weld Plastic Weld Putty. Which allowed me to fill in the big holes relatively well but still hard to get somewhat flat/even. The big holes in the end letters is the real problem area.
J-B Weld 8237 PlasticWeld Plastic Repair Epoxy Putty - 2 oz.

I had some regular JB Weld in the garage that is more liquid to fill in some of the smaller gaps. I then had to smooth all of this out as best I could. Using some razor scrapers got everything closer (including the gate vestiges). It was then time to sand it smooth. This is a delicate operation because you don’t want to sand anything outside of the letters.

Here is a picture before the standard JB Weld and the sanding.


Here is a picture with the standard JB Weld and after sanding.


I have ordered some overlay stickers and I will see if that is good enough or if it needs something more. The stickers have not arrived yet, but I will update this post with pictures/thoughts once they arrive and are installed.

Eric I have put more that my share of cars on jack stands. Simple FWD or RWD cars. So I think I am asking a dumb question lol. With the BS did you lift 1 corner at a time? or just use the rear crossmember? Then place jack stands at the pinch weld jack point. and then the front? I would guess you used the control arm for the lifting point. Yesterday was the first day poking around the vehicle some as I was installing the HRG skid plate and ditch light brackets.

 

[Winds of Change]

After I install nudge bar, I will see what it will take to reattach the tow hooks, should not take much. If I need to modify the hooks, it’s just steel. Heat-weld-grind-paint, nothing too it. I will post pics, I have to get nudge bar first been waiting almost 6 weeks

I think we need Rally innovations mount set up and then instead of their square bar somehow modify it for a round tube setup welded in.

 

[Meanderthal]

Eric I have put more that my share of cars on jack stands. Simple FWD or RWD cars. So I think I am asking a dumb question lol. With the BS did you lift 1 corner at a time? or just use the rear crossmember? Then place jack stands at the pinch weld jack point. and then the front? I would guess you used the control arm for the lifting point. Yesterday was the first day poking around the vehicle some as I was installing the HRG skid plate and ditch light brackets.

That was a post that I meant to include when I started this thread. I forgot to take the pictures to support it though.

I used the front jack point, under the front doors, on each side. That will lift the front and back on each side at the same time. I then support with jack stands under the rear jack point and then under the point where the lower control arm connects.

For an oil change, I would jack up using that front support point and then use the jack stands on each side.

When I do the suspension upgrade, I will take some pictures and create a post in this thread.

 

[RogueRodney]

Meanderthal/Fake Cowboy (Anyone that knows...):

Are there additional risks to Adapters vs. Spacers? I don't see many people that seem to like spacers, but for some reason I see fewer that think highly of adapters.

I would think they face effectively the same concerns, but was just wondering if my ignorance was again keeping me in my happy place...

Much thanks,

RR

 

[Meanderthal]

Meanderthal/Fake Cowboy (Anyone that knows...):

Are there additional risks to Adapters vs. Spacers? I don't see many people that seem to like spacers, but for some reason I see fewer that think highly of adapters.

I would think they face effectively the same concerns, but was just wondering if my ignorance was again keeping me in my happy place...

Much thanks,

RR

I can't think of anything that would make a bolt-pattern adapter a larger concern than a spacer with lugs pressed into it.

 

[Lufelham]

Lufelham:

Looking good my friend! Meaning no slight at all to anyone that doesn't have a lifted Bronco Sport, but I think they look so much better (more boxy/blocky) lifted.

I liked it without the lift, but it looks much better (in my opinion) lifted.

RR

now im planning to paint the tow hooks red and add a rally innovations bumper skid plate and the light bar

 

[Oval Office]

 

[Mark S.]

???

 

[Oval Office]

Tow hooks modified, all factory hardware

 

[Meanderthal]

Tow hooks modified, all factory hardware

I think that more details are needed on the modification and those details deserve a new forum thread. Putting this here in my build thread is essentially like burying it.

 

[Winds of Change]

Tow hooks modified, all factory hardware

I like the light bar. But he is expensive at $499 currently. The top part seems lower than what I remember. Does it block the camera or 360+ equipment?