Remove Fairlead - Factor Bar and XD9000 Winch

[Nexus]

Hi,

Today I unwound the rope to take a look at it for the 1st time. Got the Patrol 2 months ago.
The muppets that put the rope on let it detach from the holding bolt on the drum so I had no way of getting it to wrap back around the drum.
Ended up cutting it off as the ropes not in great condition anyway.

But when I get some new rope I'm going to need to get the fairlead off to replace the rope. Also thinking of going to a Warn hawse instead of the rollers.

Only issue is I have NFI how to get the 14mm bolts attaching it out. Angles are too steep.
Can't get a spanner on it with enough grip, and my socket set + universal joint doesn't have clearance because of the rollers. Tried taking the rollers out, but couldn't get the axles out due to clearance issues as well.

Am I doing it wrong, or do I a need an angled spanner to get the bolts out?
I presume its a captive nut behind?

Suggestions appreciated.

IMG_0195.JPG

[Hodge]

That bolt, as well as the one on the opposing side is threaded into the winch body itself. There should also be 2 more bolts holding the winch in, down below, which are not going through the fairlead.
Hard to tell in the photo, but looks like you could get a short socket and wrench in there and loosen it off.

[Bloodyaussie]

Hi,

Today I unwound the rope to take a look at it for the 1st time. Got the Patrol 2 months ago.
The muppets that put the rope on let it detach from the holding bolt on the drum so I had no way of getting it to wrap back around the drum.
Ended up cutting it off as the ropes not in great condition anyway.

But when I get some new rope I'm going to need to get the fairlead off to replace the rope. Also thinking of going to a Warn hawse instead of the rollers.

Only issue is I have NFI how to get the 14mm bolts attaching it out. Angles are too steep.
Can't get a spanner on it with enough grip, and my socket set + universal joint doesn't have clearance because of the rollers. Tried taking the rollers out, but couldn't get the axles out due to clearance issues as well.

Am I doing it wrong, or do I a need an angled spanner to get the bolts out?
I presume its a captive nut behind?

Suggestions appreciated.

IMG_0195.JPG

The rollers are removable mate...

[Hodge]

The rollers are removable mate...

Doesn't look like the rods through the roller will drop down enough, so he can get the roller out of the way...

[King_ady1]

Maybe a 1/4 inch drive set might be small enough to fit in there. If your staying with the fair, u could be able to remove the horizontal rollers to fit it in there??

[Nexus]

Thanks for the info.
I'd need a super stubby socket, my standard size 3/8 drive is way to long.

Tried getting the long rollers out, but there isn't enough room to pull the long axle out. Gets most of the way, but not far enough.
Short rollers I cant even get onto the circlips. There's about 2-3mm top and bottom between the bar and the clips. Even if I got the clips out the short axles aren't going anywhere.

[Hodge]

Do you have any of those slightly bent spanners like this ?

[Nexus]

Not yet I don't

Though I'd check I wasn't missing some trick before I ran off and got more tools.

https://boxotools.com.au/boxo-bxmgf2...ead-wrench-set
Thinking of getting these.

[Bloodyaussie]

Try one of these.....lol

[Nexus]

Was just chatting to one of the blokes at work, he was wondering if the bar is mounted separately to the winch?
Not able to look at the car now, but the mount looks to be in two pieces. Is the inner plate part of the winch mount, and the outer plate part of the bar?

If I'm able to remove the bar with the winch in place I could drop the vertical rollers and get a socket on the fairlead bolts.