Westin brush guard, 98 Sport. Help with mounting

[Spartan]

Hey everyone, i recently bought a 98 sport and shortly afterwards found a Westin Sportsman brush guard, model 40-0105 for it.

I have all the brackets, and NEW hardware for it as well. I even found the instructions to mount the damn thing on line:

http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/instructions/fey-75-0207.pdf

The problem is this. I've installed the lower brackets (through step 5 in the instructions) and i'm having problems getting the brush guard mounted to the lower brackets.

It just seems like there is not enough room to rotate the guard's "wings" around the bumper to line up with the brackets. Anybody have issues with this? i know its a long shot, since this guard isn't made any more, nor is it apparently a common one. The upper smaller brackets that go over the bumper look like a cinch to put on, but getting the guard on the front of the truck is the problem at the moment. Any tips?


For reference, this is the same brush guard pictured in THIS THREAD. The bracket he shows is the upper bracket. the lowers attach to the frame and provide a flat surface for the "wings" on the bottom of the brush guard to attach to. The "wings" i speak of are the third picture in that thread.

 

[Spartan]

Not a single response?

 

[projekt-apex]

Am I reading this correctly, you're saying that the distance between the lower brackets and the front of the bumper seem to be too thick for the wings to fit over as if the wings need to be spread or the bumper compressed in order to fit?

 

[projekt-apex]

Ok, after reading over your post again I'm thinking you should try raising the guard into place and supporting it first and then mount it. I know this is easier said than done but I have run into this problem before wherein you mount the guard to the lower brackets and when you try to swing the guard up to mount the top it contacts the bumper before rotating all the way into place. I have had success in the past using a Jack in the center of the guard and raising it into place before bolting it thus avoiding the need to rotate it. I have not however installed one on an explorer yet so there could be something I'm not taking into account but it may be worth looking into. Hope this helps, anyone else wanna chime in here??

 

[Spartan]

Cool, i think you have the right idea. Basically, the bottom brackets bolt to the frame and to one of the bumper bolts.

it looks like you then have to rotate the entire brush guard up to clear the plastic lower bumper to make contact with the lower brackets already on the frame to attatch it. After you get the bottom attached, it should be cake to get the top brackets installed honestly.

So my trouble was getting the thing initially mounted to the lower brackets, which are already on the truck.

 

[DjDom]

Where'd you buy it. I'm jealous.

 

[Spartan]

LOL I got it off of craigslist for a grand total of 75 dollars. Its a BIT rusty by the top cross bar, but nothing a good line-x treatment wont fix permanently