winch cover removal (European cars with plastic bumpers)

[DaveB]

Yes! Saw those rusted screws today -gobsmacked those were allowed to leave the factory!

Maybe they weren't rusty when they left the factory

 

[Barney]

I wasn't even on a salted road

 

[NoAge Hunter]

@Lollo050966 and I implemented the plan together last weekend. To try it and have fun crafting together. Admittedly it looks a bit complicated in the photos, but it's not. The middle part of the bumper is very easy to remove, but the cables prevent you from placing it on the floor, so you need a base with a box and, for example, Styrofoam. The metal plate behind the plastic middle part must be removed. Then you can drill, cut and process the plastic with the Dremel. We planned to use 6 square nuts on top, but both of us only had 5s instead of 4s. So we used countersunk screws. It looks a bit adventurous below because the magnets have to be located far inside and the plastic of the license plate holder is not flat in this section. Therefore we had to cut a little further than originally planned. But it works with the snap-in top hinges, doesn't rattle and is an inexpensive alternative to LeTech. Le Tech was the fallback solution.
I put black dummy screws in the empty screw holes.
We applied screw glue to all screws.
Now it's just one move and we can use the winch.
Thank you Lolo050966 for your hospitality. :kichern:

Looks like you had a lot of fun! Good idea!
Regarding the screws in poor condition: I found already some Screws in this condition at various areas. A bit poor performance after 8 month and only one mild winter from my point of view.

 

[Jean Mercier]

I did today start the copy-paste of @Barney & @Lollo050968 flipable European winch cover. I hope they will not bring me to court for copyright infringement.
And I have a question ... see below.

I bought exactly the same 2 hinges, and 3 magnets, not in Germany, because the site did send me to a Belgian provider at some 20km from my place.
The hinges are nice, because they have a clicking position system that keeps them open in a certain angle, therefore the cover doesn't fall down (see my second picture: I wasn't holding the cover).

I didn't finish, only placed the hinges. It is not difficult, but it takes quite some time, because you have to, not only drill holes, but also grind the inside protruding reinforcement plastic of the bumper a little bit to be able to put the screws and bolts.

The only difference until now is that I did place the hinges somewhat more towards the center. And I did place my screws back. The idea is to remove preventively my screws when I am in possibly difficult terrain. And put them back when I think I will not need my winch so that curious people can't open the winch cover.

Now, my question to @Barney or @Lollo050968 :
Did you cut the 3 protruding plastics of the winch cover shown on the picture below:

 

[Lollo050968]

I did today start the copy-paste of @Barney & @Lollo050968 flipable European winch cover. I hope they will not bring me to court for copyright infringement.
And I have a question ... see below.

I bought exactly the same 2 hinges, and 3 magnets, not in Germany, because the site did send me to a Belgian provider at some 20km from my place.
The hinges are nice, because they have a clicking position system that keeps them open in a certain angle, therefore the cover doesn't fall down (see my second picture: I wasn't holding the cover).

I didn't finish, only placed the hinges. It is not difficult, but it takes quite some time, because you have to, not only drill holes, but also grind the inside protruding reinforcement plastic of the bumper a little bit to be able to put the screws and bolts.

The only difference until now is that I did place the hinges somewhat more towards the center. And I did place my screws back. The idea is to remove preventively my screws when I am in possibly difficult terrain. And put them back when I think I will not need my winch so that curious people can't open the winch cover.
View attachment 7846406


Now, my question to @Barney or @Lollo050968 :
Did you cut the 3 protruding plastics of the winch cover shown on the picture below:
View attachment 7846407

Hi @Jean Mercier , at first : you are welcome to copy (and everyone else too).

Yes, we cut it, otherwise no chance to flip up.

@Barney I think you have some more detailed pictures, which are not published until today

 

[DaveB]

I did today start the copy-paste of @Barney & @Lollo050968 flipable European winch cover. I hope they will not bring me to court for copyright infringement.
And I have a question ... see below.

I bought exactly the same 2 hinges, and 3 magnets, not in Germany, because the site did send me to a Belgian provider at some 20km from my place.
The hinges are nice, because they have a clicking position system that keeps them open in a certain angle, therefore the cover doesn't fall down (see my second picture: I wasn't holding the cover).

I didn't finish, only placed the hinges. It is not difficult, but it takes quite some time, because you have to, not only drill holes, but also grind the inside protruding reinforcement plastic of the bumper a little bit to be able to put the screws and bolts.

The only difference until now is that I did place the hinges somewhat more towards the center. And I did place my screws back. The idea is to remove preventively my screws when I am in possibly difficult terrain. And put them back when I think I will not need my winch so that curious people can't open the winch cover.
View attachment 7846406


Now, my question to @Barney or @Lollo050968 :
Did you cut the 3 protruding plastics of the winch cover shown on the picture below:
View attachment 7846407

It is a shame you have to go to all this trouble to achieve the same result as i have with a tick of a box on the configurator.

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/m-HwP35Nfkw?si=GpJ0AFCe2CpkvNpv

 

[Lollo050968]

It is a shame you have to go to all this trouble to achieve the same result as i have with a tick of a box on the configurator.

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/m-HwP35Nfkw?si=GpJ0AFCe2CpkvNpv

EU Rules for Pedestrian safety keep us imaginative

 

[Jean Mercier]

Hi @Jean Mercier , at first : you are welcome to copy (and everyone else too).

Yes, we cut it, otherwise no chance to flip up.

@Barney I think you have some more detailed pictures, which are not published until today

I knew I could copy it, of course, I know both of you (from the forum), only joking, but you knew that.

I still can flip it up, but I need some trim tools to do it.
Not the ideal situation when I am stuck in the mud

 

[Barney]

You have to cut off the tabs. You even have to cut a piece of hole in the cover for the magnets. This is the first ugly attempt. It can be seen in a photo. But since it's at the bottom you can't see it.

 

[Barney]

If you need more fotos Jean I can send you pictures per pm.

 

[WhiteBear]

If you need more fotos Jean I can send you pictures per pm.

Please post them here, I want to do the mod too and think it will need more info.

 

[Jean Mercier]

If you need more fotos Jean I can send you pictures per pm.

For me it's OK, thanks a lot, I know how to do. But if you have pictures, indeed post them here as @WhiteBear asked.

Even "ugly" cuts are worth to see, as long as they are useful

 

[Barney]

Please post them here, I want to do the mod too and think it will need more info.

Ok. Here we go. Sorry the video is to big

 

[Barney]

 

[DrahthHunter]

Quarter turn with the screwdriver of the car (or any other), easy. but putting it back a little bit more tricky, look at my hands and the way I hold the screws:
View attachment 7804078View attachment 7804079View attachment 7804080

dzus fasteners is what you need to add

 

[Jean Mercier]

After driving almost the whole month of June in Hungary, Romania and Moldova, some feedback on my "partial copy" of the @Barney and @Lollo050968 flip able winch cover (remember: only the European have plastic bumpers!). I used my winch 2.5 times. In fact 3 times, but the third time was going back in the same mud pool I got stuck while going in. And I drove weeks with the cover "as I modified it".

So, what are the differences with the solution of Lollo and Barney?

I didn't cut the three protruding plastic fixation points, as shown in this picture above (post n° 64 of this thread), but only the left and the right one, I kept the middle one.
And I didn't mount the magnets.
Don't worry about the elastic, it isn't very necessary, because the hinges have a clicking mechanism and the cover stays up, even without the elastic.

When flipping the cover back, it gets somehow stuck, at both sides because of this:

But it doesn't matter, the plastic is flexible, and you can pull it over the obstacle!

And, the remaining plastic protruding fixation can be pushed in the original hole quite easily, also because of the flexibility of the plastic (picture taken under the bumper):

Is my "partial" copy better than the original? I don't know, but less work, and it satisfied me.

[EDITED]: in fact the big difference is that I didn't mount the magnets! (although I bought them)