Calling all '97-98 owners . .

[Captain Morgan]

I tried to put a Westin 35-1180 brush guard on my X but it didn't fit by any stretch.

I've been burned so many times by Mfrs and resellers for these that I essentially want to give up the effort.

I thought I would make an ask here for anyone that has a '97 or '98 with a basic bumper and see if they have a BG that actually fits.

Thx for any info!

 

[Thermo]

Captain, where is it not fitting? On the 97-98's, you have to decide whether you want tow hooks or a brush guard. You can not have both. that might be part of the issue. Also, I see that you have a hitch on the front of the truck. That may be leading to part of the issue too.

What part of WA are you in. I am going to be out in the Seattle area here in a few weeks. If things are slow, I could possibly come over and look at things. may be able to give you a few ideas on how to make it work. Unfortunately, I will not have my tools with me. Gotta love having metal working tools.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Hi Thermo, I appreciate the exacting reply and offer. I wouldn't waste your time over a BG but if you're in the area, maybe we can meet up for a brew and I can get a look at your rig, maybe get some improvement ideas. I'm in Bellevue.

The Curt plate is 1\4" and it didn't matter if the thin Westin brackets were against the frame rail or under the Curt, the top bolts still wouldn't reach and the BG was directly impacting the face of the bumper.

Westin has a top bracket that is shown to fit behind the bumper mounting plate, but the only way it would be far enough forward would be for it to be IN FRONT of the bumper mounting plate.

I have a BG on the Pathy that fits with a Curt no problems.

Anyhoo, I'm not sold on it and this model has an open area where the bar surrounds the lights, so no real protection there. I may just not have one on this rig and go for a light bar.

Having been through hell with Aries and Steelcraft, I'm about done with them all.

 

[robbieg]

I had a Westin both before and after my body lift with no problems. I also kept the tow hooks and had a front hitch. Before the body lift everything bolted up like it should, no issues. After the body lift I had the front hitch modified to sit under the bumper instead of through the opening. The brush guard I simply reversed the brackets so that they went up intend of born and it was a perfect match with the lift, I got lucky. Here are some pics they are the best I have of the mount area.

 

[Thermo]

captain, if you are looking at possibly getting rid of the brush guard, let me know. I might be interested in it. Who knows.

 

[Captain Morgan]

@ Robbieg - That's exactly what I thought I was getting in to, but not what I actually have. Those brackets are the ones I have used in the past, with a wing configuration on the frame rail and juts out vertically toward the front. The BG then mounts to the bottom bracket with 3 bolts. The top has 2 bars that fit under the hood on 2 small bolts. This is what I am after, a KNOWN GOOD. Make and model please


@ Thermo, sureI'm looking to get rid of and forget it ever happened. I recoup some of what I paid and you get some for roughly 1\2 retail how does that sound.

Hows that for winning . . . take THAT Martin Sheen!

 

[Big Red Monster]

hey thermo just to let you know you dont lose the tow hooks with all brush gaurd set ups, my dads 97 still has the tow hooks and he has a manik brush guard, only some compaines make the weird brackets that dont let you keep tow hooks

 

[Thermo]

Big Red, if I do put on a brush guard, I am going to upgrade the tow hooks that I have to something a bit beefier. I knew there were some out there, but I thought it only applied to the 99+ trucks.

 

[Captain Morgan]

This is the BG on my Pathy

This is for you Thermo

 

[robbieg]

@ Robbieg - That's exactly what I thought I was getting in to, but not what I actually have. Those brackets are the ones I have used in the past, with a wing configuration on the frame rail and juts out vertically toward the front. The BG then mounts to the bottom bracket with 3 bolts. The top has 2 bars that fit under the hood on 2 small bolts. This is what I am after, a KNOWN GOOD. Make and model please

Mine was a Westin sportsman series model 400245. I bought it in 10/2000 so they very well may have changed it over the last 12 years IDK. I did google the part number and it still comes up but thats no guaranty there wasn't a design change over the years.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Thx Robbieg

I suspect that either there is just a design difference in the 35-1180 I bought and the typical Sportsman. The Sportsman has the bars that protect the lights.

This is more $ than I want to put in to a BG.