My VX...a work in progress.

[JoFotoz]

So..after driving it around for about 6 months...I started to play with it.


Lifted 3 inches , 33x11.50 Nitto Mud Grapplers.
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/VX31.jpg


Brush Guard.."borrowed" from my wifes MercML320!!
Sectioned 6 inches out of middele , re-welded and fabbed up mount to fit exsisting suports.http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/VX52.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/VX52.jpg)

Nice 'aggressive" look from the back...http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/VX21.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/VX21.jpg)

Morgan tech intake...and some paintwork.http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/VX41.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/VX41.jpg)



There are a couple more shots in my gallery.

The Nitto Mud Grapplers are very trick looking...noyt 'too' noisy at speed either, not a thumping like Swampers..more a whine.
The Brush guard "happened" by accident..after taking it off my wifes ML320 to repaint it...

...it 'accidently' got 6 inches chopped out of it and found its way onto my ride!
I LOVE the look...

Grill insert and side bars to follow


jo

[kpaske]

Looks great... I like the brush guard and the new tires and rims.

[Cyrk]

Sweet! Looks great.

[thebear54]

THAT IS SOOOOOOO HOT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Awesome job
John

[Triathlete]

Looks good! I'd do the caps in black though...personal preferance. Nice fabbing on the grill gaurd...looks like it was made for the VX. Now you need to get those tires off road to see if they work as good as they look! Moab in May?

[MZ-N10]

wow that looks really good....i wanted to do nitto mud grappler but was a bit too extreme for me....

[CSTYLES]

Good Job, that grille gaurd looks sick!!!

Can you post some close up picks of the mounts? How much welding was involved?

[WormGod]

When you say the cow-catcher was "borrowed", what modifications (this 6" chop and such you speak of) did you make to mount it ? I am moving up into the hills where there are many more street crossing 4 legged things, and I would love to have some more protection up there to cut them down before they make a moon's surface out my my frontend.

Any info is appreciated (especially since I have a HUGE hookup at EuroMotorcars Mercedes ;) ).

That looks almost as though it was designed for the VX and damn.... I want it, hahaha.

[Maugan_VX]

WG:

Theres not a product out on the market now that is would be up to the task of protecting your front end from errant bovines in the middle of the road. My father's F150 was totalled from hitting a deer doing 35, just imagine what a VX + cow would do.

That lil brush guard there, while looks ok, wont stand up to much more than, well, brush. They are mostly cosmetic additions.

[Mr.Quackers]

the guard has a very nice flow to it. i think it goes well with the styling of the front. very nice! :)

[JoFotoz]

Its a"WAAG" brand after market unit for the 1999 ML320

I sectioned 6 inches out of the center ( the two tubes and the middle 'bar')...

The 6 inches is a little variable , depending on how close you want the guard to sit at the corners of the headlights , and personal taste regarding width etc.
I put the whole thing up on milk crates and moved it all the way to one side to line it up with the corner of one H/light and then shimmed it to the right height.... with the two "uprights" nicely framing the VX grill.
OK..so this gave me the 6 inches...but anywhere from 4.5 to 6 would work depending on your "taste"
(Any more than 6inches and it sits way to far forward , and the headlight guards sit way to close to the body.)

Then ( after VERY carefull measurement!) I simply cut the 6 inches out , and re-welded it ( as fair and straight as possible!)

The original (ML320) bottom mounts were cut off right at the tube , they are way too big and way too wide.
Two plates , about 7 x 4.5inches were then drilled and bolted to the "tow hook" holes on the frame. The plates were notched to clear the sway bar clamps at the outer ends.

I then went back to the trusty milk crates...set the Brush guard up in position
and clamped it firmly in place.
The lower tubes now curled perfectly under the front of the vehicle and sat across the plates.
I tacked the tubes to the plates (battery disconected!)..removed the whole unit , and completed the welding off the vehicle.

At the top of the guard , I removed the tangs from the h/light area that the ML320 uses to attach the top support straps.
These support straps were then welded to the lower , inner part of the h/light protection , right next to the upright bar.
I cut a small section out of the plastic under the lip of the hood on each side , and these straps fit through and are bolted to the front clip supports.


http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/VX_Brush_Guard_detail_edited.JPG (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/VX_Brush_Guard_detail_edited.JPG)


Hope this helps....

Jo

[raver_boi_88]

hey nro where did you get your vrush guard and how mush did you pay for it???

[AlaskaVX]

Love the brush guard!!!!!!!!!!

[AnalogVX]

hey nro where did you get your vrush guard and how mush did you pay for it???
Did you even read this thread???

[Tone]

Is that English? VERY nice bar though - can you take some pics of how it mounts?

[JULIAN911]

I'm extremely impressed :thumbup: if that brush guard was on eBay, I would click the "buy it now" button :yeso:

Tone, can we fab something like that?

[raver_boi_88]

no not really, I just kinda looked at the pic and posted a comment I guess i should read first. lmao

[Kenny]

I had one similar on my Xterra so here's my $0.02 worth.
I rear-ended a crazy person driving a Grand Prix in my Xterra at 15 mph and although the brush guard took little damage, it destroyed my hood, lights and grill when it bent back from the impact. It just pivots on the bottom bolts, with simple upper bracing through the grill. If I didn't have it on I would probably only have needed a new bumper. I'd be afraid to damage more parts than necessary on my VX as I get the feeling parts will become rare and costly.

Also, why hide those cool contours the VX has on its own in the front??

Lastly, I recommend powder coated aluminum as the painted metal looks like crap after a few years with all the rust spots. I was grinding and touch up painting constantly.

[JoFotoz]

I think you are 100% right...

...and my main concern is also the potential for damage due to the guard either bending back ,
or 'wrapping round' if it takes a hit....as you point out.

The present set up has its flaws , and is an ongoing effort to fab something unique and not available in the aftermarket .
(The "nudge bar" just doesnt do it for me...!)

And lets face it........ driving a VX has more than a little to do with individuality!.... ;)


I will be away cruising a yacht back to San Diego from Alaska for several weeks ...

..but priority #1 when I get back is to address the mounting options .
(Then , as you say , powder coat the whole thing)

I offered this up for viewing as a "work in progress"...

..and any ideas / input are VERY welcome.
(The main area of concern being a strong upper support set up)

Perhaps ...if between us all we finalize a bullet proof ( or near as poss!) solution..

..then a batch run for those wanting the same "look" may be viable.


atb

jo

[JoFotoz]

Is what "English"...???

And yes..I'll take some mount pics , but it'll be a couple of weeks before I can.

jo

[moon buggy]

Nice job...if we had 2nd VX I reckon the ultimate 4wd look yuo've got is 'the go'... good stuff !!..we've kinda got the road warrior look with with our current VX ..and then a 2nd one with wild tough off roader look !!...hey yours might be just scary enough anyway to do the road warrior thing as well...NICE job well done :)

[JoFotoz]

Thanks...I appreciate your "good stuff'
(yea I'm a POMMIE..I understand Aussie!)

But I still lust after a HOLDEN UTE.....

The V8...
The "Business like" stance...
The 'Nulabor'...at 120mph!

...and the chance to kit it out "Road Warrior" stye!

BTW...

Best party I EVER had...Aussie Bi-centenial..Sydney harbor.

OHHH..Goose Pimples..It was THAT good!

jo

[Numba1goalie]

Any chance you could disclose the MPG your pulling with those 33's and the lift and such?

Your pics just about just made me change my mind on leaving my VX stock.

[JoFotoz]

I can only give you an approximation.....

I put the wheels and rims on at 12800 miles ( yea..on a 1999!)...

..and I have still only JUST gone over 13000.

I did a 160 mile run on Sunday...mostly freeway.

I think I got about 12 MPG....but have not filled up yet.

I'm still on "British" gas price comparison...even after being here 15 years!

I really dont care....my other ride gets 8 mpg!

Thankfully , I only do about 5000 a year between two vehicles....
...Oh the JOY of working from home!

Hope this helps...

Jo

[Numba1goalie]

Well it helps. But I was wishing and praying you were pulling like 17-18MPG. but oh well. I am still liking it and I think I might do the same thing as far as lift and tires.

Any sign of wear on your CV boots or CV?

[JoFotoz]

Within the first 30 miles after the lift...drivers side CV boot ruptured!

My "DD" & the input I got said that this happens cause the boots get "used' to a given angle..

I've replaced it , and so far , so good...but a front drop (1.5 inches) is not out of the question.

I'm on a steep learning curve here!

jo

[morgan-tec]

Lookin good man, and i gotts love the intake, looks awsome in there. GReat creativity on the brush gaurd that is my bag of tricks so i really can appreciate it and what it took to make it. Keep up the good work.

[Numba1goalie]

That sucks about your boot. I guess if I ever did any kind of lift I would just replace all of those while im at it.

[AlaskaVX]

That sucks about your boot. I guess if I ever did any kind of lift I would just replace all of those while im at it.

I recomend the 1.5" front diff drop brackets from Darlington offroad, however I have still worn out boots. And you might as well let the boots tear before you fix them as it is some work to do it. I need to invest in some spare boots so I can replace them before I need to replace the axle.

[JoFotoz]

Yea ..the Darlington brackets seem like the way to go...
...easier than fabbing some up for sure!
I'll be looking closely at fitting them when I get back from Alaska.

Looks like I'm flying to Ketchican on Saturday and we leave Sunday or Monday...so meeting up doesnt look like its on the cards...shame.
I would of loved a ride in a SuperCharged VX!!!



Here's a pic of my ride home from Alaska....

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/thumbs/Web_PatientFalconRedGenakerStTropezFullScreen_edit ed.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/Web_PatientFalconRedGenakerStTropezFullScreen_edit ed.jpg)


I'll talk to you about the C/F hood insert when I get back...

..and thanks for all your input.

atb

jo

[AlaskaVX]

Well that's cool make sure ya bring some warm clothes as it is getting pretty chilly lately and we should be getting snow in a couple weeks.

The snow on the mountains is almost halfway down the mountain

[Numba1goalie]

I checked out those diff drop brackets. Is there anything else I need with the kit when buying that other then the lift kit?

[Triathlete]

SNOW????? Its still in the upper 90s/low 100s here! ;eeky; :flame:

[AlaskaVX]

I checked out those diff drop brackets. Is there anything else I need with the kit when buying that other then the lift kit?
Springs, rear shocks, spring spacers for more lift if ya want, and thats it.
I would definately have a shop install the drop brackets as there is some technical work to be done to install and that will cost some $$$

And as I am finding out order some spare boots to replace them ASAP if they tear.

And YES SNOW!!!!!!! Getting my last wheeling trips in over the next 2 weeks.

[JoFotoz]

I checked out those diff drop brackets. Is there anything else I need with the kit when buying that other then the lift kit?


If you get the Calmini kit...its all there apart from the drop brackets.

jo

[Maugan_VX]

Jofotoz: Nice ride :)

Both the VX and the boat.

[WormGod]

Talked to my buddy from EuroMotorcars and he said he would email some info when he got to work. Here's his response on the brush guard.

Hey, Gary we checked it out and our price is $489.60 for “chrome” and $467.00 for black plus tax. The chrome one is on backorder right now.

Todd McClelland
Client Care
EuroMotorcars Germantown
19750 Germantown Rd
Germantown, MD 20874
301-601-5587
240-686-1678 Fax
svcappts_germantown@mbretailer.com
http://www.euromotorcars.com/Germantown/GermantownEuro_index.html

Sounds like it took quite a bit of brute force work there Jo. Throw modification work into that and you are looking at quite a bit of loot. I can weld, but I dont have the tools/materials to do it anymore. Looks like a possible pipedream. :(

[JoFotoz]

No real "brute force " required...!!

Once the cuts were decided on , its a pretty simple cut and weld project with just a little fabbing to do for the mounting plates.

The trick is to make up the mounting plates and bolt them to the chassis FIRST...

...then tack weld the guard to the brackets.
This makes alignment real easy.

Then its really a matter of finish welding all the bits ,tidying up the welds and getting it Powder Coated ( I'll be doing this soon...been too busy as yet!)

Its true though ...the "stock" ML320 Brush guard isnt cheap..I was lucky to swipe my wifes!
She was happy to lose the extra pounds , given So.Cal gas prices !

Its probably about a $650 - $850 modification for a finished guard ,depending on how much work you do yourself.

Guard Plus Powder coating is about $650...and I bet any welding shop would do the sectioning and mount plates for $200 ish.

Not bad IMO ,considering the cost of the only other alternative thats out there .

I'd do it again even if I had to buy a new guard...I love the unique look.

Kind of like "Mad Max" meets Tonka Toy!

atb

jo

[mbeach]

And YES SNOW!!!!!!! Getting my last wheeling trips in over the next 2 weeks.

Ha!
It's already dipping into the 'teens here. We have 3" inches or more on the ground and it's still coming.


Jay,
Your creativity is astounding -thanks for sharing your ideas with us!

[Swordy]

I checked out those diff drop brackets. Is there anything else I need with the kit when buying that other then the lift kit?

YES, you HAVE to lower your crossmember 1.5 inches as well. Joe makes a piece to do that as well though. They work great, but you lose a little clearance underneath. (1.5 inches)