The Gator is ready

[Harry Ferguson]

Here is my '14 825i after I finally got it equipped the way I want (for now). The Diamondback aluminum roof is coated with LineX bed liner on the outside only. The Superwinch Terra45 is mounted on a Cambridge Metals bracket, the "handlebar switch" is visible on top the dash, remote socket in glove box. Everybody had different ideas about mirrors so I tried one by ATV TEK. It worked so well I got another for the other side (free shipping). This thing has already become indispensible, I can't remember how I did things before. My cousin got the DeLux cab and all the options on his, so I am making an Alligator hide cover for my owner's manual (no pics yet). He can't order that!

[Bunky]

Looks great! The roof is definitely distinctive looking.

[Harry Ferguson]

The Gator at work. Finally the cold weather is here and I am in the woods getting to use my new toys, as it were. Already rewired the winch for practical reasons. Had the control power for the "handlebar switch" run from ignition power (yellow wire) but did not like turning the key on to run the winch. So now a rocker switch in the extreme upper LH corner of dash arms both the handlebar switch and the remote socket, and a red light indicates "winch armed". The Terra45 has pulled some big waterlogged tree trunks out of the woods without even sounding like it was working hard

[Bunky]

You just run the winch off battery power without it running?

[Harry Ferguson]

yes. I have always been taught that a sudden high load like a jump start (or a winch pull) can damage the diodes in an alternator if it is charging while the load is applied. One of those "rules" that can usually be ignored.

[campoman]

I would say that the main rule is when jumping from your gator hook neg cable to an engine ground instead of the battery ground , less chance of a spark which could damage the computer or Alternator, don't know what JD would charge for a computer and probably don't want to know. seems like anything from John Deere is way over priced and even though I was in the auto repair business for years they wont give me any kind of a break on price , like Ford Toyota or GM. they all gave me 20 t0 30 % off o well I guess we are stuck with there prices.