Main Menu Vehicle Trails Mechanicals TJ/LJ Mods JK Mods Gallery
X-Line FairLead

X-Line Fair Lead

Part #:

Since I had decided to replace my years old steel cable with a synthetic line from Geurock courtesy of Macs4x4products I needed to change out my very old roller fairlead. The steel roller fairlead is not synthetic friendly so I didn’t want to tear up my new rope. I’ve always liked the X-Line fairlead from Off Road Only. It is larger than the other fairlead's that I have seen so pushes the exit point of the rope further out from the winch plate. For me this is a good thing since it helps to clear the TBT stinger bumper that I have installed already. This is a little pricey for a fairlead, but it’s been described as a work of art and I know a few people that left it sit on their desks for a little while to admire every day.

Additional Parts:
Anti-Seize
Tools Needed:
4mm Allen Wrench
5/8" Combo Wrench
11/16" Combo Wrench

 

Installation: (Skip steps as appropriate)
1. Pull out steel cable from winch. Caution wear a pair of gloves when doing this, the cable may have broken strands and kinks in it that can cause you pain.
Old steel cable
2. Use an 4mm Allen wrench to remove the cable retaining bolt form the winch drum. Yours may be different. Set the cable aside.
bolt holding cable to drum
3. Remove the Roller Fairlead from the winch mounting plate. Mine had a different size bolt head and nut. Normally the bolt is inserted from the backside of the winch plate through the plate and into the fairlead. If this is not your set up you will need to pull the winch if you can’t get a bolt through from the backside. Note: The ORO fairlead is bolted in from behind.
remove roller fairlead
4. You will need to slide a Combo Wrench down between the winch and the winch plate to hold the bolt head, and then use another Combo Wrench to remove the nut from the outside.
tight fit for the wrench
5. Remove the fairlead and clean the area behind it.
clean mount area
6. Check the threads on the bolts to see if they match the threads on the new ORO fairlead. The Fairlead is a coarse thread, so if you have fine threaded bolts, you may need to replace the bolts. Note: The ORO fairlead does not come with bolts. back side of new fairlead
7. Coat the bolts with anti-seize to allow ease of installation and to help with any possible corrosion.
8. Now slowly thread one of the bolts into the back of the fairlead. I was able to get to the driver side fairlead with a couple of fingers and got it to start into the hole. This requires lots of patients. I noticed after I got it started that the fairlead had the engraved X-line pointed down.

new fairlead
9. Now start the other side. I needed to do this one with a wrench since I could get a finger to it. 1/4 turn at a time. Like I said patients. Tight area for bolt tight area for bolt
10. Once you get both of the started you can tighten down the bolts, keeping the fairlead equal all the way.

 

  N-m Ft. Lbs. In. Lbs.
       
       

This page last updated: 16-Apr-2008

Content and Design © 2002-present WanderingTrail,  Ronald Seegert
Common Sense and Safety should always be observed when working on your vehicle or doing modifications. Jackstands, wheel blocks, disconnecting the battery are a few of the basic safety precautions that should be used and may not be mentioned in the write ups on this site. You are responsible for your own installation, these write ups are a helpful guideline and should not be taken as an official installation instruction. My write up may be different from the kits currently out there, so alwasy double check the manufacturers installation instructions when installing anything. I try to keep the site up to date with changes that have occured as I discover them, but may not have the latest unless someone lets me know. If you feel that an install is above your capabilities after reading my write ups, I recommend getting together with a club and getting some help. Only a few times have I needed to employe some actual help from a shop to get something done. Usually welding or A/C work. While I have spent many years working on mechanical systems, I am not an expert, nor do I pretend to be one. I hope these write ups have been useful to you.
All trademarked names & logos are property of their respective owners
This site is in no way associated with Stellantis.
Jeep is a registered trademark of Stellantis.