Anyone cut/customize factory bumper??

[AJMBLAZER]

Can't see any pics at work here so someone may have posted it but there's a guy on SteelSoldiers with a modified M1008 CUCV K30. Aside from the 6" of lift and 38's he narrowed the bumpers so they didn't extend past the body. Looked custom but no.

 

[KansasTwister]

yeah i was thinking what ryoken said, reinforce it with some tube or steel behind it and it should hold up just fine.

 

[blowder]

This looks cool, but really, the bumper Isn't very strong to begin with, and you have removed a good part of its structure. Hasn't this significantly weakened the bumper?

yup!

it was intended as temporary until i got my bender and tube, etc. still haven't got it yet..

 

[blazinzuk]

As far as strength goes my bumper actually was just as sturdy as before. I did not do anything other than cut it but left all the supports and it took some pretty solid hits on rocks without moving alot.

Although I know this if I would have left the whole thing on it would have taken some very serious hits and probably would have had to been taken off sooner than I wanted to

 

[Matt J.]

Yup.

This how I cut my front bumper. It's growing on me. I kinda like it. I recently picked up a spare bumper so I can always go back to the stock look. I'm getting ready to de-fang the fenders next.

 

[easttxryda]

where did you guys cut from? i ca tell you just cut the ends off, then from what that last rivet on the bottom to the top?

 

[COCHEV]

Here's mine. similar to above...

 

[mikey_d05]

where did you guys cut from? i ca tell you just cut the ends off, then from what that last rivet on the bottom to the top?

Yep. Drew a line about 1" outboard of the bolts and went after it with a sawzall.

The rear was originally wider than that but got cut down when I dovetailed it.

EDIT: Also, I know there are different styles of bumper braces out there. I don't remember the exact year of that K5, but it was the 88-91 range. If you use the same method on a different year, you'll obviously get a different taper based on where the bolts for the bumper braces are.

 

[mikey_d05]

wow I really like that, hadnt thought of cutting it that much, I may have to get a spare bumper from a scrap yard..I wasnt planning on actually pulling from the d shackles, they were just a thought.. What front bumpers will mount up to my 91 blazer??

I replaced the bumper mounts with the mounts off of a CUCV in order to have a good point to pull from on the frame. I just knocked the holes in the factory bumper with a cutoff wheel.

I don't know the exact year splits in the bumpers. Check out LMC's online catalog and see what year splits they have for 'em, that should tell you what will and won't fit. If you manage to find one off of a CUCV, go for it, as they weren't chromed. They might be CARC coated though, so be careful when you go cutting on it.

EDIT: Sorry, I'm feeling long-winded this morning. Even if you don't go as radical as some of here have in the past, just getting rid of the rear corner on the bumper makes a huge difference in terms of tire clearance. This is what Kert and I came up with on my current ride. Clears 37x12.50's at factory height.