building a rear bumper *updated finished pics 6/25 on p.2*

[josh86k10]

It has been a year and a half since I finished my front bumper, and I just now got started building the rear. Everything is just tacked into place right now, but I'll get it welded together after Memorial Day, and finish it up when I get my brackets in the mail (I dont really have a way to cut thick plate cleanly any more). It's based off a piece of 3"x8" .188" wall square tubing. Just figured I'd post some progress pics.

 

[73k5blazer]

Nice I like the license plate inlay area. Great work!

 

[BulldogK5]

Nice work.

 

[mini_mull]

Looks good!!

 

[4X4HIGH]

Looks good. I started building something very similiar a few years ago with the exception that my receiver will be through the bumber with a license plate hiding it. I'm using a camaro hinged license plate bracket. Someday i'll get back on that project and take some pics. Who did you get your brackets through, DIY4X?

 

[josh86k10]

Yeah, I figured since my bumper was going to be similar to DIY4x's, I'd see if he'd sell me some brackets. I haven't seen the goods in person yet, but based on how helpful he's been on the phone, I'm more than impressed.

I had orininally planned to put the reciever hitch through the bumper too, but since the campus fuzz has already talked to me about being 1.375" above legal bumper height, I figured mounting it below couldn't hurt (it may not help, but it couldn't hurt). Also, I can probably adjust the height one way or the other by where I mount the brackets in relation to the bumper. I'm even putting in license plate lamps for good measure. Plus, I think the recess looks cool.

Thanks for the complements guys, after several days of working on this thing (16 cut-off wheels in all... thank God I didn't go with .250 wall ), they are certainly appreciated.

 

[4X4HIGH]

Forgot to mention, my rear bumber IS .250" wall tube.

When your brackets arrive can you take some pics for me. I'm also thing about ordering the brackets from Kert. I talked to him a year ago about them.

 

[cbbr]

Looks great. The recessed plate area with holes for the lights is a nice touch.

 

[jkrpan]

What are the dimensions on that steel? Looks great.

 

[josh86k10]

What are the dimensions on that steel?

8" tall by 3" deep, 3/16" wall thickness. The overall width is 72.5" (approx. from inside edge of factory back-up light to inside edge of opposite back-up light). The taper starts on either side of a 38" span in the center that is the full 8" tall (I believe the frame rails are 34") and tapers to 3" on the sides.

 

[midnight]

that's an awesome bumper

 

[boggerless]

baddddasss!!

 

[BKinzey]

Thanks for the dimentions

That's a nice bumper! Be sure to keep us updated. I'd like to see how you attach it to the frame

Why? To quote an old advertising agency saying:

"Plagiarize, plagiarize, let nothing evade your eyes!"

 

[josh86k10]

Thanks for the complements. I was supposed to get right back to the shop within a week or so to finish it, but life always seems to find a way to get in the way. However, I just informed my boss today that I'll be taking a long weekend next week, so it shouldn't be long now. I'll definitely post pics when she's done. The brackets are laying in my bedroom floor waiting for me to make the drive. The long weekend should even give me enough time to bend up some side protection out of some 1.5" tubing I've got laying on the rack. More pics after next weekend....

 

[ntsqd]

I too like how it looks. At one point I had something similar designed, but that life thing got in the way & now my needs have changed.

One note though, that gusset on the backside of the socket receiver won't do as much good as if there were two of them, one at each side. Another way to make that would be a double mitered chuck of 2" square tube.
The single in the middle, at the extreme, will be flexing the top portion of the socket wall which will work those welds pretty hard. May or may not matter to your use, but I thot I'd mention it in case it does.

 

[4X4HIGH]

Are you going to build a swing out tire carrier on it as well? I got my brackets from Kert last week so i think i'll be back on schedule with my bumper here real soon.

 

[josh86k10]

Well, I got the main part of the bumper finished. I didn't end up having time to make the side protection, however. I guess I'll do that another weekend this summer. I ended up putting a CD player and XM reciever in my dad's work truck instead. I figure it's the least I could do, seeing as how I've been using his shop, and his plasma cutter/ welder/ etc for my junk.

Are you going to build a swing out tire carrier on it as well?

I have considered it, but probably not. There's 6' of truck bed back there for my spare, so I really can't justify having it sticking up into my rearward vision. I do think it would look cool though.

Anyway, as promised, here are some new pics:

 

[THISISWEIRD]

Good looking bumper...and truck.

 

[midnight]

Ah man, that came out great. Awesome job

 

[dsmd58]

*drool*