Bumper Build Thread

[joshthemule]

Thanks for all of you that have been watching my 91 Burban Build. I'm about to start building the rear bumper and I'm a totally new fabricator. I have a welder, chop saw, drill press, and various hand tools. I have access to a vertical band saw, plasma cutter, lathe, mill, and an iron worker. Here is my starting pictures. You can kinda see the idea from my scetches. It will probably take me a while to get it done. In the end, it will have a pintle hitch, 2"receiver tube, two recovery points, and a swing out tire carrier. Here are the pics so far.

 

[Mikey von]

sweet.

once i am am finished with my house, I want to learn fab skills, starting with my own bumpers.

I think yours will look good. What are your plans for the swing out?

 

[joshthemule]

I'm getting some bushings and lock collars from McMasterCarr and the rest will be tube steel. basically, I'm going to bore a 1 1/14" hole on the left end and weld in a 1 1/4 " round bar to act as a spindle. Then the bushings will be inserted into a piece of tube to act as the hub. I'm going to use a compression latch on the other end to secure it closed and have a spring pin to hold it in the open position. There is a place called Ironpig offroad that has all the same stuff but I can get it cheaper on McMasterCarr and I can pick my own sizes.

 

[Dalejrfan]

I'll keep checking back. Looking to do the same to my Blazer.

 

[4X4HIGH]

Kert at DIY4X sells a really good hinge at a reasonable price. Nice and sturdy and not bulky. You might want to PM him, i don't think he has it listed on his website.

 

[joshthemule]

A little progress this morning before I go to work. I drilled the four holes in one of the mounting brackets




I made sure everything was square and true then tack welded the other plate to the one with holes.



Now I have all the holes drilled and they match perfectly with each other.


Next I'll do some measuring to cut the brackets into their final shape. If you look in the first post you'll notice the oblong hole in the frame rails. This is what I'm using for reference to measure from. I'll drill those holes in the brackets and then mount them. Then I'll use the existing frame holes to find mark the rest. Sounds good in theory. We'll see what happens.

 

[dbabicky]

A trailer spindle/hub works really well for the swing-out portion. It supports the weight very well and has replacable wheel bearings in the event they wear out. I suppose you could even use a spindle off of an old car or truck too if you have one laying around. Cut to length you need and weld it vertically in place.

 

[joshthemule]

A trailer spindle/hub works really well for the swing-out portion. It supports the weight very well and has replacable wheel bearings in the event they wear out. I suppose you could even use a spindle off of an old car or truck too if you have one laying around. Cut to length you need and weld it vertically in place.

I thought of that but I'm going to have to sink the spindle deep into the tube to have any strength. Wheel spindles don't really have much behind them. Plus I have to find a matching hub and I don't have either. Plus, that's ghetto.

 

[MNorby]

use a d44 spindle, hub and a chopped off stub shaft. cut wheel mount surface off the hub and weld the stub shaft into the spindle. Then you can use the locking hub to keep the carrier open when doing stuff in tailgate. Search pirate and see all the broken trailer type spindles that have been used for that.

 

[rufusbooth]

I would not call this ghetto.

http://rockstomper.com/catalog/pieces/hinge.htm

I call that beef with lots of meat to sink into the bumper.

:-)

 

[DustinK5]

I picked up an H2 tire carier for $120 on craigslist and mounted it to my bumper. I had to add some lenght to the left end since the spindle and pin lock thingy have to clear the tail gate. This gave me the perfect place to add jerrycans. It holds a 37 just fine.
The main bumper I got off a Ford van at the junk yard for $20. Its 3" tube and had diamond plate on top (I still wanted a step bumper) I did cut a few inches of the frame to tuck the bumber in as far as possibe to minmize departure angle. I added the side armor, reciever and D-rings. The thing people notice the most is the exhaust exit cutout. It really protects the tailpipe quite well. While at the muffler shop I had the guy bend the tube that is on each side. They're not perfect bends but fine and his time bending was free.
Not bad for a couple hundred bucks.

Dustin

 

[dbabicky]

I thought of that but I'm going to have to sink the spindle deep into the tube to have any strength. Wheel spindles don't really have much behind them. Plus I have to find a matching hub and I don't have either. Plus, that's ghetto.

Sorry, I will refrain from giving suggetions to you from here on out, since they are "GHETTO". Never thought it was myself, but I see from your vast experience in fabrication, my mere 42 yr old idea's are not up to par.

 

[joshthemule]

Sorry, I will refrain from giving suggetions to you from here on out, since they are "GHETTO". Never thought it was myself, but I see from your vast experience in fabrication, my mere 42 yr old idea's are not up to par.

Hey dude, first, I was joking. Second, If you want to get butt hurt, go over to Pirate. I'm just building a bumper and if people want to watch how I do it and chime in, that's great. If you are 42 and have it all figure out, then what do you care what I think about your idea. I really don't mean to be rude but seriously, I bought a membership here and not at priate4x4 just to stay away from the bickering.

One of my goals in doing this build is to build as much as I can. While I can appreciate the fact that using existing parts is convenient and can be cheap if you have them, I want to design it my self and make it work the way I want it too. I don't want to design my build around a trailer spindle. Although, the locking hub thing is a kick ass idea.

Also, have you really been fabricating for 42 years? Or are you 42 years old? If the answer is both...you win

 

[dbabicky]

Hey dude, first, I was joking. Second, If you want to get butt hurt, go over to Pirate. I'm just building a bumper and if people want to watch how I do it and chime in, that's great. If you are 42 and have it all figure out, then what do you care what I think about your idea. I really don't mean to be rude but seriously, I bought a membership here and not at priate4x4 just to stay away from the bickering.

One of my goals in doing this build is to build as much as I can. While I can appreciate the fact that using existing parts is convenient and can be cheap if you have them, I want to design it my self and make it work the way I want it too. I don't want to design my build around a trailer spindle. Although, the locking hub thing is a kick ass idea.

Also, have you really been fabricating for 42 years? Or are you 42 years old? If the answer is both...you win

Relax man, I was giving you $hit too. Too answer your question, I am 42, I did quite a bit of fabrication though since about 1985 on trucks then from 1987 till I retired in 2004 off and on on classified test aircraft, and on my own vehicles. I was just busting your chops, hence the smily face with the rolled eye's. sorry you took it wrong.

 

[joshthemule]

That's cool. I was a little high strung. What what aircraft? I'm a Blackhawk Pilot. Not a very good one but I have fun. Ever go to Oshkosh?

 

[dbabicky]

Well like I said Classified Acft. but, the few that came out and are public now are F-117A Stealth Fighter, B-2, and F-22 Raptor, the rest are still well......... nuff said.

 

[joshthemule]

Got a little done today. I started on my lunch break. I have access to the sheet metal shop at work so I was using their vertical band saw for about 5 minutes until I dulled their blade. I think their blade is for aluminum. So, I finished the job at home with my cut off wheel. I also drilled the mounting holes. The only thing left on the mounting brackets is to bend the flanges and clean up the edges. I may also cut a channel in the front edge flange for the shackle mounts seen in the pictures. Those are from the CUCV.

 

[boise k5]

Hows about throwin at least one real pic up for those of us who might be out of work to see.

 

[joshthemule]

Hows about throwin at least one real pic up for those of us who might be out of work to see.

Uhh, I don't know what you are asking? Those are all real pics. Are you having trouble seeing them? They are embedded. Everyone should see them

 

[MNorby]

Uhh, I don't know what you are asking? Those are all real pics. Are you having trouble seeing them? They are embedded. Everyone should see them

non-paying members can't see attachment but you can upload photos to photobucket or something and then post the image code and then anyone can see them