Bumper ideas

[scpaul]

I'm sure it would, depending on the wall thickness. I've never seen it done with square tube. I think for the given diameter that it will have around the twice volume. That's a guess without any calculation. The square might be stronger. I wonder if the shape; square,rectangular or round, is an inherently stronger shape? I don't remember how thick his was but, knowing him, pretty thick. This guy is the type that he had 2 big Warn winches on his truck. If you use square tube, you might think about turning it 45* so a corner is leading. I would think that would be the strongest area. You are distributing the impact into 2 sides and cutting the stress in half, I think. You need to ask someone that remembers that stuff better than me. Paul

 

[rayfin]

The tongue on a pontoon boat trailer is only 1/4" thick. You want a bumper to take the impact not the frame. If you are adding a winch you do want really thick metal. Look what DIY4X uses.

 

[rayfin]

http://diy4x.com/home.php?cat=251

 

[scpaul]

If you read the write-up on the last one (Renegade?) they talk about how they have the braces that tie back to the frame and talks about the frame taking the pull. I would think that the thing is to stabilize it where it it takes pull as well as impact. With air pressure it would resist bending. You might put brackets on the tube with 2 different size bolts. The smaller to shear on impact and the larger in slots so there would be some give on impact, and the combined sheer and clamping strength to maybe try to cover both impact and pull. HINT: the idea is to go over or around not through! Take it from someone that's already tried it the other way. It was kind of ruff on a 89 GMC SLE 4wd Z-71. I cleaved the right front corner almost off. The kicker, it was less than 6 mos. old. Whatever you do, do it your way where you will have confidence in it. Paul