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? for welders and fabricators

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77crewcab

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I am in the design phase of trying to make a tilt front end and have some ? on how to weld the hood to fenders and brace the three pieces so that they are fairly sturdy as one piece with out a lot of flex in the fenders. I don't want to see the fenders bouncing around when the engine is running like I see on the fiberglass hoods on med duty trucks and busses. I am currently planning a custom front bumper and grill/bruxh guard. I plan to make the brush guard the "hinge" for the tilt front so that the guard and front end will tilt as one with the front end bolted to the brush guard after welding the hood and fenders into one piece. I have the bumper, brush guard and most of how to mount the front end to the brush guard figured out but am not sure how to go about welding and bracing the hood and fenders. So how would you do it?
 
Also for those of you making d-ring mounts what thickness of steel are you using? Looking to make the bumper mounting brackets a solid piece that mounts to the frame and goes through the bumper to mount d-rings or something :D
 
i would unbolt the hood and have the fender preaty much sitting there, shut the hood and run a bead down all the seems, tilt it up and run a brace from the fender to the hood near where you cut it, 1 on each side. another brace front the rad support to the fender on each side and probably another one from the hood to the rad support. just make sure you have plenty of clearance around the engine and other stuff before you fully weld the braces.

for the clevis mounts, i use 1"x2" hot rolled steel with a 7/8" hole for use with a 3/4" screw type clevis. i put the frame bracket into/onto the bumper then cut a hole on one side of it in the bumper and slide the clevis mount in, weld it on both sides and then again on the frame bracket.
 
I have been thinking on this all day and I think I will go at it like this. As said above weld seam between hood and fenders, use flat stock bracing as gussets at all four corners of the underside of the hood going hood to inner fender and rad support to fender. I will do all welding of the fenders, hood etc before cutting (no engine or trans in truck right now so plenty of room to work) I will then make 2x2 sqare tube to go up the inside of the front where the edges of the radiator is and then follow along the hood to the firewall and then a cross brace at the firewall with gussets at all corners. This would basically make a framework for the whole front end to sit on and the framework will become part of the hinge. I plan to have the frame work turn towards the front of the truck at the bottom of the radiator and extend out and weld to the brush guard. I will probably have another framework/brushguard cross brace about the middle of the radiator. I will then make up new radiator support frame to keep the radiator stationary in the normal position as the front end tilts forward. This would also mount the a/c unit and trans cooler so none of that would be moving with the tilt front. once everything is connected to the brush guard I will have the brush guard uprights made with four poly bushings. I will have one set of bushings low on the bumper and one set towards the top of the bumper. The bottom set would have through bolts (clevis mount on each side ie spring mounts) and the top set of bushings will get lockable trailer receiver pins. The fenders will get rubber latches ie Hummer and semi trucks. Then when I need to open the hood I would undo the rubber latches and pull the hitch pins and have the entire front end and brush guard tilt forward with the pivot point being the lower bushings on the bumper.

1. Does that make sense?
2. Any other opinions on how to improve this idea?
 
Rig the main hinge up so you can take the pin out aswell. Then you can lift the whole front clip off to do major work. Sounds like you are in the right direction. Post your progress.
 
On the actual hinge point I will just use some grade 8 bolts that can be unbolted to remove the entire assembly when I need to. but using the locking hitch pins as a way to secure the unit down and prevent theft or unauthorized access. I've thought of many different types of hinges but none of the others could incorporate the brush guard like I want. I think this will work out well basically making a frame work that tilts forward and sit the hood/fenders on top and weld to the framework. Not sure if I want to use some linear actuators to help lift it or what or how to keep it up once tilted. I may just make a prop rod that can be pinned securely in place to keep the wind from blowing it down on me.
 
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