Made some progress this weekend...~UPDATE~ More pics

[Zeus33rd]

This is what I've got done so far...

And for comparison, here's my old setup..

Now here is what I need opinions on....When I got it mocked up on the truck, I didn't like how far it stuck out. What do ya'all think about if I cut a couple inches off the end of the frame rails to move it in closer?

Pictures...

The piece of diamond plate is just set in there so I could see if I wanted to put it there to hide the big gap. Thats another question...Should I go through the trouble of hiding the gap? Or just leave it? :beer:

 

[Highlander]

Re: Made some progress this weekend...Now I neep some opinions..

If it was mine I would cut some off the frame and move the bumper in a little.
As for the cover up stuff I could go either way on the if you move the bumper in you mite not have to cover up the gap
The only thing I would look at doing is a brace going out to the corners.
Oh and good job by the way /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif


Eric

 

[RustBuket]

Re: Made some progress this weekend...Now I neep some opinions..

Looks pretty clean. I'd nab a little off the frame rails if it were mine.

 

[Zeus33rd]

Re: Made some progress this weekend...Now I neep some opinions..

[ QUOTE ]
If it was mine I would cut some off the frame and move the bumper in a little.


[/ QUOTE ]

I'm thinkin thats what I'm gonna do. Although I can't cut to much off. Not much more than 1.5-2" I think. I still have to make the swing away tire carrier part. One day there will be a 38.5x14.5 TSL/SX on there. Just have to make sure it's still gonna fit.

[ QUOTE ]
The only thing I would look at doing is a brace going out to the corners.

[/ QUOTE ]

Still have quite a bit to do...Braces like you mentioned, some kind of wrap around side protection, the tire/gas can carrier on a swingout, and a skid plate for the gas tank. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[ducttape114]

Re: Made some progress this weekend...Now I neep some opinions..

that looks nice!!!!!! id say chop the frame, it would look better and make for a better departure angle too.

 

[chulisohombre]

Re: Made some progress this weekend...Now I neep some opinions..

looks like chopping the frame would look better than the diamond plate filler.i like the diamond plate inbetween the upper and lower pieces of the bumper though. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[Zeus33rd]

Re: Made some progress this weekend...Now I neep some opinions..

[ QUOTE ]
i like the diamond plate inbetween the upper and lower pieces of the bumper though.

[/ QUOTE ]

That reminds me of another question I was gonna ask ya'all.....

What do ya think if I put the diamond plate on the outside ends of the bumper too? Not just in the middle..Undecided about that too. /forums/images/graemlins/1zhelp.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[ZonkRat]

Re: Made some progress this weekend...Now I neep some opinions..

Like the bumper,shorten the rails a little. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[bigjbear]

Re: Made some progress this weekend...Now I neep some opinions..

I trimmed the frame whin I made my bumper, no regrets, cut away.

 

[Greg72]

Re: Made some progress this weekend...Now I neep some opinions..

Joe,

Lookin' good man! /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

I'd say cut the frame.....you and I were working on similar things yesterday! Ever since I've owned my truck (2+ years) it's never had a rear bumper. I'm finally getting around to installing one with an integral hitch (more pics to follow!)

I decided to cut the rear horns off my frame for a couple of reasons....first was because they were kinda bent anyway, and mounting a new bumper to twisted frame ends was just going to give me a twisted new bumper. Second, once the frame is opened up, you can build a crossmember and backing plates that SLIDE between the framerails and can be bolted up behind the rear spring hangers (or shackle flip). Mine ends up being 1/4" plate on both sides of the original frame....it got a LOT stronger, and helped to untweak some twisting that had been going on with the frame itself. PLUS, now I have no worries about the strength of the rear hitch. It's the strongest thing back there!

Once you get the bumper tucked up a little closer, your departure angle will improve (props on the hitch mount, you can tell there's already a HUGE gain in clearance from that!). For finishing, It might be nice to do some wraparound bars from the bumper to the rear fenderwell (4x4 Iron style) to soften the look slightly. If you want to plate up the spaces between the upper and lower bars...it might be better to use mild steel and just paint the whole thing black. That much diamond plate might be "too much"....

Keep posting pics....I love to see projects coming together! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[muddysub]

Re: Made some progress this weekend...Now I neep some opinions..

dude, that looks really good man! i would cut some frame and suck it up tight to the body. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[Z3PR]

Re: Made some progress this weekend...Now I neep some opinions..

I'd make a diamond deck plate to fill in that gap. Like you have between the upper and lower bars.

 

[RustBuket]

Re: Made some progress this weekend...Now I neep some opinions..

I'd just go with the diamond plate you have now. I like the empty space look.

 

[Zeus33rd]

Re: Made some progress this weekend...Now I neep some opinions..

Wow...I was hoping Greg's thoughts would make it in here. THanks dude. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif So I guess the consensus is to whack some off the ends of the frame rails. I was kinda leanin that way anyways. As for the wrap around protection...I don't have a bender yet, which sucks, but I do have one at work. Computerized electronic one too. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif Put in the right dies, type in what angle ya want and press the button. So I'll have to go to work and bend somethin up one of these days. Too much diamond plate huh? Hmm...I wonder if I have any regular plate. Never even thoght about that. You say paint it black?!!? Paint?! hahahaha!!! You forget I work were I can get powder coating free. /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif It's gonna get powdered in a sort of matte black..Not gloss and not flat, just kinda inbetween.

By the way...Did you get the plasma cutter going?

 

[Zeus33rd]

Re: Made some progress this weekend...Now I neep some opinions..

[ QUOTE ]
It might be nice to do some wraparound bars from the bumper to the rear fenderwell (4x4 Iron style) to soften the look slightly.

[/ QUOTE ]

Kinda like these?

 

[Greg72]

Re: Made some progress this weekend...Now I neep some opinions..

[ QUOTE ]


By the way...Did you get the plasma cutter going?

[/ QUOTE ]


Joe,

Yep....I'm getting happier with it. I was having a hard time getting it to cut cleanly. It cut really slow (sparks coming back through the top) and lots of crud on the back side of the cut (lots of cleaning afterwards)

I figured out that my pressure was actually TOO high. It was running at around 90psi at the "calibration setting", so I backed it off to 72psi like the manual says. MUCH better!!

Then, I couldn't get the damn thing to arc and begin cutting. I was getting fed up with it, and decided to change out the two copper(?) parts inside the nozzle. WOW! What a difference again!!! Now I can actually cut stuff like butter and even do freehand curves, etc. It's SO cool!!!

I still might buy the "tracing attachment" so I can copy patterns. I'm already getting tired of trying to duplicate parts I like one-at-a-time....it would be nice to just make a single pattern and cut up a bunch!


/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[Zeus33rd]

Re: Made some progress this weekend...Now I neep some opinions..

So I fired up the sawz-all today and cut a bit off the ends of the frame rails...Also couldn't help myself so I decided to trim some off the back fenders too... /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Here it is before I trimmed it..

Here it is after trimming...

Here it is with the bumper mounted after trimming the frame..

And here it is before trimming the frame..

LOL, I had that sawz-all in my hands after cutting the frame...I was lookin around for somethin else to chop up, so my fenders got the knod. :banger:

Before..

After..

Greg...You still using the Nitrogen? Or did ya go with the compresseed air? We have pretty good luck with the compressed air. Ya gotta have water "collecters/dryers" in the line though. And the copper pieces you refer to are the electrode and tip or nozzle. What style tip do you use? The kind designed to actually drag on the work? called a "drag tip". Or do ya use the one designed to be held slightly off the work? Called a "torch tip". It's a good idea to have both styles on hand. With the drag tips you can make long strait cuts and cutting with a pattern alot easier. And the electrode will last longer. Use the torch tips for everything else. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif