1st Gen Rear bumper, and Build (since my old thread got messed up)

[AxleIke]

As some of you know, I had a "not so well welded" bumper on my truck at CM06. Being low on fundage at the time, (mostly due to transfer case gears and air lockers) I re-welded my old bumper to serve until i got the time and motivation to build a new rear bumper.

This is Phase 1. Basically structure. Some cosmetic grinding, but mostly just tacking, fitting, and solid-welding the whole thing.

I'm reusing my old trailer hitch brackets. They are 1/4 plate, and already custom cut and drilled to my frame. Plus, they have been super reinforced.

The main beam, lower wing plates, and forward brackets are all 3/16. The top wing tubes are 1/8 because i couldn't find 3/16 in the size tube I wanted. I'm confident it is strong enough. The tabs going to the frame brackets on the bumper are 3/8" uneven angle. Again, I wanted 3x6, and that was the thinest I could get.

The frame brackets are held on with 4, 1/2" G8 bolts, the bumper is held onto the frame brackets with 4 more, and the front wing support is bolted with the same.

I'm *hoping* I won't have any further embarrassing bumper issues. We'll see.

On to the pictures.

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A DIY bumper kit? :D

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2510.jpg

Lining up the main beam. This was the most time consuming part. Measure, move, remeasure, move, measure, adjust...ad nauseum.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2511.jpg

Finally got it straight. I also trimmed off the corners.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2512.jpg

Tacked on the upper part of the wings...

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2515.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2516.jpg

Measuring for the wing-to-frame support, this table is pretty handy.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2517.jpg

All tacked up, ready for welding. I bolted everything together to hold the bumper rigid to avoid warping. I also went VEERRRRYYYY SLLLOOWWWWLY to the point of irritation on my part. But, no warpage was worth it.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2520.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2521.jpg

got scout?

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2523.jpg

Phase 1 complete....Fully welded.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2526.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2528.jpg

Phase 2 will be adding the receiver hitch (recovery), as well as the cosmetic welding. Phase 3 will be tail light hoops, and paint.

Stay Tuned....

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Update:

Got the hitch hole cut, the hitch tube drilled, with a minor hicup. Welded fully, with AWESOME penetration. The hicup occurred when I was super stupid, and bought the wrong sized drill bit, the bit I bought being too small. So, after much walleyeing, the pin will now slide into the hitch with zero issues. It was frustrating though, since the drill almost ripped my hands off on more than one occasion.

I also got the corners lopped off at a 45 deg angle, and capped, though there was some issue with grinding too much off on the driver side, so now I have a little dimple. :mad: Gotta fill it still.

I ground everything pretty smooth, and got the tops of the mounting tabs ground so my cosmetic strip (fills the gap between the tailgate and the bumper) will fit properly.

On to the pics! Sorry there aren't many of the various steps. I was under a pretty good crunch to get this done before the sun set. Normally, I keep the camera outside with me, and I can snap a few here and there, but it was cold enough that the camera kept telling me the batteries were dead, even though they were brand new, so I had to keep it inside. I was only able to get a couple.

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Cutting the hitch hole

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2535.jpg

Leveling the hitch out.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2538.jpg

Welded in front and back. Front pictured

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2539.jpg

Finished with phase 2. Sitting on garage floor waiting to be loaded for the trip to Boulder.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2540.jpg

Close up of front of hitch.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2541.jpg

Corners cut. Purely cosmetic, but I was trying to make it look a LITTLE less like a box.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2542.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2543.jpg

Backside of the hitch.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2544.jpg

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Making the Tail Light hoops

http://www.risingsun4x4club.org/forum2/attachment.php?attachmentid=6899&stc=1&d=1196313573

http://www.risingsun4x4club.org/forum2/attachment.php?attachmentid=6900&stc=1&d=1196313726

http://www.risingsun4x4club.org/forum2/attachment.php?attachmentid=6902&stc=1&d=1196313804

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Update.

Essentially all i did was add trim and make an attempt at some "cool" gussets. A design flaw meant that no trim was added on the main beam, but I actually kind of like the look still.

I'm getting this thing coated flat black, which hopefully will hide some of my more salient screw ups. Mostly the scalloping of the grinder.

Thanks for watching! :thumb:

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Trim added, shot of the hoops
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2546.jpg

overall bumper
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2548.jpg

Passenger hoop
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2550.jpg

And the finished product. Sorry no driver side pics, but the truck was pulled in funny and it was snowing like the dickens outside.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2551.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2554.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2557.jpg

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And Its DONE!!!

I am EXTREMELY pleased. The powdercoat looks AMAZING. I will be posting a thread about the guy I used, as I am so unbelieveably pleased with his work and his price that I'd love to give him as much business as possible. Simply can't say enough good things about the place.

I have put black silicone on the seams on the insides of the bumper, to help protect against rust from water working its way up under the trim pieces. So, my whole place smells like gasket maker, which is a smell I detest. UGH!.

I'm well pleased.

Here's the pics!

Bracketry

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2560.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2562.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2564.jpg

Bumper!

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2565.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2566.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2567.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2570.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2571.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2572.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2573.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2574.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c263/AxleIke/IMG_2575.jpg

[neliconcept]

paint looks good, man it looks solid too

likin the snow yet? i actually had to put mine in 4wd lol.

[AxleIke]

Eh...I'm sorta indifferent to the snow. It isn't deep enough yet to be fun, so it just slows me down.

Thanks though, I love the coating. Its awesome.

[bob200587]

I like that....I wish I could afford to get a bumper made...or anything else for that matter.

[all_terrain17]

Awesome. Now get to work on that steering!

Seriously though, very nice work.

[amgraham]

Nice job Isaac. I wish I could go ahead and build mine...

[AxleIke]

Thanks guys!



Awesome. Now get to work on that steering!

Seriously though, very nice work.


LOL. Well, its coming along. Waiting on more TIG welding. That and the money for a TC idler.

[RobG]

Looks Great! I like the way you have the receiver almost flush with the tube.

Curious how you make the bend in the round piece, do you have a tube bender? And where do you keep you spare?

[04 Rocko Taco]

Hey Issac, build me one just like it.

[AxleIke]

Looks Great! I like the way you have the receiver almost flush with the tube.

Curious how you make the bend in the round piece, do you have a tube bender? And where do you keep you spare?


I like the way the receiver turned out too. Its funny, since that was the absolute farthest it could stick out and still be able to get a pin through the hole on the back side.

The tubes were bent with a buddies bender.

I keep the spare in the rear of the truck. It doesn't fit underneath.

Rocko, not for a while. I'm burned out on this one.