Seanz0rz's rear bumper buildup

[Seanz0rz]

so the time has come to build a bumper. i looked at thousands of different bumpers on all kinds of vehicles. i loved alot, hated most, and decided i needed to go my own direction with some heavy influence from a few places. i loved bruceTS's bumper, and i like lance's 4th gen bumper. i decided to go mainly that direction, with some of my own ideas. huge credit goes to them both!

i started by following bruce's guide: http://bruce.calrockx.com/4runner/bumper/default.htm

cross beam placed:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1386.jpg

3/16" plate for the brackets cut:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1387.jpg

scored and bent:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1388.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1389.jpg

by the time holes needed to be drilled my hands were too knackered to hold down the trigger, so dad stepped in. huge thanks to dad!!!:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1390.jpg

brackets will get welded up tomorrow, placed on the truck and the cross bar welded. from there i will start on my tire carrier supports. i have some other features i want to implement and those will be revealed as they come. the plans are not finalized, im tackling issues as they pop up, etc. stay tuned for updates!

[DHC6twinotter]

I'll be watching this thread!

:clap:

[4x4mike]

Cool, I'm interested to see how this goes. At least with 3/16 you're less likely to have warping like on your skid plate. Let's see, I'm thinking antenna mount, recovery points, rear facing lights, rock lights and spare swing out. Oh and painted silver like the front.

Not only am I interested in the final product but also interested in material costs. I know just consumables and tools are expensive but what about the steel? I tend to buy random pieces here and there but it's all small stuff. What do you think your bumper will run you? Steel wise?

[slosurfer]

Is the Dr. Pepper in the cup with ice? :laugh: :thumbup:




cross beam placed:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1386.jpg

[Seanz0rz]

chris, the dr. pepper can is just out of view in that pic. in the green mug is ice water!

mike, i purchased 200 dollars worth of steel. this included the main beam, 2'x4' 3/18" plate (with an extra foot for another project), 30 feet of 1x1 .120 wall tubing (for the trailer), 10 feet of 1.5" .120 wall square tubing for the tire carrier parts, and a few other pieces for antenna brackets to be produced and sold. i already have all the 11 gauge plate to make the side wings, not to mention the 2" square tube for the verticals of the tire carrier.

ill get a final cost run down as soon as i dig up the invoices.

taking a day off to go house hunting. updates tomorrow!

[4x4mike]

Cool just getting an idea. I still need to find good places around here to get that kind of stuff. I think that for the most part I pay full retail but I don't buy that often or in large quantities.

[Seanz0rz]

buying from home depot or lowes is a rip (plus they only have small stuff)

ordering from a metal yard is much much cheaper (half to 1/3). look in your yellow pages for one, call around and get quotes for what you want. i usually try to haggle with them. my order came to 225. i asked if they could do it for a straight 200, he punched the keyboard a bit until he got it down to 195. yeah its only 30 bucks, but hey, its 30 bucks you can spend on bolts or whatnot!

[X-Tool Pimp]

Cool just getting an idea. I still need to find good places around here to get that kind of stuff.

found this one on yahoo.....
Sunshine Steel Enterprises
(916) 455-8371
8265 Belvedere Ave, Sacramento, CA 95826

[CJM]

May I ask how you bent them? Very interested in doing that with my own stuff but I dont have a metal brake.

[Good Times]

Marc,

The ghetto way is to use a cutoff wheel and cut into the metal so it's thin. Just don't cut it too thin or else when you bend it it'll come apart. For 3/16th I'd say 1/8th left will be enough for you to bend it by hand. I used a pair of vices to bend it once it was evenly thinned out.

[CJM]

Lance,

I had thought about that, but figured Sean was actually using some kinda brake to bend them. Good advice man :)

[Good Times]

If Sean has a sheet metal brake I'll be uper pissed cuz I sure can use em! Damn hold out :P

[CJM]

Imho would need a really good brake to bend that stuff!

[Seanz0rz]

nah no brake. score and bend method! a few very large adjustable wrenches work well. lots of welding to do tomorrow. ill take more pictures tomorrow than i did yesterday!

[4x4mike]

buying from home depot or lowes is a rip (plus they only have small stuff)

ordering from a metal yard is much much cheaper (half to 1/3). look in your yellow pages for one, call around and get quotes for what you want. i usually try to haggle with them. my order came to 225. i asked if they could do it for a straight 200, he punched the keyboard a bit until he got it down to 195. yeah its only 30 bucks, but hey, its 30 bucks you can spend on bolts or whatnot!

I do go to a metal yard and they have anything and everything, it's just a little spendy when I see other peoples projects and the deals they get.



Sunshine Steel Enterprises
(916) 455-8371
8265 Belvedere Ave, Sacramento, CA 95826

This place is near the other place I go. It's on my list next time I need to go shopping. Thanks for looking because I forgot the entire name to use to search for a phone number. Are you still maybe moving? Hush hush.


Imho would need a really good brake to bend that stuff!

Depends on how stupid you want to get.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/DSC06539.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/DSC06540.jpg

Or something that makes a little more sense but only after, as Lance says, "going ghetto" which works very well.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/DSC06548.jpg

[Good Times]

it might be ghetto but once welded it's pretty darn strong :)

[4x4mike]

I know I used the same method on my skid plate. At first I would only lightly score and try to bend. It didn't move easily hence the driving the subaru up on it to act as a brake.

[CJM]

Nice use of the tire, I wouldnt have thought of that.

[Seanz0rz]

got a bit of work done today. welded up the brackets as much as i could. put them on the truck, cut the main bar and mocked everything up. tomorrow i will go and tack it together, get the verticals up in place and welded, then start on the cosmetic parts.

brackets in place:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1395.jpg

bumper mocked up. using the left over 2x4 to see how my 2x2" verticals are going to fit. they fit well! (although there will be some modification, stay tuned!):
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1396.jpg

[YotaFun]

Sean those brackets are bolted where the trailer hitch use to bolt right?

[Seanz0rz]

yes, uses the stock 4 holes. im debating drilling horizontally through the frame, sleeving, and bolting. what do yall think?

[CJM]

I say drill thru the frame and sleeve possibly. Word to the wise, that metals gonna be a biatch to drill thru so I would buy 2 bits of each size and start small and go slow.

[Seanz0rz]

the frame isnt bad to drill thru, its just like 12 gauge. the 3/16" is a pain though...

[YotaFun]

Since MY truck is all but rust there I will probably be drilling though and sleeving.
And with the Body lift it should be easier to get to

[CJM]

well if you say so, ive drilled thru worse myself.

[corax]

yes, uses the stock 4 holes. im debating drilling horizontally through the frame, sleeving, and bolting. what do yall think?


do you mean with another tab coming up vertically in front of the body mounts? I can't really tell from the pics, but is there enough vertical metal attached to the frame to prevent bending with weight on the main tube?

when I first built my bumper, it would pivot down (even with the side tubes bolted to the frame) with heavy trailer tongue weights. I fixed it by linking the rear most bolt to the next attach point forward
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/100_0513.jpg
(that square tube is in compression, not bend/torsion, with weight on the bumper)

[corax]

the frame isnt bad to drill thru, its just like 12 gauge. the 3/16" is a pain though...


Get some cheap step drill bits from HF - I use them up to 1/4" plate and they breeze right through it, unless your drilling some wicked 4130 or similar - they last fairly long and work great for deburing (sp?) the hole as you make it

[Seanz0rz]

here is a picture of my bracket:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1398.jpg

the distance from center of forward bolt to rear bolt is 12 inches. a full 15 inches or so of the bracket is on the frame. if i added a bolt or two through the frame it would be forward of the rear body mount. hope that helps clarify some questions.

[CJM]

You need to replace your body mounts :) They are looking like mine did.

[corax]

the distance from center of forward bolt to rear bolt is 12 inches. a full 15 inches or so of the bracket is on the frame. if i added a bolt or two through the frame it would be forward of the rear body mount. hope that helps clarify some questions.


OK, I get it. A way of cutting corners (saves the work of sleeving the holes) is to use a doubled piece of sheet to bridge the top and bottom of the frame rail with the bolt in the middle, this will distribute the clamping force top to bottom and prevent the frame rail sides from pulling in (I can draw a pic if I didn't explain it well)

[Seanz0rz]

sleeving the frame isnt too hard. just some drilling, welding, grinding. its only 2 or 4 holes. im just not sure its needed at all.

[Seanz0rz]

got alot done today considering i got out there pretty late.

square hole cut for receiver:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1399.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1400.jpg

first pass of welding:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1401.jpg

it was pretty hot all day:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1402.jpg

bumper together being tacked:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1404.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1406.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1450.jpg

final welding for today:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1485.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1486.jpg

triple pass on the receiver:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1480.jpg

tomorrow is another day looking at houses, so major work will continue on friday.

[CYi5]

Thanks for the pics, i'll be using Bruce's writeup as a guideline as well, and some of his pic links were down.

[97kurt]

Looking good and I like the mounts. Add a piece of plate or angle iron to the end of the frame and do a horizontal bolt though it. It will help with the up/down forces the bumper will see. I had to add that to mine when I put a carrier on it.

I'm in the planning stages of doing my next rear bumper, all the little flaws of the one I made 3 years ago are finally starting to irritate me.

[Seanz0rz]

thanks for the advise!

here are yesterday's pictures, didnt get a chance to post them up last night.

mockup of risers for doors:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1515.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1517.jpg

ran into a problem of the body being off about 1/4" off center from the frame:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1526.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1525.jpg

solved that by moving the risers further out. i know the body will move around and i know if i unbolt the body from the frame i can re-center it. unfortunately the truck is full of tools and i cant get the carpet up! i really fretted over this problem, but my lunch reassured me:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1524-1.jpg

tacking uprights:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1567.jpg

what it looks like now:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1530.jpg

have some weekend stuff to do the next two days, hope to get back to it soon though.

[YotaFun]

looks good Sean.

But now I am hungry for panda express...
Guess I need to go out lol!

[X-Tool Pimp]

Sean are you planing to run a steel plate under the hitch for support and chains :headscratch:

Looks good bro :hillbill:

[Seanz0rz]

im trying to find a way to use the factory vehicle tiedowns/recovery points that were bolted to the frame through the hitch.

[freejake3]

Looks good so far Sean.

Question - any reason why you didn't run the receiver hitch mount flush with the 2 x 4? Seems like you want to get the most departure angle as you can. Here's mine for reference. Not that you're going to switch it now. For gussets you can pick up pre-fabbed 45's at most metal supply stores. Keep up the good work.............and drink plenty of water in that freakin heat. Don't forget to run the shackle mounts thru the bumper for true structural integrity. I got mine on e-bay for like
10$ a pop. They're 5 x 1 x 1.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m253/affinis/RBB/Sheep015.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m253/affinis/RBB/Sheep013.jpg

[Seanz0rz]

i ran the hitch out far because of my trailer. that length from my axle to my pintle hook is exactly the length from my lunette to the axle on my trailer, which is perfect for turning and such. the short tongue on the trailer makes it a nightmare to back up. i also use it as a step. departure angle isnt the MOST of my concern on this bumper.

just finished installing a screen door, going to go out and cut and tack my inside frame support.

[Seanz0rz]

started the day off on a horrible note. i discovered while measuring for some internal braces that one side was welded in about 3/8ths of an inch lower than the other:
good:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1632.jpg
bad:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1633.jpg

not sure how it happened, but i fixed it (spent most of the day doing that). it did help, but not solve, my off center issue. after that i added in some diagonals:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1634.jpg

here is the internal bracing tacked in and ready to be welded:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1635.jpg

once all that was completed, i set about mocking up my wings:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1636.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1637.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1638.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1639.jpg

heres what it looks like now:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1640.jpg

[DHC6twinotter]

Looks good Sean! I like the way you are doing the corners. :thumbup:

I spot 3 dr. pepper cans.

[RunnerUp]

nice build dude, subscribed

[corax]

Ouch, what happened to the cutoff wheel in the 8th pic? You're not side loading those are you?

Looks good BTW. I think everyone's welded something up and found it was off later, just remember, "measure twice, cut/weld once"

[Seanz0rz]

nah i dropped the grinder and chipped the wheel, i then broke it in half so i wouldnt accidentally reuse it. just hasnt found its way into the trash yet. those cutoff wheels are extra cheap and very thin. i dont like them and will buy thicker ones next time. i think that one was used to cut through some tube, hence the extra wear around the edge from where i led a cut from the previous one. i am very careful not to side load, and i still have my guard in place just in case one lets go, even if it does get in the way, its worth it to avoid an emergency room visit!

after i eat breakfast here, its time to go out and work some more!

[Seanz0rz]

had a very nice post nearly complete and then firefox crashed... thanks firefox!

so i started the day with some 11 gauge, all marked out for my wings:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1641.jpg

after cutting and scoring, i bent the metal:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1643.jpg

i used my foot and a an adjustable wrench to bend the faces:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1650.jpg

here it is mocked in place:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1709.jpg

fallen soldiers:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1711.jpg

here is how the rear will look once its cut:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1714.jpg

all tacked in to place:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1720.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1740.jpg

the girlfriend decided we both needed a picture of the hole in my pants. reminds me of that picture of fuster with a sucker stuck to his butt. time for some new shorts, every time i bend over it gets bigger!
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1721.jpg

started pouring rain with thunder and lightening, decided i should pack it in:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1741.jpg

[troyboy162]

lookin good! you should make two and sell one to recoupe your materials cost

[Seanz0rz]

i would not be opposed to making another, but you'd have to pay me. alot.

[Seanz0rz]

something i forgot to post yesterday.

im pretty sure my design prohibits me from removing the tail lights to replace the bulbs. wanted to know if anyone has had any experience with finding a digital flasher able to keep flashing LED's at the appropriate speed. i do not believe in using large resistors as i want the full benefits of the led's: low power draw, super long life, extra bright, etc.

i was looking at purchasing from www.superbrightleds.com unless someone knows a better place to buy from. thanks for your help!

[CJM]

Might be able to rock the lights out or something.

I think you might want to modify the design so you can get the things off easier. Otherwise the LEDS would be best imho.

[Seanz0rz]

i wont modify my design. its that way for a reason. i actually wanted the risers higher but didnt want to have to relocate taillights to new lights mounted on the bumper.

[CJM]

So leds then?

[Seanz0rz]

yeah. at this point im wondering do i just get replacement bulbs or do i try to do a full LED conversion to my tails, brake, turn signals and backup lights?

[CJM]

Imho I would see first before doing anything if you can maybe rock the light out in such a way with your design.

What do the wings there do anyways-could you possibly make them bolt on/off?

[Seanz0rz]

crisis averted. the lights pop out to the sides, not straight back (i was getting mom's car confused with mine).

i still will convert them to LED, just not at the moment. they come out very easily and in no way interfere with the bumper.

[CJM]

^ Good thing you discovered this before you kept fabbing. Ive been known to fudge something up like that and hafta redo it all cause of one tiny thing like that.

[Seanz0rz]

yeah. the uprights will be used for the tire carrier, so they arent getting cut off. they really are at the perfect height. should be plenty strong (factor of 5) to hold the tire up with out causing a huge lever arm to twist the bumper with. all while preventing the doors from twisting

[CJM]

I think they are a good idea, the tire and carrier is gonna be mighty heavy so you might want to reinforce them even more if you arent already going to do so.

I would add some gussets maybe.

Say, while I got ya-what kinda welder you using? Been meaning to nab me one, but all the nice ones are 230v and I dont have a 230v line.

[BruceTS]

wanted to know if anyone has had any experience with finding a digital flasher able to keep flashing LED's at the appropriate speed.


Yes, you can get one at PepBoys then do a simple mod for it to work properly, that's how mine operate.

As for the bumper mounts, I added a top plate that 2 sleeves were welded on and then made up 4 tabs per side to run bolts across the top and the tabs welded to the fame plates. this fully boxed in the back half of the frame and makes it more than strong enough to handle a tire carrier.

I'm in the middle of building another bumper and I should have the frame plates built next week, but there should already be some picts of the frame plate top mounts posted in this forum somewhere.

EDIT* found them..



http://img44.imagevenue.com/loc1038/th_32908_Dave7_122_1038lo.jpg (http://img44.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=32908_Dave7_122_1038lo.jpg) http://img245.imagevenue.com/loc153/th_32925_Dave8_122_153lo.jpg (http://img245.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=32925_Dave8_122_153lo.jpg)

did some clean up and welded in the mounts for the tire carrier

there's a shot of the top plates in the second picture

Finally got my water cooled TIG torch hooked up and boy does it make a huge difference!

[Seanz0rz]

im using a craftsman mig 180. it is 230V, hence running it off the generator when welding on the driveway. i have a plug but its only on the back side of the house. its an OK welder, but lacks infinite voltage settings, which really hinders my ability to weld (yeah i know blame the tool!) my next welder will be a lincoln or miller.

thanks bruce!!! i think i might try that. i was hoping you would chime in! bumper looks good! nice to see you around too!

[CJM]

Yea I was thinking I should just spring for a hobart 187 as its the easiest and simplest to use from what I been gathering.

I can stick weld, but it just dont turn out that nice imho.

[Seanz0rz]

here is a day and a half worth of pictures:

trimmed off the excess plate to approximately where it should be. ill do the final trimming after i weld:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1742.jpg

cut the sliver of metal that goes on the angled piece. couldnt weld it in yet so its just taped there so i wont mistake it for scrap:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1743.jpg

cut and tacked bottom hinge plates. these will also have holes to lock the doors open with a pin:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1744.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1745.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1746.jpg

hole drilled in plate and hinge in place:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1747.jpg

upper tab for lower hinge tacked into place:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1748.jpg

upper hinges tacked in place:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1750.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1751.jpg

what she looks like from the back:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1752.jpg

tomorrow is finishing up left wing, starting and finishing up right wing and hopefully dismounting it to finish final welding on it monday. tuesday i am hoping to paint it, get it reinstalled by wednesday night/thursday morning and then start on the tire carriers sometime the next week.

[CYi5]

Do you have any details/source for where you purchased your bushing setups?

[Seanz0rz]

some guy on ebay. refer to the rear bumper thread here: http://www.ultimateyota.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=111.90

they are for a half inch bolt, and 1.5" tubing should wrap around the outer sleeve nicely. sucky thing is i had to build all the bushings to measure with and now have to disassemble them. they are a tight interference fit, so it will require some tool marks on the delrin to get out, but no huge deal.

[CYi5]

some guy on ebay. refer to the rear bumper thread here: http://www.ultimateyota.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=111.90

they are for a half inch bolt, and 1.5" tubing should wrap around the outer sleeve nicely. sucky thing is i had to build all the bushings to measure with and now have to disassemble them. they are a tight interference fit, so it will require some tool marks on the delrin to get out, but no huge deal.


Nice, yea I was looking at those...Although I just want to build a simple swing out off the sides of my stock tow hitch, so was looking for a derlin bushing set with a 2" OD instead of 1.5". Kartek has them for others interested. I'll probably just do the typical spindle style for simplicity. I think those will work great for your setup! Good work.

[Seanz0rz]

i like the simplicity of the delrin bushing setup. the spindles scare me frankly, too much that can go wrong with them and ive heard some horror stories. unless my mounting tabs break, the tire carrier wont come off.

started by realigning my hinges. i knew they were a little off and it was worrying me last night so i decided to redo them. got a piece of 1/2" all-thread and cut the upper 3 tabs off, realigned, and retacked them:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1753.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1754.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1755.jpg

finished off the left side wing:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1756.jpg

started and finished the right wing. too tired/sore to bend metal by hand so i tossed it in the press. last time i bend metal by hand!
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1757.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1758.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1759.jpg

added in the braces for the wings:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1760.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1761.jpg

once i had everything tacked, i pulled it off the truck to transport to the back yard where i can weld on house power and not with a 18HP V twin humming away next to my head:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1762.jpg

nekkid butt!!!!!
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1763.jpg

tomorrow will see lots of welding and grinding on the thing. hoping to get most of the welding done tomorrow so i can hopefully paint it tuesday. well see.

[CJM]

Wow man thats coming along really well.

And shoot you even have a press..lucky. What is it a harbor freight model?

[Seanz0rz]

yep, saved my butt on my bushings R&R, crimps ferrels on metal cable, and even bends steel! worth every penny. however the harbor freight bottle jack that came with it pissed it self under first load, so i had to replace with a jack from pep boys.

[CJM]

Hey, thats not bad for being cheapie stuff.

I have some HF stuff, the hand tools are actually pretty nice.

[CYi5]

Hey, thats not bad for being cheapie stuff.

I have some HF stuff, the hand tools are actually pretty nice.


I thought so too, and then i stripped out my HF channelocs and snapped a HF seal puller in half...

[Crinale]

HF is great when u need to buy a lot of new tools at once... then when they break, u slowly replace them with better ones...

[xonetruthcrewx]

Coming along nicely dude. I remember when I built mine. Good shit. Main thing I did different, cut out the crossmember/spare tire carrier. That and the fact that I used a spindle for my swing out. I do like your swing out design though. Looking forward to seeing the finished product. And then we will see how durable it is at Pismo when you jump that bastard! Haha. Really though.

So, rattle can or powder coat? Im assuming rattle canned silver to match the front?

[2ndGen]

got "hammered"?

http://www.mclendons.com/img/products/10/10953072.jpg

[Seanz0rz]

tony's got it! silver hammered finish!

i thought about taking out the cross member but thats a bit too much work for right now. i want to carefully design one to accept either an aux fuel tank or a water tank.

[CJM]

I thought so too, and then i stripped out my HF channelocs and snapped a HF seal puller in half...


Depends on what ya get, gotta know quality when you see it. Friend of mine has a HF cut off saw, it wont die despite being abused.

[DHC6twinotter]

Friend of mine has a HF cut off saw, it wont die despite being abused.


I used to use one of those at my old job, and that thing was awesome. We had one of their hammer drills too, and it worked really well. :thumbup:

[CJM]

Yea, I dont get it-some stuffs good and other stuff is total junk.

My grandfather bought a mini metal lathe and milling machine, chinese stuff. They are very accurate and work well for years now. The lathe the on switch broke, he took it back and they got him the better model for free except shipping!

[CYi5]

I thought so too, and then i stripped out my HF channelocs and snapped a HF seal puller in half...


Depends on what ya get, gotta know quality when you see it. Friend of mine has a HF cut off saw, it wont die despite being abused.

Oh yea, totally agree. I have a whole arsenal of HF power tools. Harbor Freight + fabbing = college kid budget. Highly recommend the 3/4" electric impact, goes on sale for $40 every now and then.

[Seanz0rz]

figure i should update this thread. took a few days off, today was the first day of work since last week.

got alot of the final welding done, alot of the grinding close to perfect (couldnt find my 80 grit disk to finish it off). pictures dont really show it too well. the bare steel just washes out the picture. looking to finish up welding and grinding tomorrow, paint wednesday, reinstall thursday afternoon

[Seanz0rz]

been bad with taking pictures of progress, just more concerned with getting her done and back on the truck so i can drive it once again!

today i finished up the welding (for now) and grinding, and started on the paint. on the non-cosmetic surfaces, i am painting with a brush, making the coating extra thick to reduce chipping and rusting (my front bumper needs this treatment badly!!!)
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1772.jpg

tomorrow ill do the cosmetic painting and hang it on the back of my truck.

tire carrier will have to wait a while. just not enough time right now with pismo a week away, school starting in a few days, and of course other life issues. tire carrier will come soon though! when that happens a few gussets will need to be added to the hinges, but thats easy enough (i ran out of steam, time, and shielding gas!)

[Lee]

not sure you got much penetration on those welds man

[Seanz0rz]

nah those are all triple pass on the structural parts, ya know, just in case! saw definite deformation on the other side of the weld.

[Scuba]

Lookin good Sean, Cant wait to see it !!

[CJM]

Cant wait to see it finished.

[Seanz0rz]

finished painting except for the bottom (that will have to wait until its mounted on the truck to do). might go mount it in a few minutes. got a horrible head cold. yay! i dont have time to be sick!

pictures soon!!!

[Seanz0rz]

shes on! and i am very pleased with how it turned out. somethings arent perfect, but im very happy. bottom still needs paint, and it needs some finishing touches here and there, but its on and i can drive it again!!! ill shut up and let the pictures do the talking:

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1776.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1777.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1778.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1779.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1780.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1781.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1782.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1783.jpg

and the all important antenna clearance:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_1785.jpg

[DHC6twinotter]

Awesome! :thumbup:

[CJM]

Shoulda made it match the lines a bit better imho,body lift probably did it right?

VERY good.

[Seanz0rz]

the right side does sag a little forward, not sure why. it was straight when i tacked it. maybe it moved. as for the fit from the top down view, the gap is to accommodate any body movement side to side and will be filled with some weather striping. i also wanted the lines to capture the outside of the tire tread. eventually there will be some tube work on the side to accommodate the wider stance.

yeah, its not perfect by any means, but im extremely happy. it was quite a project to take on in the time i had allotted and my current family situation.

[Scuba]

How about some pics from further away, ya tard :tongueout:

Sean, from what I can see, it looks awesome, it may not be perfect but I can't tell ? Congrats, that bumper is something to be proud of bro !!

[Seanz0rz]

haha its stuck on the driveway - knackered steering rack bushings! thats about as far away as i can get right now. yall will have to wait till after pismo to get some good pics.

[CJM]

Ah the weather stripping will work nicely.

[Seanz0rz]

added another pic, for some reason it didnt upload first time around...

[slosurfer]

Looks great Sean! (thanks for adding the pic where you can see the whole thing :flipoff: ) You should make some solid spacers that you can pin in in place of where your swing bushings will go. That way, if you bump something when you don't have the gates in, you won't bend those brackets as easy.

[Seanz0rz]

ok finally got to work on the tire carrier.

also, youll notice in the pictures my pismo sticker is 90* off. dont let friends install stickers for you...

all tire carrier materials are 1.5" square tube with a .120 wall.

i first measured out how far i wanted the tire carrier lower arm to be from the center of the bolt. i placed my full piece of steel in the drill press and used a 1.5" hole saw to cut through it. my hole wasnt exactly center (cross vise moved on me a little bit) but its very close. this is a great way to make sure each piece is properly aligned. good idea if you want your door to actually work! i used 80w90 as cutting oil, just like before!
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2257.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2258.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2259.jpg

i placed the lower arm up and tacked it to the outer sleeve on the hinge. i then removed the Delrin bushings and fully welded it, doing my best to maintain the outer sleeve.
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2260.jpg

i then mocked up my tire placement left and right on the vehicle:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2261.jpg

i mocked up the upper arm and the tire upright and tacked them in place:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2262.jpg

after welding that up, i reinstalled the arm on the vehicle, set my tire height, and welded on the tube that will weld to the plate with the studs in it:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2263.jpg

by the time i got done welding in these studs, it was dark:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2264.jpg

ill try to get more work done on saturday and hopefully get it mostly buttoned up! alot of grinding to do so it may be another weekend until i can get it all done.

[4x4mike]

I was just thinking about your bumper build while I was mowing the lawn tonight :drink:

If you look at Scuba's pictures from his last trip you'll see he has 2 pismo stickers and they are 90* from each other.

Anyways, bumper looks good and glad to see it's coming along.

[CJM]

I been wondering, what welder you been using to do all this? Looks like either you are a decent welder or its a good welder itself?

[Seanz0rz]

i have a craftsman mig 180 220v. its ok. my only gripe is the lack of an infinite voltage setting. this one has 6 settings, so you really have to adjust through wire speed and gun speed. its taught me how to do those things through no choice of my own! im still learning, but i think im getting better. if i weld in the driveway (like i did today) i have to use a 18hp v-twin 10kW generator since i dont have a plug in the garage or money to run the wire out to the garage for a plug. you get used to the sound after a while.

when i can afford a new one(looking to be much much further in the future than i had hoped), ill pick up a really good miller. or a tig :D

[Seanz0rz]

oh, also got ahold of one of these:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/IMG_2253.jpg

it will be proudly displayed on my bumper!

[CJM]

What did that come off of? Looks to me like an older P-up.

Sounds like a good welder dude. Im really wanting a hobart myself.

[Scuba]

Yeah idk which pismo sticker it is but one is installed like yours.. Lawl :D

[Seanz0rz]

nah it came off the FRONT grill of some 80's toyota wagon, maybe a cresida or corolla or something like that.


yeah im just going to say i nearly always roll it over at pismo, thats why its sideways!

about an hour ago it started sprinkling. looks like ill have alot of surface rust to remove come morning!

[CJM]

Cool badge tho.

Sucks about the rain..

[Seanz0rz]

even after a heavy thursday morning rain, the metal was not too rusty. i started today's work by welding on the plate with the three studs welded into it:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2273.jpg

to get the studs in perfect alignment, i drilled larger holes than necessary, bolted the plate to the wheel with the correct lug nuts, and tacked them into place. i used a washer between the studs and the plate to give more surface area to weld to. the top of the plate is not parallel to the line of the top two studs, so i made sure to get the studs level with the rest of the tire carrier, the plate will be trimmed later.
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2274.jpg

here is a picture of the tire bolted on to the carrier, and the clearance between the carrier and tire:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2276.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2275.jpg

the carrier will open up 180*. I'm thinking of adding a fold down table to the back side.
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2277.jpg

[Seanz0rz]

i kept the carrier as close to the body as possible to keep the vehicle as compact as possible. every inch matters on the trail!
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2278.jpg

tried to keep the tire out of the departure angle.
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2279.jpg

a pic from the rear:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2280.jpg

now on to locking it closed. i had intended to copy lance's design, but i realized there was one fatal flaw for me: i tow a trailer, a lot! his design would cause me to have to drop the trailer every time i wanted to open the back! so i had to figure out another way. here is what i came up with:

a 1/4" plate was welded to the top of the bumper:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2281.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2282.jpg

[Seanz0rz]

an angle was cut down and welded to the bottom of my tire carrier:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2283.jpg

these materials add up in such a way that it requires a minor amount of force to get the carrier up on to the 1/4" plate, making it very secure.
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2284.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2286.jpg

a hole was drilled for a drop down sheer pin(not pictured)

a gusset was added to the tire supports. i made a mistake in my measurement and it contacts the wheel slightly. ill either add a spacer to the mounting of the wheel or modify it somehow.
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2285.jpg

[Seanz0rz]

the final result, complete with zip tie license plate mounting bracket!
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2287.jpg

[Crinale]

do you have a light on ur liscense plate?? gotta stay legal you know ;)

looks good sean... definitely looks good

[Seanz0rz]

that is not the final home for the plate, and i do have a light sitting next to me, it will be installed when i get everything finalized.

[Scuba]

How's the rear view mirror? Lol when I had my tire carrier on I couldn't see ish and it sucked. Umm so more about opening and closing of the carrier, all I see is the bar welded to the bumper giving me the thought that it doesn't move so you can't open the rear hatch. Sooo please explain...

[Scuba]

Nvm I get it. There's a shear pin that comes down through that angle piece that's welded to the bar, and through the other piece. Okay :drink:

[Seanz0rz]

cant really see alot out of the rear view mirror, but thats what the other two are for...

as for the locking mechanism, i like the way it turned out. incredibly simple. if i happen to lose the pin or something, i can use a bolt. im also looking for a way to tie the release in to my keyless entry, but more on that later.

[Seanz0rz]

status report: there is NO noise coming from the tire carrier what so ever. i expected some rattle or squeek, but absolutely nothing! im very excited by that!

ill update tomorrow with some more pictures. im not sure if ill get to work on it this weekend or not, but im holding off painting it until all of it is done. i will go rub some wd40 on it so it doesnt completely rust up, then spray it down with brake cleaner before i paint it.

im so pleased with it, and it looks wicked from the right rear 3/4 view, with the snorkel and all, because we all know im just a mall crawler now!

[Scuba]

Mall crawler extrodonair :flipoff:

[4x4mike]

i will go rub some wd40 on it so it doesnt completely rust up, then spray it down with brake cleaner before i paint it.

Sean, I'm sure you've seen this (http://www.brewracingframes.com/id75.htm) on other forums.

[Seanz0rz]

huh, interesting... thanks for that mike.

as you guys can see, all of my welding is outside and i tend to let stuff dry for a while before welding on it. maybe ill use something else this time though...

[4x4mike]

Just thought I'd pass it along. I guess the guy was experienced but sometimes it's the little things that get you. Just wanted you to be safe.

[CJM]

NO BRAKE CLEAN!!! EVEN NON CHLORINATED!!

I only use carb clean, alcohol can do the same job tho and does it well and dries fast. some denatured kind is best but rubbing will do in a pinch.

[corax]

Sean, I'm sure you've seen this (http://www.brewracingframes.com/id75.htm) on other forums.


Great info, thanks alot :thumbup:




NO BRAKE CLEAN!!! EVEN NON CHLORINATED!!

I only use carb clean, alcohol can do the same job tho and does it well and dries fast. some denatured kind is best but rubbing will do in a pinch.


x2 on the rubbing alcohol - even just for cost savings



. . . although sometimes I find a strong mix of ketone, acetone, xylene, muriatic acid, ammonia and clorox makes a wickedly effective cleaner for use in small enclosed areas :shake:
(standard disclaimer for the dumb-asses of the world: don't mix these - ever . . . oh yeah, and don't huff solvents)

[CJM]

^ That makes mustard gas lol... BTDT not again, HS chemistry class was never the same after some idiot did that and we had to E and E the entire school when it was snowing outside.

[Crinale]

haha, thats kinda funny.. bet everyone was pissed at that kid for making them stand out in the snow... :-P

[CJM]

haha, thats kinda funny.. bet everyone was pissed at that kid for making them stand out in the snow... :-P


Pretty much, almost killed the class too. I was out in the hall when it happened thank god. At least I had a clue, about 70% of the class had to be treated and is pretty ok these days. I think the kids family got sued too and the kid got expelled as well.

[Seanz0rz]

So, i finally got a 4 day weekend, so i tried my best to utilize that time and scratch another thing off my growing list of stuff to do.

when i "finished" my tire carrier, i never painted it. i planned on working on it the next weekend or weekend after. that quickly turned into several months. i tried my best to keep the rust off of it, but i failed at that.

here is what she looked like at the beginning of the weekend:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2385.jpg

i didnt take many photos of what was done, but here is a description and an after photo:

i was not happy with the way the tire looked at 90 degrees to the bumper, it looked far too factory for me. it was also somewhat hard to get the tire on. i decided that it needed to be tilted back. the rear hatch ranges from 60 to 70 degrees on the angled portion. i took the largest difference, cut it in half, and put the tire at 75 degrees, or 15 degrees from vertical. this was kind of hard working around what i had previously done, but i think it may actually look better this way. also, the rim would contact the diagonal support, but now has several inches of clearance. i also welded up the vertical bar closest to the hinges, which was cut because after welding it in, the metal contracted and would not fit on the tabs of the bumper. i also welded on tabs to mount my license plate and LED light. it was then cleaned up and coated in 2 heavy coats of rustoleum hammered silver. brushed of course, as the spray can fails to give satisfying results.

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2386.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2388.jpg

its very dark outside, so finished pictures will come in the morning.

next it frame and mounting reinforcement and finishing the opposite side of the carrier so i can finalize a latch mechanism! stay tuned!

[Seanz0rz]

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2389.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2390.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/rear%20bumper/IMG_2391.jpg

[CJM]

Looks good, but you shoulda painted it black imho.

[Seanz0rz]

so the time has come to finish up my bumper. in addition to a few mods to the actual bumper itself, i will be starting and finishing the passenger side swing out gate. goal is to secure my hi-lift, pullpal, & possibly a fuel can. my shovel will be attached to my spare tire.

here are a couple shots of what i have worked out in solidworks so far. first is what it will look like from the rear of the vehicle, second, more of a trimetric view of it.
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/Bumper_SwingArm1.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/Bumper_SwingArm2.jpg

hoping to get started on it this weekend. i will post up more progress of the solidworks sketches as i work on them. input is greatly appreciated! thanks for looking!

[Seanz0rz]

both are mockups of carrying a jerry can (actual fittings will be welded when i buy two metal cans)

here is what the back will look like (what faces the rear hatch):
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/Bumper_SwingArm3.jpg

and a right rear view:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/Bumper_SwingArm4.jpg

[DHC6twinotter]

Awesome! I like it! Does the pull-pal go under the cans?

[Seanz0rz]

it and the hi lift will fit in the space to the side of the cans.

[Seanz0rz]

so i worked on this a bit yesterday. took me most of the morning to find all my tools and then i ran into some other problems with part of it, so i didnt get as much done as i wanted.

my drawings:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2601.jpg

after wasting alot of time with something i shouldnt have... i got this done:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2605.jpg

heres how it will fold:
tire first:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2607.jpg

then right side up on top:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2608.jpg

there will be an angle that will overlap the tire carrier part, a safety pin will hold the two to the bumper, and a pinch lock (for lack of a better term right now) to take care of the actual securing.

also got the upper arm welded:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2609.jpg

by the time everything was cool enough to touch, it was time to pack up for the day. i feel like crap today, so now work for me other than cleaning the house!

hoping to get back to it next week. have some landscaping to take care of before i can weld again.

[Scuba]

Bout friggin time you finish this thing :P

Lookin good

[Seanz0rz]

FINALLY got a few days to work on this.

here is what i got done today: finished the main swing gate, and added one of the lower supports for the cage.

the left most support welded in:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2639.jpg

how it clears the rear tire:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2640.jpg

then i drilled a piece of angle so i could weld it to the lower arm:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2641.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2642.jpg

the right support burned in:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2643.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2644.jpg

[Seanz0rz]

here is how the two gates connect and the safety pin inserted:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2645.jpg

the lower cage being mocked up:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2647.jpg

tacked:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2648.jpg

all welded in:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2649.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2650.jpg


tomorrow ill finish up the cage and get the latch all welded in and finished. then, ALOT of grinding. this project will probably stretch into the weekend.

[Seanz0rz]

worked for a couple of hours today.

the other lower cage part was massively crooked, so i cut it apart and rewelded it:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2651.jpg

it got welded into place:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2652.jpg

a piece was added in between:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2653.jpg

then the upper tubes were mitered and tacked on. this took some tweaking to get everything square and such:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2654.jpg

then added the angled piece on the end which was a bit tricky.
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2655.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2656.jpg

stopped because i couldnt go any further without a fuel can. now that i have one, i can start mocking up where the hi lift, pull pal, fuel can, shovel, etc are going to go. that's a job for saturday though!

[Scuba]

Lookin good!

[freejake3]

Looks good Sean. Try turning down the wire speed a tad. Looks like your mounding your welds. Remember the closer the gap the stronger the weld and less material to use as filler. Great progress!! There's something to be said for fabbing stuff in your own huh?

[Seanz0rz]

thanks for the tips. i think i forgot to change my wire speed down from when i welded something else. the gaps are because its nearly impossible to make a perfect miter with an angle grinder in a short amount of time, plus, apparently my 45 degree magnet isn't 45 degrees so i had to massage them back to spec.

had a day off today, felt good. put 140 miles on the truck. tomorrow its back to work.

[freejake3]

"...its nearly impossible to make a perfect miter with an angle grinder..."


I heard that. I personally suck at a miter cut. Next time try one of the easiest methods out there, some heavy cardboard and a sharpie. This has gotten me really close and without the "Holy crap...I've gotta fill that gap" comments. Good luck.

[Seanz0rz]

http://www.harborfreight.com/hand-tools/squares/aluminum-rafter-angle-square-7718.html

i use one of those. it actually works great for straight and 45's, and pretty well for full angles. half angles and fiddely bits are where it starts to go down hill. none of them are load bearing at the moment. if they become so, ill add some fish plates to them to help with the enormous gaps.

[Seanz0rz]

got up early and spent a couple of hours figuring out where all my stuff should go. once i had a good idea of what went where, i added in another tube for the hi lift jack:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2657.jpg

then tacked in a plate to hold up the jack:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2658.jpg

added a diagonal to a bracket to secure the jack:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2659.jpg

the pin has been replaced by a welded in bolt. a wing nut will be used to secure it, and i have a cable lock that will be used to secure everything down on long trips.
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2660.jpg

here is how the pull pal sits at its base:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2661.jpg

i welded 2 .5" tubes to keep the bottom bolt in its location:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2664.jpg

i haven't quite figured out how to attach the top part yet. as it's something that isn't crucial at the moment, i can wait to figure that out.

here is the final picture of the day:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2665.jpg

everything has been welded up to this point. tomorrow ill remount it, create a latch, fuel can restraint, and some other finishing touches, then its ready for grinding, sanding, and paint!

oh, and i know about the quality of some of the welds. any suspect ones will be ground out and rewelded. i think i will be adding some plate gussets in a couple of places that im thinking are vulnerable to cracking. mainly where the cage attaches to the main tubes.

thanks for watching.

[troyboy162]

i done seen it with my own eyes! its lookin sexy!

[Seanz0rz]

thanks troy! thanks again for coming by.

im tired today, so let's talk about mounting the pull pal. i was thinking of something containing the smaller tube left and right, then two bolts that straddle the larger tube with a plate and wing nuts to cinch it all down. hard to describe on the internet i know. ill play around in solidworks for a bit and see if i can get some ideas up here. im so tired and burned out on welding and designing that i could use some help to avoid making a silly decision.

[4x4mike]

Maybe post a picture of the PP in the configuration you want to mount.

[Seanz0rz]

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2661.jpg

passenger side:
http://]http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2666.jpg

driver's side:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2667.jpg

from back:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2668.jpg

you see just how ungainly this thing is. its such an odd shape, how the heck to you mount this thing?
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2669.jpg

[Seanz0rz]

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/pullpalopen.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/pullpalclosed.jpg

the hinged portion would have a welded nut in the tube, and there would be a half inch bolt that would go through the tube on the cage and hold it all down tight. the only part im concerned about is lift up. but i dont know any good way to counteract that. i suppose i could remove one of the tubes at the base and put a flat plate ontop of the other to make a 'C' around the bottom bolt.

[freejake3]

Is that program your using for the design an engineering program in regards to structural strength, load weight distribution, etc....? If not, have you totaled the suspected full wieght including full gas cans and factored that into this build? Not being "that" guy; just don't want your junk to break in front of Mikey. haha. Seriously though, consider every possible scenario during the build in regards to suspected use. Can it handle washboards at high speed? Is there too much a$$ weight? All the PP I've seen have been mounted horizontallt....on a roof rack. Builg yourself a quality roof rack and you can mount all kinds of crap up there. I say move the PP somewheres else.

[Seanz0rz]

program is solidworks, and yes it can perform structural analysis. im confident it will hold up well to what i usually put the truck through.

i am strongly considering mounting the PP on the front bumper. but to do that, id need to make a higher tube so it didnt block my headlights, so i would have to find someone to bend me up some tube. im thinking i will hack off the lower pull pal mount and use that space for a removable ammo can to contain commonly used items offroad, and something that can be removed for daily driving. i really dont like putting things on the roof unless its like, a camp chair or something. having heavy things like that on the roof displeases me for lots of reasons.

[4x4mike]

It looks like it can work well the way you're planning. What about using an arm similar to what you have for the hi-lift? Then maybe a cable or caribiner through the hole in the top of the PP. I know you have that roof top basket. For as little as the PP will be used what about up there? That could free up some space in your cage.

[Seanz0rz]

yeah, im just not crazy where i have to place it on the rear bumper. i thought about lying it flat, but then it blocks my license plate. and i REALLY like where my license plate is at!

until i rework my front bumper tube, i can put it on the roof or in the cargo area for when i think i might need it.

my intentions for the cage were my hi lift, pull pal, up to 2 fuel cans, which i can still do (one will have to be strapped on top temporarily , one will fit properly for normal trips) and some sort of storage box. this would allow me to stash things like tow straps and shackles where i need them most when im on the trail, and can be removed for usual daily driving. for things like my jack, that needs to be on the vehicle 90% of the time. the other stuff is offroad only.

i think i succeeded in that list of requirements. it does impede on my departure angle a tad bit, and i thought of cutting it down. but with the wheeling i do, i dont see it ever being a problem.

today i have some other obligations, and i need to move the trailer out so i can start working on it too.

[4x4mike]

Busy guy. I like this kind of busy, trouble is finding time to get it done.

[Seanz0rz]

you dont even know the half of it! still have to remove everything from the garage, paint the floor, move everything back in while organizing it.

then there is the green house kit that is still in the box on the side of the house.

not to mention a new fence, landscaping, working on the vw, finishing the wiring on the house, finish the wiring in the garage, fixing my gas tank skid, etc. im forgetting alot of stuff on that list.

[04 Rocko Taco]

WE all have those lists. lol. :) Being a homeowner adds a lot to the "to-do" list. lol. I think we've just about got the garage fixed up, although I've got a few lighting, and electrical needs to deal with.
The upstairs is coming together too! The yard is a different story.....

[Seanz0rz]

here is the final chapter on this guy.

the latch mechanism was the final piece of the puzzle. i actually laid the ground work for this back when i started working on the passenger swing gate. i drilled a very large hole through the bumper and welded in a long, hardened nut. well. when i welded it in, i messed it up pretty bad. so i figured i would deal with it later and get started. now it was time to deal with it.

i started by drilling the threads out with a 9/16" bit, just to make it easier for the 5/8" bit. after a few minutes. the 5/8" bit was dull. apparently cutting hardened steel with hardened steel is a bad idea. go figure...

so i got my grinding stones out and went to work on it. between that, the dull drill, and my dremel, i got it done in about 4 or 5 hours. at the very end of the hole, i did this to the bit:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2670.jpg

luckily it was already nearly done and i finished up the last bit of it with my dremel. i then welded a nut on the back side:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2671.jpg

here is the hole, nice and smooth:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2672.jpg

here is the eye bolt installed:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2676.jpg

between that and grinding on the entire piece, my tuesday was gone with the wind.

[Seanz0rz]

wednesday, i started on the latch plate.

i cut a square hole in a piece of plate:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2673.jpg

got it all welded up with necessary support and such, here is a picture of the backside:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2674.jpg

finished off all the grinding, drilled some holes in the plate for the hi lift so water and dirt will drain away:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2675.jpg

cleaned it all up, prepped it for paint, and painted the sucker:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2677.jpg

ill let the paint cure out for a few days, then load it full of stuff.


up next:
Bumper reinforcements
reflectors, lighting
action shots!

thanks for watching, stay tuned!

[DHC6twinotter]

Looks awesome, Sean! :drool:

[Crinale]

sweet Sean! cant wait to see it next weekend at big bear :-D

[CYi5]

Nice work! I started my bruce-styled bumper the other day. Worth the effort, your take on it turned out well :).

One question..I know you can use the tow hitch to mark the holes on the brackets, but do you line up the leading edge? I haven't pulled it off yet so maybe the answer will pop out at me. Also, did you slot your holes?

[Seanz0rz]

its been so long, i dont remember. i think i took each individual bracket and used one side of the tow hitch to mark all the holes for both sides. i know i thought it through pretty well. i got the holes really close, but i had to grind them a bit to fit the bolts for the correct fitment. in that respect, they are slotted.

if i have time this week, i will work on the reinforcements. i probably wont as i have to get the trailer and my truck ready for big bear.

[Seanz0rz]

so i have my first failure.

this is the plate that my spare mounts to:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2706.jpg

you can see the 'n' shaped crack appearing through the paint, and those cracks extend further than what is visible.

here are shots of the back side:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2707.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2708.jpg

this plate was thin 11 gauge steel (~1/8") and i was concerned about using it originally. well now its come back to bite me. from 6 months of bouncing on the highway, the support tubing has finally punched a hole through the plate, directly in the heat affected zone.

so here is my remedy:

8" diameter, .25" thick plate, gusseted back to the support, with a diagonal support back to the arm of the swingout.

i am just very glad i noticed this before my tire fell off!

[Seanz0rz]

So today i got to fixing my broken tire carrier.

for you material science people, here is the failure:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2714.jpg

i stopped by the steel place a couple of days ago and picked up an 8" diameter, .25" plate. i drew up a template for the holes, printed to scale, and punched them in the steel, and drilled my holes to .5" for 3 wheel studs:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2709.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2711.jpg

i cut the old plate off the swingout:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2710.jpg

and welded the new one on with an extra tube back to the swing out:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2712.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2713.jpg

you'll notice the extra gusset on the top, hopefully that will help spread alot of that load back into the tube and not just the butt joint between the plate and tube. haha i said butt

creating that angled tube was the hardest part today. here is all the bits i cut off to get it perfect:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2715.jpg

and it's being painted right now:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2716.jpg


now stay tuned for the next installment of Sean gets REALLY dirty
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2717.jpg

[4x4mike]

Should hold up now. It's neat to see that payer of paint. I like the hammer paint because it's tough and you can pile it on.

I use these for my angles
http://www.empirelevel.com/specialty_tools/precision_tools/measuring_tools/

The 2791 and

the 2754
http://sporting-goods.pricegrabber.com/camping-knives-tools/General-837-6-Inch-Contour-Duplication-Gauge/m713542220.html

[Seanz0rz]

yeah i love that paint!

i can usually measure it no problem, but it was a compound miter and it was a weird fit anyway. i prefer to eyeball it. those pieces are great for filler or small tabs or the like.

[Seanz0rz]

got started working on my upgrades to the bumper itself.

welded these guys in:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2718.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2719.jpg

i cut these guys last year when i built the bumper, but never welded them in. they should help strengthen the towers and keep the flex down.

i also made these gussets to be welded on the back side:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2720.jpg

then i got to the horrible task of making the upper brackets for the bumper. 16 holes later, and i have my brackets and tabs ready.

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2722.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2723.jpg

got them tacked in. ignore the bolts with all the washers.
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2724.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2725.jpg

pulled the bumper off so i could weld all the tabs up and finish the tube for the towers and the gussets on the back, plus some other mods, and a new coat of paint that wont look like crap this time!
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2726.jpg

im sick of drilling holes. i think i only have two left.

thanks for watching. more to come tomorrow.

[Seanz0rz]

got up pretty early and finished the bumper.

here are the pieces welded to the back of the uprights. should give some more strength to them.
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2727.jpg

and here are the finished brackets for the top of the frame:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2728.jpg

those are the only two pictures i took today, honestly not really a picture day, more of a welding day.

bumper is sitting in the sun drying out from a good wash. ill go out and apply a few liberal coats of paint to it, then it will try to raise my taxes, which ill solve by bolting it to the back of my gas guzzler.

so glad to be done with welding and grinding and drilling. i also added two .5" holes just aft of the frame rails to let debris escape. i had about 2 pounds of Pismo back there, and it was causing some corrosion problems.

[Crinale]

haha... i dont even want to know how much Pismo i carry around with me >.< haha. nice to see u finally got it done with.

tbh, it would be really easy to add a small probably 2" square piece of sheet somewhere on the bumber with a .5" hole in it for mounting a whip flag to...

[Seanz0rz]

yeah it wouldnt be that hard, i just dont like welding things on my bumper that will only get used once a year.

plus, i'd like to put it up high, like on the roof rack.

well, paint is done on 95% of it. what's left is parts that are sitting on the jackstands or unreachable. once i get it bolted on in the morning, i can paint the rest of the areas. then i can reinstall my swingouts and all will be happy!

the repaint is something that is long overdue. i may do my sliders and finish my front bumper since i have the can out already.

[Seanz0rz]

This morning i reinstalled the bumper on the vehicle and did the last of the painting duties. i think it came out ok, some of the paint didnt turn out right, as it was drying in the can and i thinned it a bit too much.

anyway, i did a little house keeping on the back side of the bumper, where i didnt cut the main beam correctly to meet up with the side panels. so i got my trusty industrial duct tape (the real duct tape, not the stuff with the mesh in it) and taped it all up, except the bottom so any water in there will still drain, but it wont be a huge collection spot for debris.
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2729.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2730.jpg

today's motto: Ambitious but Rubbish (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGjWavtSaQk#)

i reinstalled my swing outs to find my towers moved after i welded them. quite a bit.

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2731.jpg

for the tire carrier, the left side in this picture should be on top of the plate on the right side.
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2732.jpg

for the fuel/hi lift carrier, the bolt in the picture should be in the middle of the square cut out.
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2733.jpg

so i guess i know what im doing tomorrow. plan is to cut the swing outs just past the hinge, realign to the new bumper, and weld them up. dont know what else i could do at this point. i cant tell visually that they moved any, except the evidence of the swingouts.

on a positive note, (just about the only positive of the day) the brackets on top of the frame really helped the movement i had on the bumper.

[troyboy162]

see your working out all the bugs before you go into mass production. the 4R world thanks you.

[Seanz0rz]

yeah.

i thought alot about producing these things, it might happen someday.

just sucks, i thought i was all done yesterday, and then i go to torque the bolts and find that neither of the doors fit, remotely.

so ive figured out where im going to cut, got up fricken early so i can cut at exactly 8AM. im tired.

[Seanz0rz]

fixed.

for the tire carrier:

cut the top tube and that was enough to get it where i needed it:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2754.jpg

pushed it onto the mid support, and welded it:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2759.jpg

the fuel/hi lift carrier was a bit of a different story. after cutting the top tube, it still wasnt even close. so i cut the top and sides of the bottom tube, but it still wasnt quite there. i had to cut the outer tube of the cage to get it to go where i wanted. pushed it onto the mid support, clamped the tubes and welded:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2755.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2756.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2757.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2760.jpg






yay!!!! they fit!!!!
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2758.jpg

so just waiting for it all to cool down, then ill go grind the welds, touch up the paint, reinstall all the bits like license plate, cb antenna, tire, hi lift and fuel can, and its good.

also in the cards for today. i found out up at big bear that i cannot open the swingouts with the pintle installed. i just need to clearance a bit of it about half an inch.

[Whitey]

What are you using to make the cuts? What type of grinding discs?

[Seanz0rz]

just the standard harbor freight cut off disks on a 4.5" craftsman professional angle grinder. in fact, thats what i have used to build the entire bumper. i have a 14" chop saw but i dont like it. i am faster and more precise with an angle grinder.

[Crinale]

ya, Sean's hardcore... no plasma cutter for him :-P

[Seanz0rz]

Lance (goodtimes) suggested i add a piece to the backside of the swing outs to i dont get a failure at the cut and weld point. i went a step further and used some tube scraps to make angles and welded them on the back and top of each top tube of the swing outs:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2761.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2762.jpg

not the prettiest solution in the world, but it beats building the swing outs all over again.


something i forgot when i had the bumper, and im really upset at myself for forgetting, was loops for my safety chains. until now i have just looped them around the bumper beam. a friend gave me about a food of super heavy chain:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2763.jpg

so i cut out two links and welded them to the back side of the tube:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2764.jpg

so now im waiting for it to cool so i can hit it with a wire brush, then clean it all up and paint it. still have to reinstall my license plate, cb antenna, reroute an airbag hose and my trailer harness.

now the next step will be some lighting, but that will come when i find the right lights. also on the to-do list is a step by step how i built this bumper web page. i kind of want to collect all my projects in one place, and potentially provide a bunch of stuff to the wiki at the same time.

[Seanz0rz]

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2765.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2766.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2767.jpg

so who wants me to build them one?

[YotaFun]

Dibbs!
I call the first one you make next!

[Seanz0rz]

Added some reflective tape:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2773.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_2772.jpg

no excuse to rear end me now...

[X-Tool Pimp]

^ I want to hit it just to see how strong it really is :rofl:

[Seanz0rz]

:flipoff:

actually a couple of weeks ago i jackknifed my trailer into the right panel and drug the trailer down the street while trying to get it in the driveway in heavy traffic. just some scratched paint!

[Seanz0rz]

After a year and a half and I have an update!

Finally got around to adding a shovel mount:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_3873.jpg

I just drilled and tapped some holes for the machine screws that hold on the quick fists. fits great in that spot and does not conflict with the rear hatch any.

Next, I did something I've wanted to do since way before I built my bumper or put swingouts on. I finally have two fold down tables!
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_3871.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_3872.jpg

There is also one on the other swing out (not pictured). They are made of wire baskets that came on lawn wagons for flowers and stuff. I cut the "mesh" to fit, used some small tubing holders like you would use for brake or fuel lines on a chassis. The supports are (for now) para-cord that I can adjust to make the table level on irregular terrain. It is plenty good for quick food prep or holding some light tools and parts. They are getting a coat of hammer paint now and I will mount them up when the rains are done.

here is the clearance between the swingouts and hatch now:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_3874.jpg

Thanks for looking!

[corax]

Looks good man :thumbup:

BTW - Hope you guys like the KIA. If you guys ever have an issue with it let me know, I still have corp. friends in your neck of the woods

[4x4mike]

Looks good Sean. I miss a tailgate and wish I had something like that sometimes. I'm sure you've seen all the ones online I've seen. I always thought some held in place with magnets would be cool.

[Ric]

Ive said it before, and Im saying it again, You guys with these fab skills, I hate you, lol j/k looks good :thumbup:

[Seanz0rz]

Keith, thanks. we love the KIA. it drives SOOO nice!

Mike, I've seen a few on the internet, some fold down shelves attached to a land cruiser barn door were the inspiration for this. wanted something super light and simple, just to hold a stove or plates, etc.

Ric, thanks! the tables only required some cutting, drilling and tapping. super simple to integrate, and they would be possible on just about any swing out tire carrier. you could do a cool one that is super strong and the full width.

these used some parts i had lying around. i will probably switch the para-cord to some small wire rope eventually.

[Seanz0rz]

here they are finished up:

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_3875.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_3876.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_3877.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_3878.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_3879.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_3882.jpg

the right one is a thinner wire, but is remarkably sturdy for what it is.

total cost:
much less than 10 bucks for hardware, and half a can of spray paint and a few feet of paracord. certainly the cheapest mod ive done to the truck!

[Seanz0rz]

Finally figured out how to get 2 fuel cans on the rear bumper!

welded in a thin-wall tube to support the bottom of the can:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_3883.jpg
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Rear%20Bumper/IMG_3884.jpg

super simple, both cans will be strapped down with ratchet straps. I will eventually find a better solution, but this works for now.

couple of coats of paint and it's done!

[Seanz0rz]

Decided today that the skid plates, sliders, and rear bumper need paint!

I also had some issues to fix with my swing outs.

The latching mechanism has partially worn through the plate it holds down, so I added some strips of metal to beef that area up and get a little more mileage out of it until I switch to a better latching mechanism.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7318/9718676133_51e7d50627_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/98550067@N07/9718676133/)

I also had a crack in the tire carrier. It was actually more of an area of a joint that was welded with poor penetration and ground flat. I noticed the little line of rust popping up under the paint. I ground that out and re-welded it. I won't be grinding it flat for the time being.
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2832/9718676785_99aa16eac6_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/98550067@N07/9718676785/)

Everything will get cleaned up and painted tomorrow, then reassembled next week to let the paint cure out. Hopefully this will keep the rust from Pismo at bay!

[4x4mike]

It's amazing how long it takes for the brush on hammer paint to cure. I think I read on Expo that it's like 3 weeks. I know that I've put on a decent coat and let it sit in the summer sun for a couple days and it can still be soft enough to put a finger print in.

Since I've been off of work I removed my roof rack, bike rack and roof rails for paint with the spray hammer paint. All that stuff stayed in the sun for a week of near 100 degree temps and it looks ok. I had to touch up the bike rack because I missed a few spots so that cure time has started over.

[troyboy162]

someday I'm gonna steal your shelf idea!

[Seanz0rz]

Troy, the shelfs are so awesome! I have them off right now for paint and to improve some aspects of them. They will get put back on in a few months.

As for the hammer paint taking FOREVER to dry, I had stuff that was a month old and it still picked up a fingernail press.

[Seanz0rz]

Fixed the biggest problem with my shovel mount:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7366/9794082086_18c3954e99_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/98550067@N07/9794082086/)

The old style, the shovel would slide down in the mounts. This should be much better!

Painting is done, etc. This should get me through another year or so.

[Good Times]

looks sexy!