Front Bumper Ideas

[Moose]

OK, so I've decided to get my feet wet and do something with my front bumper.

Here are my issues (the ones that are relevant to this discussion; my many other issues aren't part of this ):

(1) Can't cost more than a couple hundred dollars in material
(2) I have the ability to have another person assemble/weld it
(3) I want something stout and basic
(4) I'm not afraid to have it be a little ugly if it meets condition (3) above
(5) I am not going to have a winch so a winch tray is not part of the equation.

Those things said, what are people's opinions on reinforcing the existing bumper rather than building an entirely new bumper? I'm thinking of doing the following:

(1) Buttress front and side edges of factory bumper with 1/4" steel welded to existing metal
(2) Weld 3/8" steel to bottom surface of bumper (currently "open") to allow for a jacking point
(3) Strengthen existing bumper mounts by welding square tubing outside existing bumper mounts -- to allow bumper to mount farther back on frame horns.

Any opinions?


Thanks!


Andy

 

[redrover51]

Bumper DO!

I would try it, and make the attempt with your mind on the integrity of the strengh, and look. Asthetics are what drive this design conscious planet, so give-em what they want! THINK about what you are diong, then do it in cardboard, if it looks good, give it a shot. You are doing what most designers do in the conceptual stage...building a "proto-type"! A small budget dosn't have to limit the quality of the finished product. Just PAY ATTENTION TO DETAILS. Round edges, keep the overall design simple, and above all, don't get discouraged, (lots of black spray-paint helps) Do make your first templates with stiff cardboard (it bends too!) and put it together very carefully. Take your time...a job worth doing, is worth diong right the first time. I really want to see your finished project. You might have come up with a great new idea!...Every-one will want one! You won't be able to keep up with production orders, and you won't have time to use your winch....just build it for your-self, and show it to the people that care...US...Good success!

 

[Slam]

I prefer the look of the safari guard bar much more than the ARB bar. I think strength is important, but you are really not building a tank. The safari guard style is strong, yet much smaller than the ARB. Try to get as much approach angle as possible, and if possible, mount 3 HELLA 4000's. That would be hot. I am sure you can do it for a few hundred dollars.

You should ask Marc Olivares, one of our members. He makes this kind of stuff all of the time, and could give you some really good input.

 

[Moose]

I think I might just try this...I have access to steel, and a person (future father-in-law) to weld it, and why the hell not give it a shot? At the worst I

(1) screw it up and build another or buy an RTE bumper or
(2) realize 6 months from now I don't like it (see #1)



I'll certainly let y'all know what happens here...


Andy

 

[Slam]

I think I might just try this...

I noticed in the new gallery that you used to have the standard brush bar on your rig. Have you thought about using the old bar and welding it onto a slim bottom bar like the safari bar? Does that make sense?

Yeah, I like the look of the safari gard bars.

 

[Moose]

I actually don't have a brush bar anymore. I removed the brush bar a couple years ago when I traded a guy for an A-frame, which I sold last summer. Right now all I have is a bumper.

I've added a few pics I took today so you can see the bumper as it exists today. You can also tell I haven't put the new springs in the front yet -- I've got the dragster look going for now!

 

[discomike]

Front Bumper Ideas.

Moose,
I saw your posting regarding front bumpers, their costs, strengths and all the other stuff.
I understand you aren't going to use a winch but I thought I would send you a picture of my bumper with all it's extra support. You have to remove the crumple zone or no matter what you do you will still not have any strength.
As you can see by the attached picture I replaced the crumple tubes with box steel and added a sub frame which fits up and between the frame.
This is so strong, I actually pull a Disco up the side of a canyon wall about 40 feet below me after they did a nose dive into the canyon, thats another picture though.
This may not be what your looking for but it may give you some ideas, trust me, there is not a stronger front D2 bumper out there, maybe overkill but stong and different.
Mike J.

 

[Moose]

I thought I would send you a picture of my bumper with all it's extra support. You have to remove the crumple zone or no matter what you do you will still not have any strength. As you can see by the attached picture I replaced the crumple tubes with box steel and added a sub frame which fits up and between the frame. This is so strong, I actually pull a Disco up the side of a canyon wall about 40 feet below me after they did a nose dive into the canyon, thats another picture though. This may not be what your looking for but it may give you some ideas, trust me, there is not a stronger front D2 bumper out there, maybe overkill but stong and different.

Mike, do you have some other pics you could post here or email me? I'm assuming there will be some differences (you have a d2 and a winch), but I'm glad to see that someone has done this before!

It's not that I'm in love with the factory shape, or design -- I'm just trying to keep it simple and this might be a solution until I have the funds for a entirely new bumper...

Thanks,


Andy

 

[Slam]

How is the bumper coming? Have you looked at materials, or talked to your father in law?

 

[Moose]

I talked with him last night. What I think we're going to do is simply (ha ha) beef up the existing bumper. I'm going to go Saturday to a steel supplier near me and talk to them about materials and costs. Then it'll be time to start making some cardboard cutouts to rough in what I want.

Mike sent me some pictures that are helpful, and although I'm aiming at something different than his bumper he's given me a lot of ideas.

I'll definitely post updates as things progress.