I recently added a Warn winch to my Landcruiser and needed something to replace the stock front bumper. It's been awhile since I've done any fab work and I'm a bit rusty, but I decided to break out the tube bender and fire up the welder. The build isn't 100% perfect, some of the welds look pretty poor and I don't think it's all perfectly straight, but it's good enough.
My goal for the build was to create a bumper that was light-weight (to a degree) and offered good front-end protection. I had a lot of scrap and extra tube in the garage, so I used what I had. The main tube and center hoop is 1.5" Schedule 40 pipe and the rest is 1.25" HREW. Yep... I'm using PIPE!
Here's the stock bumper and what I had to work with after installing the winch and winch plate.
I had a piece of tube that I bent up a few years ago for my old 4Runner, I didn't like the way it was turning out so I put it aside and started another. This old piece of tube had 4 bends in it and after setting it up on the Landcruiser, it looked like a good fit... except for it being a bit short. I chopped it in the center, sleeved the inside and added 5". I checked it again and it looked good!
Next I took a piece of plate steel and build the frame side mounts. I took the hole saw to it and made a place for the main tube to sit, the punched out the holes to bolt the mount to the frame. I added another long piece of plate up top, to box in the frame side mount. I also drilled some holes to mount the bumper from the top. Next came the bottom stringers, they tie into the ends of the bumper on the bottom and were welded to the side frame mounts. It's starting to look like something!
Next up was the center hoop, again out 1.5" pipe. I didn't want any part of the bumper to block the headlights, so I followed the lines of the grill, just on the inside of it. I also didn't want the hoop to sit out too far, so I kicked it back a bit. Picture of the frame mounts too.
The last main parts of the bumper were the headlight hoops. I wanted something a bit lighter than the main hoop, so I went back to the 1.25" HREW. I bent up the headlight hoops, notched them and just as I started to tack them on, I ran out of gas. I got as far as I could, but had to end there for the day.
I'm about 75% done, still have some more metal to add, grinding to do and finish welding up my tacked joints. There are also light tabs that will go on, to mount the HID's. Hopefully some black paint will complete the look and pull it all together. I'm pleased with how it has turned out so far, hopefully it will provide the protection I want and last a long time. I'll update this thread with pictures of the finished product after I refill my MIG gas.
Better yet, a tube bender... I'm using a JD Squared Model 3 tube bender with a 1 5/8" die. That size die bends 1.5" Schedule 40 perfectly... or 1 5/8" tube. Pipe is measured by the ID while Tube is measured by the OD, so the OD of both is quite similar. This way I can do pipe and tube with one die. I build bumpers and sliders with pipe because it's cheap and heavier wall, then use HREW or DOM for cages. Best of both worlds.
Looks great. Just a thought, you might want to add some sheet metal to fill in the bottom "triangles" to hide some stuff.
Thanks!
I've considered that, it's still an option at this point. It would be real cool to add a light piece of steel with some dimple dies. I do plan on painting the bottom of the sheetmetal black, so the random sheetmetal that you can see behind the bumper will blend in a bit better than the white stuff.
Looks great! Do you want to sell your old stock bumper? PM me if you do!
PM on the way.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaoscruizer
Sweet! .. looks great!
Thanks!
As promised here's photos of the finished bumper. I added the light tabs, did the final welding and painted it. I also blacked out the sheetmetal behind and under the main bumper tube and I think I'm going to leave it open. The paint finish on the bumper turned out really poor, I cleaned the tube but didn't get all the oils off. It looks super crappy, but it's just a bumper. The increased approach angle is quite nice, I had gotten into the stock bumper more than a few times. Next up is adding some synthetic winch rope and a matching smaller fairlead to get rid of that massive roller fairlead.
I like the "Reverse Stinger" look, something new I haven't seen. Great job!
__________________ Work as if you were to live a hundred years, pray as if you were to die tomorrow.
~ Benjamin Franklin
1997 FZJ80 (Big Plans VS Small Wallet)
1996 FZJ80 (gone)
1985 FJ60 (gone)
1976 FJ40 (gone)
1973 FJ40 (gone
Nice work Greg. Look good. Maybe I'll see it in person one of these days.
I appreciate it Adam, we'll have to try get out on the trail some day... I'd love to see your FZJ and trail trailer in action!
Quote:
Originally Posted by jlg32281
I have got to get a real bumper soon.
DIY...
Quote:
Originally Posted by PRAYN4U
I like the "Reverse Stinger" look, something new I haven't seen. Great job!
Thanks, it's really grown on me too. I wanted the bumper to be light & tight and tipping the hoop back towards the hood looked best IMO. The best part is that no part of the bumper is visible from the drivers seat and the headlights aren't blocked at all.
I got as far as I could, but had to end there for the day. 
I'm using a JD Squared Model 3 tube bender with a 1 5/8" die. That size die bends 1.5" Schedule 40 perfectly... or 1 5/8" tube. Pipe is measured by the ID while Tube is measured by the OD, so the OD of both is quite similar. This way I can do pipe and tube with one die. I build bumpers and sliders with pipe because it's cheap and heavier wall, then use HREW or DOM for cages. Best of both worlds. 
SUMMIT CRUISERS
1975 Red FJ40 with 1966 M416 trailer
1978 Dark Green Metallic FJ40
1980 Dune Beige FJ40
1992 Dune beige with classic white top
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