4x4 Labs DIY rear bumper

MaddBaggins · 02-25-07, 05:04 PM

I spent saturday and half of sunday working on my rear bumper. I ordered the parts from Luke at 4x4 Labs as a part of the CSC group buy that Kevin set up. Thanks Tools!
It doesn't fit perfectly and I didn't expect it to. I've done enough work to know that just because he made these parts to fit an 80 series, he didn't have MY truck in front of him when he made them. I required a little extra grinding, some filler welding and lots more grinding and some thought to pull it off.
****not a rip on Lukes stuff at all. I want to make that clear**** Just the opposite, for a guy sending me a bunch of parts thru the mail, this kit was damn near perfect. It wasn't meant to be "bolt-on" . It does require some fab to make it happen. Thanks Luke! Now if you could post some detail pics of the tire carrier and gas can carrier for me and any important words of wisdom about the construction of them, I can knock those out. **HINT-HINT**

I spent ALL day saturday cutting off the old stuff and fitting the new parts, grinding tweeking and fitting again. Then finally tacked in the recovery points, made sure they were right, then turned up the heat and burned em in. Then fit the center piece and tacked it in. Pulled the whole thing off and began the lengthy process of welding the whole damn thing, inside and out. Got 99% of the welding done saturday and called it quits. Sunday, I finished off the welding, moved the whole thing outside and started the grinding, a little more welding, more grinding, then put on the flap disc sander and did some blending. The only thing the kit didn't have was hoops for trailer chains to hook to. I welded in 2 short pieces of #4 rebar from the brace to the center piece to provide a place to hook the chains. Cleaned it all up with carb cleaner and primered it. Thats the way it now sits on my rig.
Any way, on to the pictures

MaddBaggins · 02-25-07, 05:09 PM

more pics

MaddBaggins · 02-25-07, 05:16 PM

and some more

You can see the rebar I added to catch trailer chains

MaddBaggins · 02-25-07, 05:19 PM

last 3 for now

You can see the hole I had to cut out for my exhaust to blow thru. It's not stock exhaust, stock would end up blowing out the back, I think.

I measured the ride height after I cut off all the stock stuff and again after installing the bumper. It went down 3/8". So I didn't lose much height at all. I forgot to measure before I cut off the stock stuff, so the 3/8" I got would probably have been closer to 1/4" cause the stock stuff was close to 50 lbs.

MaddBaggins · 02-25-07, 05:36 PM

Thanks to Luke! I'm more than happy with this kit. I really appreciate all your hard work to get these parts to us and how close they were to perfect for a truck you have never seen before.
Thanks to Kevin for taking on the task of setting up the group buy and handling lots of questions. You da man.
Thanks Ross for transport and help. I don't care what everyone else says about you, you're cool with me!
Thanks to my beautiful wife for letting me buy a new welder with enough juice to do this. Not sure why, but she loves me!

And special thanks to Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, now that the welding/grinding is done, I'm on #5 right now and catchin a nice buzz

Tools R Us · 02-25-07, 07:17 PM

Looking good! The exhaust hole is way

!

GeoRoss · 02-25-07, 08:10 PM

Looks great Alvin!!!!

Me next!!!!!!

brittan · 02-25-07, 08:35 PM

Thanks for post'n up Alvin...and being the first to jump off the edge of the world so we can see how it's done.

phoenixrider · 02-26-07, 09:17 AM

Nice - one question I have for these types of bumpers with the 'flush' trailer reciever - how do you get the pin in? I've not seen one of these bumper types in person so just curious.

GeoRoss · 02-26-07, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phoenixrider

Nice - one question I have for these types of bumpers with the 'flush' trailer reciever - how do you get the pin in? I've not seen one of these bumper types in person so just curious.

If you look at on of the pics of the underside of the bumper you can see the reciever as it passes through. There is a hole there for the bolt. You just have to reach under there to bolt it in.

Tools R Us · 02-26-07, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phoenixrider

Nice - one question I have for these types of bumpers with the 'flush' trailer reciever - how do you get the pin in? I've not seen one of these bumper types in person so just curious.

The pin is installed from under the truck, they are designed with great angles, clearance for wheeling, not ease of trailering.

MaddBaggins · 02-26-07, 06:50 PM

Come on in fellers! The water is fine!

I think we are startin Ross' bumper on saturday. I'll show ya how to do some welding and I'll weld whatever you're not comfortable with, but you're manning the grinder my friend. Thats the part where I sit back and drink buddy.

I need to hog out that exhaust port some more. Some of the primer has burned off and that side of the bumper gets warm.

GeoRoss · 02-26-07, 07:03 PM

Hey Brittan,

FYI on what room there is. From the trailer hitch cross brace of the bumper to the next frame cross brace is 24". The inner width from bumper wing to bumper wing is 41".

I hope that tank fits.

Ross

brittan · 02-26-07, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoRoss

Hey Brittan,

FYI on what room there is. From the trailer hitch cross brace of the bumper to the next frame cross brace is 24". The inner width from bumper wing to bumper wing is 41".

I hope that tank fits.

Ross

She'll fit...I got a BFH...

GeoRoss · 02-26-07, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brittan

She'll fit...I got a BFH...

If I get some permission, Alvin and I will do mine this weekend.

MaddBaggins · 02-28-07, 08:51 AM

I'm gonna take it off this weekend and do some more grinding and redo a couple welds. I can definitely make it look a bit better.

splitshot · 03-01-07, 07:07 AM

Nice job Alvin!
Can't wait to finish glueing rock to my shower walls so I can get started on mine.

So, you guys going to powder coat?
That silver hammered finish would look awsome.....

MaddBaggins · 04-08-07, 04:12 PM

All finished with mine last week and Ross and I banged his out this weekend, All He needs to do now is maybe a little grinding and paint it.
It seems that in some point in my rigs life it had been rear ended. Thus a few of the difficulties in putting together my bumper. Ross' was cake compared. That alone is a real good reason to assemble this bumper on your rig and not buy it already done. After doing the first one the second was real easy and my welds were much prettier. Pretty welds for Ross'

rig.

Pics of Ross'

MaddBaggins · 04-08-07, 04:19 PM

Pics of mine

It looks great. the first day it was done I put my gas cans in there and drove around like a poser ( you know those guys who take their spare gas cans everywhere, their usually driving jeeps, you know those guys).

GeoRoss · 04-08-07, 04:57 PM

You Rock Alvin!!!

I am so happy!!!!!

Although in typical

fashion, you forgot to tuck my trailer light wires back up.

Tools R Us · 04-08-07, 09:04 PM

You guys suck, I didn't get anything done on mine this weekend.

BwardeAZ · 04-08-07, 11:35 PM

Those really turned out clean Nice work!

Tools R Us · 04-14-07, 11:04 AM

Tools R Us · 04-14-07, 01:53 PM

More scrap!

GeoRoss · 04-14-07, 04:24 PM

Done yet?

Tools R Us · 04-14-07, 08:17 PM

On mine the wings and bar are welded, fitting the tow stuff, welding Rob's now.

GeoRoss · 04-14-07, 08:31 PM

Looking Good!!!!

Tools R Us · 04-15-07, 11:55 AM

Didn't get out of there till 1AM, didn't shoot pix, so here are a few daylight ones. Big thanks to Phil for stopping by to help.

All of the structure on mine is done, just needs the side tubes. Rob got a late start, his wings and crossbar are welded and ground, we are going to try to get the receiver and recovery parts in one night this week and the swing next Sat.

On mine the frame rails were a little narrow, had to move the recovery points slightly closer together and shorten the receiver support tube. Very happy with the kit, very little grinding, fitting needed to make the parts fit and the resulting bumper is way

! What a great project, lots of work, but very rewarding, Thanks Luke!

Tools R Us · 04-15-07, 12:09 PM

Mine is the poverty pack, plain bar, so there is a gap between the bumper and bottom of the tailgate, allowing a view of the trucks underwear. With a swing it wouldn't be noticeable, looking at putting a filler panel to clean it up.

Also looking at putting some mount tabs on the front of the wings to hold mud flaps and possibly trim the stock plastic panels to fit, cleaning up the fender wells and reducing the mud and debris that get into the wing area.

MaddBaggins · 04-15-07, 01:17 PM

Way to go!

I can't wait to see Ross' next week. He sent it out for powdercoat. What are you guys doing with yours?
I lost enough height in the rear that I'm considering slapping in the J's in the rear before Moab. And Ross and I still need to get offroad and test his Aussie.