sl33p3's 4x4labs bumper building adventure

[sl33p3]

so today is the day i started the path of no return... start with one plain ol stock perfectly good 80 rear bumper.

add a healthy dose of caffeine, impact driver, cutoff wheels and a sawzall...

still time to turn back.

last chance,

Enter sawzall and cutoff discs for those factory welds on the crossmember...
ok now it's more difficult, and that looks quite permanent,

very permanent...

all cleaned up and ready to build. LOOK AT ALL THAT ROOM under there!

begin wrestling with shells and wings... oh and off come the flares...

add more bits for fit check

running out of steam for the day, just about ready for tacking, better walk away before i do soemthing dumb.

about 4 hours total to this point, 2 hours to unbolt, cut grind and repaint the frame ends, and a couple hours wrestling with shells, taking off flares, and chasing my tail...

to be continued...

 

[sl33p3]

day 2,
after a couple more hours of grinding and pulling with ratchet straps trying to tweak seams in, (there is only so much tweaking you can do to 1/4" steel, and removing it isn't always the answer ). i got all gaps to sub 1/8", it was not easy and i wish i could have gotten them better, but since i can reach the back of the joint i'll likely try to fill it there first and hope i can make the front pretty... still have this increasingly lofty goal to not grind any welds, but more on that later...

here is the pile of parts i havent' started using yet, all spindles, swingarms and their attachments...

all tacked up and off the truck...

on the burning station...

all the free practice areas where you wont' see unless you are laying under it... that spatter comes right off with a wire rope wheel.

these are some of my best work.... i was all ready for the primetime!

so decide to move to the "pretty or grind" seams and the wheels fall off the wagon... ran out of wire mid run, helmet is acting up, won't switch on then won't switch off, and it just goes downhill on the importants seams. i might end up grinding... i am no professional, and didn't expect them to look that way, but they were going so good when i wasn't thinking about it... but these might really even be below my standards, have to see what i think after some bourbon and a night of sl33p... might end up getting out the grinding wheel... at least i'll have a few good beads i'll leave alone underneath...

this is where i left it, to think about what i'd done...

i have the main angled side seams still to do and that is about it on the main shell... maybe tomorrow with a fresh head.

then it goes back on the truck to set the spindles and the side tube wing tops... i'll also get to see how much everything moved on me... and then build the swingarms...

 

[jstncse]

ooooooh, that's nice

 

[1911]

That's going to be nice bumper I can tell already. Never dreamed that you could get that much departure angle out of an 80! Well worth all the cutting and etc. Can't wait to see it finished.

 

[Rudical]

Looks good John! You know I could have left my 80 up there for you pracitce putting that bumper on first. Of course we would have to take it for a test drive when you are done.

 

[sl33p3]

oh yeah and this is what it might look like when i'm done... i'm doing tire on driver side and then a sleeved ladder on the other side, that way i can bolt a jerry can holder to the ladder for trips...

Rear Bumpers | 4×4 Labs

 

[DanS HJ-45]

Man, that's a nice looking bumper. Funny though: I was doing the same for Dad's 60, with the same goal of not having to grind any of the welds. Was going real well for me.... Until I ran out of shielding gas in the welder. D'oh!

Very, very nice!

Dan

 

[sl33p3]

Man, that's a nice looking bumper. Funny though: I was doing the same for Dad's 60, with the same goal of not having to grind any of the welds. Was going real well for me.... Until I ran out of shielding gas in the welder. D'oh!

Very, very nice!

Dan

Ruh roh! I still have shield gas, assuming I turned off the valve... Going out now to check at least I thought to buy a second roll of wire when I was buying the welder...

Where do you refill? I bought my 211 and the other stuff I needed at argyle, in town off comanche, very happy there.

I dig the 60 bumper, did you cut it all there our buy a kit? I know luke makes the same kit as I bought for a 60 but you are a good way down your path, nicely done dan, as usual!

Swypo'd from my droid using IH8MUD

 

[DanS HJ-45]

Ruh roh! I still have shield gas, assuming I turned off the valve... Going out now to check at least I thought to buy a second roll of wire when I was buying the welder...

You have a 211 and bought a second roll? A roll of 0.030 lasts about 4 years at our pace. A tank of gas about 2-3 years. I don't shut our tank valve off.

Where do you refill? I bought my 211 and the other stuff I needed at argyle, in town off comanche, very happy there.

Matheson. Also very pleased with their service since we've been buying stuff from them for the past 8+ years.

I dig the 60 bumper, did you cut it all there our buy a kit? I know luke makes the same kit as I bought for a 60 but you are a good way down your path, nicely done dan, as usual!

It is a kit from Teton Cruisers (FourRunner). It's all welded together, no bends in the major sheet metal. That's why I went through the gas so quickly--it's probably 35 feet of weld bead to put it together. On the plus side, the shop gets nice and toasty welding that much 1/4", eh? I've got to finish the bumper itself (that should only take an hour or two--you can see the beads are all finished inside and tacked outside), and then figure out what to do for the tire swingout.

I might have to swing by when I'm home next to peek at your swingouts to get some ideas...

Dan

 

[sl33p3]

You have a 211 and bought a second roll? A roll of 0.030 lasts about 4 years at our pace. A tank of gas about 2-3 years. I don't shut our tank valve off.

well i burned the 2lb roll of .030 that came with it... i've done a few hours of bead practice before diving into the bumper, but yes, 2lbs of wire in a week

Matheson. Also very pleased with their service since we've been buying stuff from them for the past 8+ years.

good to know!

It is a kit from Teton Cruisers (FourRunner). It's all welded together, no bends in the major sheet metal. That's why I went through the gas so quickly--it's probably 35 feet of weld bead to put it together. On the plus side, the shop gets nice and toasty welding that much 1/4", eh? I've got to finish the bumper itself (that should only take an hour or two--you can see the beads are all finished inside and tacked outside), and then figure out what to do for the tire swingout.

I might have to swing by when I'm home next to peek at your swingouts to get some ideas... Dan

holy crap, all 1/4" plate? i'd guess it does need a bead inside and out! did you have to do much grinding to get seams the way you like them? i think i could have had mine dialed if i could just add a little more angle to the final bend on the wings (there are 4 total)... my only chance would have been cutoff wheel to score the inside, mangle and then run an interior bead on the score, but it doesn't fit that badly once i strapped it all, and now that i'm pretty sure i'm going to grind bead, i know it will all be structural enough. mine should be ~250lbs when all is said and done, but i cut 75 lbs off the truck so net isn't too bad for the protection upgrade. the wings on mine are 1/4" and the main shell is 3/16", the square tube to brace the receiver and such are a heavy wall box, guessing 3/16" or so... along with the swingarms. luke's double needle bearing spindle assemblies have got to be 10lbs+ each too, but i dont' think they will wiggle

and you are always welcome to come out, gimme a shout when you are back and we can go from there... i think you have my cell?

 

[Daisy 53]

Looking real good buddy!!
Now all I need is an 80 and a bumper kit!

Daisy

 

[sl33p3]

Looking real good buddy!!
Now all I need is an 80 and a bumper kit!

Daisy

Baby steps buddy.. I suggest getting that badass workbench you have anchored to the wall first. ;D

Swypo'd from my droid using IH8MUD

 

[DanS HJ-45]

well i burned the 2lb roll of .030 that came with it... i've done a few hours of bead practice before diving into the bumper, but yes, 2lbs of wire in a week

Ahh, 2lb spool, that explains it. I go big (25 or 30lb spools).

holy crap, all 1/4" plate? i'd guess it does need a bead inside and out!

I don't think it needs a full bead inside for strength, but for rust prevention I think it's a good idea. Smooth surfaces don't collect dirt, at least that's my theory.

did you have to do much grinding to get seams the way you like them? i think i could have had mine dialed if i could just add a little more angle to the final bend on the wings (there are 4 total)... my only chance would have been cutoff wheel to score the inside, mangle and then run an interior bead on the score, but it doesn't fit that badly once i strapped it all, and now that i'm pretty sure i'm going to grind bead, i know it will all be structural enough.

I haven't touched a grinder yet. I positioned all of the gaps so that I could have nice even beads, which is easier when the bumper is made of a bunch of smaller plates (there are 10 total plates side to side). Over the past few years though, I've become quite adept at fixing my grinding errors with the weld bead though.

and you are always welcome to come out, gimme a shout when you are back and we can go from there... i think you have my cell?

I should.

Dan

 

[ToyotaDon]

Subscribed to spectate.

You picked the same setup I got. Sorry, can't help you out with the welding expertise, I has none.

Mine is still just in shell form, until my welder buddy has the time to get the swingouts done. Of course, I'm also supposed to be helping him get his truck smogged.

Carry on.

 

[sl33p3]

Ahh, 2lb spool, that explains it. I go big (25 or 30lb spools).

lol, apparently i should as well, maybe when this 2lb spool is done. do you have a big E bottle too? i just bought the 80# bottle of mix.

I don't think it needs a full bead inside for strength, but for rust prevention I think it's a good idea. Smooth surfaces don't collect dirt, at least that's my theory.

i'll buy it, whats a few more pounds of wire on top of that much plate

I haven't touched a grinder yet. I positioned all of the gaps so that I could have nice even beads, which is easier when the bumper is made of a bunch of smaller plates (there are 10 total plates side to side). Over the past few years though, I've become quite adept at fixing my grinding errors with the weld bead though.
Dan

i am still coming way up on the learning curve, i can make pretty good beads under ideal situations, but not all are ideal i've played with filling gaps on scrap, and i can do it, it's the pretty part in addition i haven't gotten yet.

i think it would take 14 pieces of flat plate to approximate the shape of this bumper (it does it in 3 pieces), 5 in each side wing alone. i'm amazed at how well it all lines up given the compound angles at joints. i did have to ratchet strap around the bumper to pull up and in the side wings to meet the main shell upper edge seam.

Mine is still just in shell form, until my welder buddy has the time to get the swingouts done. Of course, I'm also supposed to be helping him get his truck smogged.

cool! it's been fun so far, i have to admit i'm disappointed my unrealistic goals are not panning out and i'll end up grinding at least the outer main shell seams, oh well. i could pretend to rework them if i just had a torch and could push the puddle without building it up like mig needs to, , nah, grinding is faster and while i'd love to drive some personal art on my rig, i also don't want to worry about scratching it up, because that would be a first


hopefully i'll make some progress today and get the main shell back on the truck. i think i'm up to 10 hours now, if i count lunch, a bull**** session with santa, and changing the wire roll and torch tip.

 

[alia176]

Ahh, 2lb spool, that explains it. I go big (25 or 30lb spools).

40 lb spool or go home

Looking good John. The DIY kit has come along from the beginning days of LOTS of poor fitment and LOTS of grinding, fitting & cussing by individuals, from what I hear.

 

[pappy]

Are we still talking about this? Geez John, melt that thing together.

 

[sl33p3]

Are we still talking about this? Geez John, melt that thing together.

as you wish.

 

[sl33p3]

main bumper done!

F%*K YEAH!

she's all melted and bolted... everything lines up even after all that bead! not too bad to install either, it will be more work when the spindles are installed (dont' want to put them through the tailights ) i ended up only grinding the beads flat around the receiver, i didn't crank the power and they were high from the reciever tube thicknsss, but i ran beads on it inside the shell too, so its not going anywhere! overall its not perfect but i think i'll wear the imperfections with pride, besides this way everyone will believe me when i say i built it.

now onto wing tubes and then swingarms.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Looks great!
Well worth the effort IMO