Rear Bumper - inprogess pics - hitch based

[Walking Eagle]

Hitch based bumper - Update 10-20

Some time ago I started on a rear bumper. It started after dragg'n the hitch one too many times. I took the rear bumper plastic crap off, did some looking and figguring, and cut the rear cross member and flipped the hitch. Flipping the hitch didn't 100% work cause it hit the tailgate when it was down. So I cut out the reciever part and sunk it into the crossbar. Added a 2x2x1/4" cross bar to support the reciever better than stock. Cut a notch to route the exhaust through what would eventually become a bumper.

 

[Walking Eagle]

this is about how it's been left the last few months, abet with the addition of the bottom plate you'll see later...

 

[Walking Eagle]

Here it starts actually looking like a bumper...

 

[Walking Eagle]

and starting to work on the wrap around the sides.... I had some left over sections from a vw class 10 cage that I never used, and it just happens those bends work out perfect for the cruiser...

 

[Walking Eagle]

obviously not everything is in place yet, and since I'm designing as I build, some stuff is too long - like the rear pieces that are at a 45 and then vertical, those are going to get cut short, but since I didn't know exactly what I was going to do with the surounds, I left them long, so I could just cut them off once I knew where the mating pieces were going to be.

Course, I couldn't make any progress without the boss coming and checking the quality of my work...

 

[jaysdead40]

You need to take more time. It's much easier to fab if you let the metal age to a nice crusty orange/red first. Once again your cutting your own trail, cool. Did you have trouble with warping when you burned the receiver into the cross bar. Mine crowned about a 1/4".

Jay

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

Did the hitch fit between the frame rails without modification? I've been debating something similar, but it looks like the legs on my hitch are angled out a bit too much to fit if I flip it.

Ary

 

[Walking Eagle]

Did the hitch fit between the frame rails without modification? I've been debating something similar, but it looks like the legs on my hitch are angled out a bit too much to fit if I flip it.

Ary

If you flip it you have to cut out the rear crossmember

for reference

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=150666

 

[Walking Eagle]

Update 10-16

Here's some progress.... Have to get it done before the GGC picnic in Disney this Sat.

For the exhaust, used a 3" turndown for a holder/ shield/ opening, and welded some nuts to it so I could center the 2-1/4" turndown inside it. If I ever smash this exhaust something will have gone majorly wrong! Not the simplist way of routing the exhaust, but I think it's cool, not that I'm biased

Hopefully I'll be able to add some painted pictures later this week, with the top on, the wrap arounds on, and the holes for the safety chains.

The reciever sticks out just a little, and I boxed in just enough to make it so I can still get my pin in and out without having to crawl under the truck. Two holes are going to be drilled into the top piece, and that is going to be for safety chains. 1/4" steel, should be more stout than what's on most recievers for chains.

 

[Walking Eagle]

couple more, and as always, my boss is checking out the quality of the work.

 

[dcFJ]

I really like the way you've routed that exhaust pipe...keep up the good work. Can't wait to see the finished product.

 

[chappysfj40]

i also like the exhaust

 

[Dusty]

nice
what you going to pull?

 

[clownmidget]

If I ever smash this exhaust something will have gone majorly wrong! Not the simplist way of routing the exhaust, but I think it's cool, not that I'm biased

you'd be surprised how rear exit exhausts have a way of really being a liability in so many unforeseen ways. a simple reverse into a muddy bank while climbing wasn't enough to damage this stock bumper but plugged the exhaust, killed the engine at a really inopportune time and took nearly 30 minutes to figure out what the hell went wrong

but I applaud your build, you have some great help. oh, and your side wings are too close and will get into the sheet metal....

 

[Walking Eagle]

nice
what you going to pull?

Jeeps.

Actually, the funny thing is I think that's all I"ve pulled with it since I flipped the hitch is a Jeep Cherokee - bad crank sensor.

Probably 90% of the use of the hitch is for my hitch hauler, halling grass clippings and other stuff I don't want inside the truck. Really need to put a drop on that thing though, WAY to far up for lifting.

 

[Walking Eagle]

Not 100% done, but this is how far I got before throwing paint on and wheeling it. GCC picnic was yesterday, so Friday night I was working on it till the last minite, finally gave up on polishing all the welds, and I still need to cap the tubes, and add a swingout, and some supports from the wings to the frame.

 

[Walking Eagle]

couple more - it'll probably be a while before another update, after bust'n my but to get the truck ready, I'm not gonna want to do much hard work on it for a while...

 

[Bob_Garrett]

From the pictures, it looks like the tailpipe is welded to the bumper. If so, are you getting any noise or resonance from that setup?

 

[Walking Eagle]

From the pictures, it looks like the tailpipe is welded to the bumper. If so, are you getting any noise or resonance from that setup?

Tailpipe isn't exactly welded to the bumper. There is a 3" turndown welded to the bumper. On that turn down are welded 4 nuts and 2 pins. Inside the turndown the exhaust runs through a 2-1/4" turndown. The smaller turndown is held in place by the pins on the bottom, and bolts through the nuts hold on the top - 3 points 120 deg apart, at each end of the turndown.

Make sense?

Centering the inside pipe with the 3 point set-up is straight off your average tail pipe tip. Running the exhaust out the bumper is straight off a '58 Caddy Hearse - actually alot of cars used to do that, back when cars had steel bumpers.

It's as quiet in the truck as it's ever been.