kbahus's front bumper build project (1 Viewer)

[kbahus]

I figured I would document this build as it should be pretty easy to duplicate for you do-it-yourself type folks on the board. I am also hoping to keep it well under the cost of buying any bumper currently on the market. Hopefully it will be complete within a week, but with fabrication you never know.

I also wanted to give a big thanks to Nay as I am blatantly stealing his custom built bumper design, and hopefully he doesn't mind

Here is a pic of Nay's:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=198743&stc=1&d=1198709377

My requirements were pretty simple:

• 
  Tube
  Able to hold a M8000 or 9k winch in the future
  Reasonable clearance for wheeling
  Integrated recovery points
  Cheap

It is really going to be more a morph between a Metaltech and Nay's designs. I don't like the tow hooks or angled plate on the front of the MT as it looks goofy with a roller fairlead. The tube looks good but I prefer Nay's better as it is higher clearance and simple.

Here is the start:

I just got these in from www.rokmen.com out of Denver. Only $23.95 for a pair and they look great.

The plan for Monday is to box in the winch tray and add the recovery points. Then we will start getting the tube bent up. The tray is pretty simply, 1/4" steel with two 90* bends. We measured it all up and had a local iron/metal place bend and cut it. Total cost was only $90 and all we had to do was drill the holes, plus we have plenty of extra to box it all in. The 1/4" seems pretty stout too which is a plus.

I would really like some input on the stinger. I like the size of Nay's but I rolled across this Jeep today and thought the pointy stinger look was pretty sweet, but I don't know how it would look on the 80. Should I give it a shot?

 

[retrofive]

Shaping up , more pics as you go

rockmen.com? the link seems... well just a search engine. Looking for exactly those, any other info or source for them.

 

[kbahus]

Fixed the link, my spelling was slightly off I will definitely post pics of the stages as we go!

 

[Tyler93]

I want that jeep bumper on my Festiva!

 

[S.CarolinaFZJ80]

I figured I would document this build as it should be pretty easy to duplicate for you do-it-yourself type folks on the board. I am also hoping to keep it well under the cost of buying any bumper currently on the market. Hopefully it will be complete within a week, but with fabrication you never know.

I also wanted to give a big thanks to Nay as I am blatantly stealing his custom built bumper design, and hopefully he doesn't mind

Here is a pic of Nay's:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=198743&stc=1&d=1198709377


My requirements were pretty simple:

• 
  Tube
  Able to hold a M8000 or 9k winch in the future
  Reasonable clearance for wheeling
  Integrated recovery points
  Cheap

It is really going to be more a morph between a Metaltech and Nay's designs. I don't like the tow hooks or angled plate on the front of the MT as it looks goofy with a roller fairlead. The tube looks good but I prefer Nay's better as it is higher clearance and simple.

Here is the start:

I just got these in from www.rokmen.com out of Denver. Only $23.95 for a pair and they look great.

The plan for Monday is to box in the winch tray and add the recovery points. Then we will start getting the tube bent up. The tray is pretty simply, 1/4" steel with two 90* bends. We measured it all up and had a local iron/metal place bend and cut it. Total cost was only $90 and all we had to do was drill the holes, plus we have plenty of extra to box it all in. The 1/4" seems pretty stout too which is a plus.

I would really like some input on the stinger. I like the size of Nay's but I rolled across this Jeep today and thought the pointy stinger look was pretty sweet, but I don't know how it would look on the 80. Should I give it a shot?

I think that would look even worse on an 80.

 

[dropthattaco]

I think that would look even worse on an 80.

And it's a challenge making that look any worse.

 

[Devil's Slide Doug]

it looks like the jeep is trying to compensate for a lack of something....

 

[Devil's Slide Doug]

I have not measured the diameter of the various winches. I always assumed the angle of the front of the winch tray on both the metaltech or the bumpit was to give enough space for the winch to fit without hitting either the bottom of the tray or valance/ps cooler. Its nice to know that the tray can be tucked in as much as yours is and still fit a winch.

 

[darwink1]

Nice so far. Skip the heap pointy stinger and do a modest one thats not as gaudy. Also, you can angle the front of that winch box slightly to improve approach. I cut a wedge out of my frame horns to accomplish this.

Good luck man.

D

 

[kbahus]

Darwink, I do like how your bumper turned out, especially the high clearance and simplistic appearance. My initial design did have a slight angle but the brake couldn't bend beyond 90* to make the top lip so we just went with the easy way and did a straight face. It doesn't stick out too far so hopefully won't make the approach angle too bad. I know the clearance on either side will be excellent too.

I have my fingers crossed a winch will fit. The Warn 9000 is 6.7 inches wide and I have 7" to work with since I added the lip. I am going to have to find a winch laying around that I can test fit before I box it in. If I have to I can move the entire tray forward a little at this point.

 

[darwink1]

Yeah, I too still have my fingers crossed lol. I took rough measurements of the 10000lb winch on my taco and kind of built the winch box without ever really trying a winch. I know its wide enough.... As long as I get one (if I ever get one) w a remote mounted solenoid I should be good.

D

 

[arndog123]

Looking fwd to the build.

 

[kbahus]

We were finally able to make some progress last night. The winch plate is boxed in and recovery points are installed. I test fit a random 9k winch and it barely fit so hopefully the M8000 will do the same. If I have to I can plasma half an inch off the lip and be good to go. Here are a couple pics of the process, sorry for the night shots but we were working in the dark I will get a day time pic up tomorrow. We still have to grind down all the welds but I am quite happy with how it looks so far and it seems very stout. With some luck more progress will be made on Thursday night.

 

[kbahus]

Here are a couple pics from today. This snow is going to hinder progress

 

[darwink1]

Lookin good.

If I can make another suggestion... Before making the wings, take this opportunity to relocate your a/c dryer and cut the lower rad support like Nay, myself, and a couple of others have done. You wont be building around all that stuff and you can end up with a really low profile bumper.

I love seeing most of my front tire when i look at the van head on.

D

 

[kbahus]

I am working with a guy local to get the parts to relocate the a/c so hopefully he pulls through. Do you have specifics of what to cut? I have plasma which makes quick work of cutting I am also still trying to figure out a unique way to bend the tubes too. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[Trapper50cal]

I'm sorry, but that jeep bumper is UBER-ghey...how may TAP-OUT stickers are on that rig?

 

[kbahus]

Come to think of it I am pretty sure there was a transformer sticker on the back, which may explain some of the design concept. I really did initially like it, but having stared at it long enough now I can see the ugliness. There is just way too much going on with it.

 

[julstirn]

I like the simplistic approach on 80s.

 

[darwink1]

"Trimmed the rad mount/apron/inner wheel well today. Wasnt that big of a deal and it turned out pretty decent.

After marking cut lines then removing the front bumper I drilled out the tacks that join the lower support to the apron sheet metal. With the support free I used the plasma to cut a v notch in the lower support. I guestimated and took out 1.5" of material. I then realized I only needed to take out 3/4"......

Before bending the support up into its new position I cut off the lower part of the inner wheel well as well as some of the apron sheet metal. I bent the support, tacked it into place, and painted everything black.

Havent tried fitting the bumper back on yet since it desperately needs a repaint but Im sure itll look a lot better than before.

"

D