4x4labs bumper build - High & Tight (1 Viewer)

[Mr.Bryan]

Hey guys,

Here's my project from the last few weeks. Almost have it wrapped up at this point. *old arb is sold btw*

Got all hyped up when my box 'o' bumper arrived. Couldn't wait to pull off my 13 yr. old ARB and start welding!

I started out with

I then realized I was not a fan of the angle that the base plate was sitting at.

Also the hight was bothering me. I specifically chose this because I thought it was super high, turned out with more research after the fact that Luke's design was lowered by about 1.5" to accommodate the factory blinkers. At this point, I went rogue.

I chopped off the tabs on the base plate and raised it by about 1.75" and I pushed it in towards the radiator by about 2".

I then started to mock up the outside wings. I wanted this thing to have no clearance issues what so ever. Higher the better!

The frame was sticking out too much at this point. Looked kinda dumb with a big rectangular hunk of metal just blasting out in front. I know it's going to hang me up on rocks. Time to go. Queue the angle grinder...

 

[jcardona1]

Nice work! I like the original wings from the early version (like mine). Not as much a fan of the one with the lowered wings, looks a lot like a Slee bumper. I think he lowered them based on feedback; too many weren't happy with covering the turn signals.

 

[Mr.Bryan]

...

and

Now I started to focus on finishing the wings. Here's a closer angle of what I tacked up. Also as a note, I wasn't a fan of the way the tow points mounted. I didn't like how they were weld on only with nothing perpendicular to hold them on in case of a failure (like a bolt) and the location seemed to be in the way of design and function. In the end I cut them off and won't be using them. I'll just run a d-ring off the receiver in the front if I need it. Otherwise that's what the 8274 is for.

And

Captain Morgan made the left side get a little sloppier. At this point it was well past beer:30 and I called that a day. I also cut out some pieces to fill in the gaps

 

[Mr.Bryan]

After all this, I realized I had created the batman bumper. So, yeah.

Went back and started cleaning up all of the edges to get a nice smooth finish on them.

Then I chopped out some of the excess on the inside and welded the seams on the inside as well for strength

 

[Mr.Bryan]

Welded up the sides and started grinding away on all of that.

Pause break from that, since I decided to push the bumper in farther, I would have to ditch the center support for the trans cooler. So I did. I also wanted to add some better cooling for my power steering. I've had issues with heat in the past on that in some precarious situations. Bought a nice B&M cooler for the trans and then swapped the old trans cooler into the power steering. Needed a way to mount them so I improvised with some 1/8 angle iron.

I also wanted to add more support onto the sides of the bumper. This thing will get bounced off rocks. Used some 1.5" 1/8th wall DOM

 

[LINUS]

Looks really good for design, also the end product / welds as it looks like you're on fluxcore wire, yeah?

If so, Capt. Morgan didn't hit you too hard at all!

 

[Mr.Bryan]

The whole focus was more clearance Clarence so Chop Chop...

 

[Mr.Bryan]

Looks like I'm missing a few other pictures of what else I did. I'll grab a few more and post them a little later, however here's where it's at now.

This was with the two coolers mounted. I rebuilt the top core support with two pieces of angle iron welded together so it would have enough strength that the hood could close and not bounce off it. I also welded up the gaps in the wheel wells to prevent as much crap splashing in there as I could.

Here's a few other pictures and I'll post a few more up in a bit...

I'm hoping to finish the grill early next week (someone's damn wedding is ruining my garage time) I have a good design in mind for that.

Oh and in regards to turn signals (cause someone's going to ask) I rewired the running lights to become my turn signals and I'll just go without running lights.

Post up again shortly.

 

[Mr.Bryan]

Nice work! I like the original wings from the early version (like mine). Not as much a fan of the one with the lowered wings, looks a lot like a Slee bumper. I think he lowered them based on feedback; too many weren't happy with covering the turn signals.

Yeah, didn't realize that, but oh well. Nothing I can't fix! Rocks don't need to know when you're turning.

Looks really good for design, also the end product / welds as it looks like you're on fluxcore wire, yeah?

If so, Capt. Morgan didn't hit you too hard at all!

lol. thanks and yes, fluxcore. My little Campbell Hausfeld welder has been a champ through all my projects.

 

[Mr.Bryan]

Here's a few other notables...

Sealed up my cuts

Here's another picture of the radiator

Tab for cb antenna

And I had to chunk out some of the bumper to make the winch fit. Looks like the bolt holes were off by an inch. Must have been a bad stamping

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Nice! I like the look of new lower wings. It may be a redesign but it looks like it still provides better clearance than any other retail bumper. Recovery points, did I miss them?

 

[secretasiansam]

I have that same dent in my drivers side fender right under the corner light.

 

[Mr.Bryan]

Nice! I like the look of new lower wings. It may be a redesign but it looks like it still provides better clearance than any other retail bumper. Recovery points, did I miss them?

I pushed up the wings about 2 inches higher than what the design called for. Regardless this bumper provides a ton of clearence.

No recovery points other than the receiver. I don't like the weld on chunks that are provided, there should be some sort of bolt or two running through them to better anchor it or at the very least be notched out so in case of a faliure the whole piece isn't catapulting towards whatever or whoever is tugging on it.

I did weld on one at first and drilled a hole for a 1/2" bolt through it but after looking at the position and the design of the wings I cut it off. It's visible in one of the early pictures.

So, my plan is just to use the receiver with a d ring attached to that if/when needed.

 

[krs2fur]

...
Oh and in regards to turn signals (cause someone's going to ask) I rewired the running lights to become my turn signals and I'll just go without running lights.

...

Have you thought about wiring up the corner lights as BOTH? (T/S AND R/L)

You should be able to use Diode packs designed for RV Dinghy towing.

For your situation, in this diagram -

Factory Vehicle Wiring = Park Lamp wiring
Tow Bar Wiring = Turn Signal

You would need 2 of these (1 for each side) & you should be able to source them locally through your friendly neighborhood RV accessories shop.

There are a number of options out there, but I happen to be familiar with the Roadmaster Hy-Power diodes & they're well built (or at least used to be, a few years ago, when I was in that industry) with beefy heat sinks built into them.

Roadmaster Inc. - Tow Bars, Braking Systems & RV Accessories

 

[mudgudgeon]

Have you thought about wiring up the corner lights as BOTH? (T/S AND R/L)

You should be able to use Diode packs designed for RV Dinghy towing.

For your situation, in this diagram -

Factory Vehicle Wiring = Park Lamp wiring
Tow Bar Wiring = Turn Signal

You would need 2 of these (1 for each side) & you should be able to source them locally through your friendly neighborhood RV accessories shop.

There are a number of options out there, but I happen to be familiar with the Roadmaster Hy-Power diodes & they're well built (or at least used to be, a few years ago, when I was in that industry) with beefy heat sinks built into them.

Roadmaster Inc. - Tow Bars, Braking Systems & RV Accessories

Interested!

What's the result with these? Do you get a light that's on solid but flashes when you indicate?

 

[krs2fur]

Interested!

What's the result with these? Do you get a light that's on solid but flashes when you indicate?

It would allow 2 separate inputs to a single bulb without backfeeding to other system.

Kinda the opposite of the 3 way(amber turn) to 2 way (combined brake & turn) convertors for trailer towing.

Not really positive on what the result would be if you attempted to utilize the park lamps WITH T/S (or hazard lamps). May work properly or may just remain lit instead of flashing.

There is another (albeit MUCH more complicated) convertor that would definitely work properly. However, this would require wiring both sides into a single box; which would monitor both sides to determine when the T/S would overide the park signal.

One could actually use a standard trailer wiring 3 to 2 convertor; utilizing the Turn & Brake inputs for the Turn & Park wiring (disregarding the tail circuit on the convertor).

The way I looked at it, how often would you need your FRONT T/S to flash at the same time your Park lamps are on? I could MAYBE see an issue if you needed the Hazards AND Park lamps on at night; but I would primarily be concerned with BOTH operating in the rear.

This would just prevent backfeeding to the rest of the lights. Plus their relatively miniscule size would be easy to stash out of sight.

 

[krs2fur]

Interested!

What's the result with these? Do you get a light that's on solid but flashes when you indicate?

Sorry, didn't realize you were Down Under.

Let me clarify a bit (may not be necessary, so please don't take offense).

Here in the States, most trailers (and domestic vehicles) utilize a single lamp for both Brake & Turn lights - a 2 wire system (L brake & turn, R brake & turn ). If I remember correctly, most trailers in Australia are wired like the Toyotas with amber turn & red brake lights. Because the Toyotas have a 3 wire system (L turn, R turn, Brake) we need to utilize a 3 to 2 convertor (which I referred to above).

In case you were confused as to what I was talking about there...

 

[mudgudgeon]

Sorry, didn't realize you were Down Under.

Let me clarify a bit (may not be necessary, so please don't take offense).

Here in the States, most trailers (and domestic vehicles) utilize a single lamp for both Brake & Turn lights - a 2 wire system (L brake & turn, R brake & turn ). If I remember correctly, most trailers in Australia are wired like the Toyotas with amber turn & red brake lights. Because the Toyotas have a 3 wire system (L turn, R turn, Brake) we need to utilize a 3 to 2 convertor (which I referred to above).

In case you were confused as to what I was talking about there...

All good, no offence taken by your weird american backasswardness of red brake/turn lamps.

I've been lucky enough to have a couple of snowboarding trips to the USA and would love to come back and see more of the US. the turn signals did have me confused for a bit. All vehicles in Aus have amber turn signals.


probably a different system, but i was curious as I had a JDM HDJ81 in Aus that turned on a white lamp in the corresponding front turn lamp when you indicated for a turn. Put on the right turn lamp, it would light up the right side with a white lamp as well a the amber turn lamp and help light around the corner. It took a bit to get used to.

 

[Mr.Bryan]

I like it. I'm going to look into that.

 

[I Lean]

@bryson posted the version of the corner marker/blinker that I copied, here: Corner lights as blinkers

Basically it just puts an 1157 bulb in the marker light housing, so it functions as both a marker and a blinker. I still have my signal lights underneath, so they both flash--but you'd be able to just have the one light do both functions.