Another rear bumper build! Pics inside.

[AKcruiserfreak]

Thanks for the compliments and tips guys!
I do use a welding blanket most of the time, I just pull it off for the glamor shots. As for reinforcing the frame, I will be boxing-in the back half of the frame with a lateral support next winter. As for now, the bumper itself will suffice as reinforcement.

I am hoping to have all the major pieces tacked together tonight, then I be taking it back off for some more welding, grinding and minor fab work for the receiver reinforcements. It might be done by the end of the week! Then it's on to swing-outs later this Summer.

TK

 

[Fourrunner]

Looks good man...keep us updated.

 

[AKcruiserfreak]

Got another 2 hours on thr Cruiser tonight, and it's all tacked together! Pretty much all I had was the lower pieces to tack together, so it went fairly quick. I have some minor fitment issues that will require some TLC, more metal, and extra welding for filler, but overall I think it looks good.
Now I've got to brace the frame temporarily, and pull the bumper. I'm really curious how much it weighs.

 

[Fourrunner]

Looks great...now comes the fun part of smoothing welds...

 

[AKcruiserfreak]

Looks great...now comes the fun part of smoothing welds...

Yeah, About that...Anybody have tips on what works the best? I'd just like to know how to best grind the heavy stuff, and what works to really smooth it out.

Thanks
TK

 

[Fourrunner]

Flap discs. Don't remember what size I used or grit. I think I used two grits...really aggressive and less aggressive.

 

[AKcruiserfreak]

I got about 2 hours on the Cruiser tonight. I braced the frame and pulled the now very heavy rear bumper off. Spent the rest of the night welding away. I should be finished up with welding tomorrow, and hopefully I'll start to grind some of these crappy welds down. Flapper discs are on my shopping list. Hopefully it doesn't take too many of them, they are kinda $$$.

Big shout out to my uncle for hooking me up with a sweet auto-dimming helmet. What a world of difference that makes! Here's a glammer pic.

 

[AKcruiserfreak]

Finished the bumper up tonight! I spent most of the weekend grinding, and grinding, and...more grinding. It isn't perfect, but it looks good enough for me. I really tried to make it look as seemless as possible. Flapper discs were the way to go. I painted it a metallic gray, same as the sliders, and clear coated it yesterday.
Anyways, the whole project went really smoothly, and I'm looking forward to collecting parts for the swingouts over the Summer. Next on the list is sending the carb out for a rebuild. Jim C. or Mark A? That is the question.

Here's the last of the pics until I revive the thread for the swingouts. Hope you enjoy.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Fantastic work

 

[shotgun12321]

Wooo. Thanks for the motivation for me to get this done over Spring break!

Looks great.

 

[Ropeman]

That is really tidy, good job.

I'm almost motivated to get to work on a front

 

[Fourrunner]

Looks great. Like how you integrated the hitch. Get working Shotgun!!!

 

[AKcruiserfreak]

That is really tidy, good job.

I'm almost motivated to get to work on a front

Yeah, I'm almost modivated to work on my front bumper too! I need a couple of years to figure out what exactly I want to do out front though.
My wife hates these little projects because once I start, I keep on it hard until its done. I guess I don't want to lose motivation. It was a fun project, and I feel way more comfortable with my welder now.

I put the D-ring shackles on this morning, so the bumper is now as finished as it gets for a while. Thanks for the kind words y'all. Now we will see how the bumper does hauling our boat this Summer, and pulling out hunting rigs in the Fall.

TK

 

[shotgun12321]

Looks great. Like how you integrated the hitch. Get working Shotgun!!!

Been off and on working on it, just dry fitting and figuring out how to integrate the hitch in without chopping the rear frame support out. My frame has an extra x-member that yours didn't Mark, so it's making it a little more interesting.

 

[Fourrunner]

Looking forward to seeing it together. Post up some pics when you get started. Are you talking about the stock cross member that bolts to the bumper?

 

[TexasAgFJ60]

I am seriously impressed with the flapper disc work! Those welds are so smooth you can't even tell where the welds are. Is that raw metal or is it painted? Are you leaving the axle holes in the top for the swing outs?

 

[AKcruiserfreak]

I am seriously impressed with the flapper disc work! Those welds are so smooth you can't even tell where the welds are. Is that raw metal or is it painted? Are you leaving the axle holes in the top for the swing outs?

I'm telling ya, flapper discs make metal melt! I was pretty easy to (over) work the metal with the 40 grit discs, I went to 80 grit for the final grinding to smooth out my mistakes.

It is painted a gray metallic. I wanted the bumper and sliders to stand out from the black Line-ex.

I did leave the holes for the swingouts. I just though there was no sense in doing anything with them since I am going to install swingouts at some point.

TK

 

[shotgun12321]

Looking forward to seeing it together. Post up some pics when you get started. Are you talking about the stock cross member that bolts to the bumper?

I don't think so...when I look at pics of yours, mine has an extra bar that makes the rear of the cruiser look like |\______/|

we're adjusting and such, so it shouldn't be too big of deal. but we'll see

 

[Fourrunner]

A different style than the one like Alaska posted in the #7 post to this thread (last pic)?

 

[GLTHFJ60]

A different style than the one like Alaska posted in the #7 post to this thread (last pic)?

The 62 has a different rear crossmember than the 60 does, significantly different.