Bumper Teaser Pic

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concretejungle said:
none of that makes sense to me except the last sentence. just sayin'. :flipoff2:
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It doesn't make sense that hitting something with an upright bumper is going to stop you and that an angled bumper is going to lift you? Heck, that's probably the biggest feature that makes Slee's short bus bumper so much better than his older bumper style! Go drive into a ledge the height of your bumper, and see how far you go. Then throw a couple metal bars to make a ramp, run your bumper up on those, tell me what happens.

As far as tipping forward, while going accross this crevis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIKo1iSeyvo

the opposite direction, I dropped the drivers side front tire into a hole I didn't see in the water and tipped the truck on it's nose enough to take out the a/c drier. You can tell where the hole is, cause when the passenger side drops in the rear comes off the ground. Going the other way, which I don't have a video of, coming from the high side down, and hitting that hole sure woke me up. I'd rather hit this stinger anytime.

It's kinda funny that there were all kinds of possitive comments about adding a stinger to Frankie's design when he was asking for imput, wonder where all those people are now. Guess I also don't see it all that asthetically different than

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=152144

I think everyone is getting hung up on the lights.... I'm gonna prep and paint it this week yet, and I'll take some photos then sans lights.
 
Walking Eagle said:
It doesn't make sense that hitting something with an upright bumper is going to stop you and that an angled bumper is going to lift you? Heck, that's probably the biggest feature that makes Slee's short bus bumper so much better than his older bumper style! Go drive into a ledge the height of your bumper, and see how far you go. Then throw a couple metal bars to make a ramp, run your bumper up on those, tell me what happens.

As far as tipping forward, while going accross this crevis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIKo1iSeyvo

the opposite direction, I dropped the drivers side front tire into a hole I didn't see in the water and tipped the truck on it's nose enough to take out the a/c drier. You can tell where the hole is, cause when the passenger side drops in the rear comes off the ground. Going the other way, which I don't have a video of, coming from the high side down, and hitting that hole sure woke me up. I'd rather hit this stinger anytime.

It's kinda funny that there were all kinds of possitive comments about adding a stinger to Frankie's design when he was asking for imput, wonder where all those people are now. Guess I also don't see it all that asthetically different than

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=152144

I think everyone is getting hung up on the lights.... I'm gonna prep and paint it this week yet, and I'll take some photos then sans lights.
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You do need to pull the top lights, it makes it look like the signing slugs in "Flushed Away" :D. Other than that, when I first talked to Frankie about a tube bumper, the idea was with a stinger, although not quite as intense as the one you have.

For those who have never had this feature on a bumper, it is of great value in a large vehicle where it is difficult to see your lines. Because the hoop is above the hood, you know exactly how close you are to anything tall enough to see that is in front of you.

I don't think the stinger itself will ever be that much of an aid to climbing, but the angle low down will help, and the simple fact that is tube will help more than anything. Even a tube bumper that is straight across the front of the vehicle with no stinger will climb very well, because the tube is round, and so it will slide up an obstacle far better than a stamped bumper. There is far less material to contact, it won't bend in those situations, and you just get to do some paint touchup when you get home. Slee's new bumper may address some of this, but I still don't like the idea that anything bent becomes permanent when DOM will flex under a heavy impact and return to form (up to a point, of course).

If I was to pick something beyond aesthetics to discuss here, it would be that you didn't achieve a maximum approach angle reduction, but I would rate this bumper well above an ARB bull bar in overall function. Anybody who thinks this type of bumper somehow makes an 80 more like a Jeep should look at a Jeep (or any) SUV with an ARB and then realize that ARB bumpers are the most conforming look you can create on a 4x4.

This thing is going to look pretty cool once painted as long as Heath can resist the urge to paint it gold :grinpimp:
 
Nay said:
This thing is going to look pretty cool once painted as long as Heath can resist the urge to paint it gold :grinpimp:
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damn.... ruined my surprise - I was really tempted to do it temporarily just to screw with people....
 
After reading all the post, I feel lucky I only had a one comment that was bad on my cruiser. I like the bumper it is lite (everyone comments on the weight of the cruiser), and functional. It may not be everyones cup of tea but it isn't everyones cruiser and we all like ours to look a little different than the one next to it, other wise they would all be white, with 33" tires, etc...:)
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jon@svwbarchitects.c said:
After reading all the post, I feel lucky I only had a one comment that was bad on my cruiser. I like the bumper it is lite (everyone comments on the weight of the cruiser), and functional. It may not be everyones cup of tea but it isn't everyones cruiser and we all like ours to look a little different than the one next to it, other wise they would all be white, with 33" tires, etc...:)
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I dont think its too bad, this is lightweight but works great, have buried the AC guard with no issues
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The only two reasons I've ever thought of for running a stinger is to first and foremost protect the radiator from a roll and the second from going nose over on a steep descent. Both very good reasons.

I can't stand'em myself, but, I understand why you would want one Heath. Good for you. Double good for you if you like the look.

I have a friend who sells craploads of those things for Jeeps so I guess people do like them. I just don't get it.

Butch
 
Thanks to those who like it, and thanks to those who don't like it but state so in a polite manner.

It's certainly not for everyone. Last night wife said she thinks I should dump the top lights - she might be right.

I actually used several of your guys trucks as reference when deciding how to have Frankie build it. There

I'll take more pics once it's painted and mounted - that's why these were only teaser pictures. A couple of nice things about it -

Weight - even though it appears massive, and it is all 2" tube, I am able to lift it by myself. I'm guessing 125lbs max - might have to get the scale out and check.

The mounting. This thing is mounted solid. The main winch plate is lazer cut and then formed. It's bolted to the frame in 2 places on each side. The uprights from the plate are not only on the outside, but on the inside as well. 2 bolts per side into the side of the frame where the stock bumper brackets go. Then there is a cap on top of the frame - 2 more bolts. So, the whole frame rail is incased in another box. VERY stout.

The approach angle - I think at the lowest point it sticks out an inch or two past the frame. Ideally, it'd start angled up emmidiately after the frame ends, but, concesions to other factors have to be made.
 
I get what you're saying about the ramp-effect of the angled surface. It looks like you need to add some plate to the lower edge then? Also, what about irregular rock surfaces that don't line-up with the tubing--there is a lot of empty space between the tubes with nothing to "ramp on."

Also, could the same effect be had by a lower-profile plate bumper without the big, tall point, ala Slee's new bumper?

Quick comment on Slee's original front bumper--the front doesn't stick out quite as much as it looks. The front bottom-most edge is at frame level, protruding ~5 inches from the ends of the frame rails. This is certainly not uber low profile, but the tucked in, angled wings are, and it makes the winch box look more bulky than it actually is.

Regardless, If I decided to paint my Cruiser hot pink, and I liked it, that would be enough for me. It's your Cruiser, so it's your opinion that matters.
 
Hayes said:
I get what you're saying about the ramp-effect of the angled surface. It looks like you need to add some plate to the lower edge then? Also, what about irregular rock surfaces that don't line-up with the tubing--there is a lot of empty space between the tubes with nothing to "ramp on." .
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Something along these lines?

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showpost.php?p=2076273&postcount=205

Hayes said:
Also, could the same effect be had by a lower-profile plate bumper without the big, tall point, ala Slee's new bumper? .
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Yep - and somewhere up there in all that garbage I said I felt that was one of the biggest advantage of his new one over his old one.

Hayes said:
Quick comment on Slee's original front bumper--the front doesn't stick out quite as much as it looks. The front bottom-most edge is at frame level, protruding ~5 inches from the ends of the frame rails. This is certainly not uber low profile, but the tucked in, angled wings are, and it makes the winch box look more bulky than it actually is. .
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I was never a fan of his origonal bumper. I never thought it was enough different than the ARB to justify having them both available, and I really didn't like the look of the winch box, but that's just a personal oppinion. More importantly, the flat front to that winch box gave no ramp up. I like the short bus bumper. I just don't like it $900 worth. I won't say what I paid for this bumper, cause Frankie did it special for me, but it was less than any readily available bumper, and less than a custom tube one. He did right by me, and I feel that my patience in waiting for it, and the support I tried to give him were rewarded. Sure the short bus is powdercoated, and so is the ARB, that isn't all that important to me. The greater radiator protection this offers is important to me. And, like has been said, it's not a me-too bumper, though there are a couple here who definately influenced it, and share some simularities.

Hayes said:
Regardless, If I decided to paint my Cruiser hot pink, and I liked it, that would be enough for me. It's your Cruiser, so it's your opinion that matters.
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I like it :), might like it better in hot pink though ;)
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calstyl2 said:
I dont think its too bad, this is lightweight but works great, have buried the AC guard with no issues
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Now calstyl, i like yours. It's not ginormous with a huge hoop sticking over the hood with spotlights attached to it.
 
Looks like a pretty cool bumper to me!

Walking Eagle,

Looks like the makings for a really cool bumper. I like seeing custom, one off work. Here are my suggestions on what I might change.

I agree that the lights need to be taken off the top. Put the large lights down on the inside of the stinger triangle in lower inner corners or inside the stinger at top inside, close to hood line, but I like the lower inner triangle area better. It looks to me like it wouldn't restrict airflow much to the radiator area there, and they are more protected and might even be better for long road trips at night. Maybe that last thing is something you would never do, but I still think they would function better there.

No way would I want any lights covering my other driving lights, even if it's just the low beams. That's what you use around town and in heavy traffic and I want every bit of light I can get when in traffic without blinding on coming traffic with high beams. I would move these smaller lights to the area where you are saying you're going to add rock lights.

I would put the rock lights tucked more under, where they light up the trail right in front of your vehicle. They can almost be tucked under the bumper on the frame.

Last, I would add a skid plate in lower front area to protect that area better and let you slide up some debris instead of digging in.

Cool project that just needs a few more details ironed out. Keep playing with placement, and ideas and don't let the naysayers get to you. Trying to keep it positive and moving forward. No use replying to the negatives in my mind as it's just wasted energy. You've got better things to do with your time than address every ass comment.

Overall, I think it looks really cool and has great potential.

Keep up the good work.

Bryan
 
Walking Eagle said:
The greater radiator protection this offers is important to me.
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Exactly what I was talking about. By far and away the best rad. protection I've seen on an 80. I have some semblance of hope that my ARB would help some, but, not a lot of faith in it to be honest. Especially the way it bends so easily.

One other thing is you've got tons of approach clearance right in front of your tires. Kinda hard to beat that too.

Butch
 
I say to each their own, I like the bumper for the sole reason that his experiences drove the build. Adaptation and customization - that is what I am here for. I do have to say; I would like to see the exo-cage in hot pink though - that would be interesting. to say the least. As far as functionality, I think anytime you do tubes with large areas you need to fill some of those large areas with something to deflect irregular rock surfaces, thick mud, etc. Cheers and I will look forward to seeing the finished project.
 
My mom's a Mother.:grinpimp:

Seriously though. The video clip did it for me. Very useful! They always look even better with paint. I dig your photoshop prototype pics.
 
Excuse the ignorance, but what's it supposed to do? Prevent you from rolling forwards?

Looks like you could really hurt a pedestrian... Nice fabbing job, though!
 
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