Engineering assistance requested.

[baldilocks]

Hello, from the 2x2 square tube I will brace directly to the wing of the bumper. Would a web welded in from that brace to the bumper wing add to rigidity with respect to the vertical plane

 

[ColoradoBoy]

If I understand correctly, you are looking to reinforce any hits from the underside of the bumper; I would think that a gusset from the 2x2 (horizontally) and down to the lower skid section of the bumper would keep forces from folding the outer edge up and into the body. Not sure what space is available under the rig when installed. Could you simply use plate steel to create the gusset (or gussets) and weld to the 2x2 and shape of the lower section of the bumper/slider? If the space allowed will only fit (for example) another 2x2, the I would imagine any type of bracing from the to-be-added brace could be tied to the bottom of the slider...

 

[Wrencher93]

The short answer to your question is "yes". The best solution probably depends on whether said gusset plate will interfere with anything else. FWIW the strength of a plate like that is largely contained in the outer edges - so if you need to have, say, a wiring harness pass through that area then you could drill a hole in the center without compromising the strength of the brace.

 

[Pascoscout]

Yes. Might look at a couple gussets across that large flat area to add stiffness and prevent the distortion of the plate.

 

[Pascoscout]

Also on thinking about your set up more.

I would remove that small piece of flat plate in the outer corner, it's not doing much for you, and shape any gusset/brace to fill that corner and go as high up as you can without contacting the body. I'd also add a piece of flat or round stock to the far outer lip of your wing (furthest left edge in the picture) making it thicker there. Maybe the top inch or so is all you need. That will add a lot of stiffness to that edge when it's running along a rock or tree.

You can cut out holes in your gussets to save a small amount of weight and allow for water and dirt to pass through. I kind or regret not doing that in my set up as I think it would make it easier to clean out the mud that gets up in there. I'd use a hole saw and cut a half circle along the bottom edge in one or two places. Won't hurt the strength.

 

[Broski]

Steve
I agree with Pascoscout. Cut out that flat plate. Use cardboard to create a pattern that matches the wing Contour perfectly.. then use that's nice plasma cutter to make 1/4" plate Gusset with holes included.

 

[baldilocks]

Thanks everyone. A few years ago I welded a web in and it helped but the web itself caused the body damage that opened up the body seam rear of the tires. If you saw my build thread you see how I recently cut the body for clearance to run a brace from that 2x2 to the wing. The 2x2 rides the frame rail for stability rather than welding te bumper to the frame.

What I’ve gathered is that I should weld a gusset/web to the horizontal brace and the bumper wing itself.

 

[thegadgetguy]

For mine I used a combination of 2" x 2" x 3/16" tube, and 1/4" flat plate. There's about 1/2" clearance minimum between the body and the tube and plate. Using a flat plate the whole way would be easier, but contouring a few tube sections (or in your case C channel open side down might be better) would be stronger but harder. I compromised on mine and used tube at the bottom where the strength is most needed and a flat plate at the top where the shape is more complex and strength is less important. No matter how strong it is it will deflect to some degree when hit, so you gotta leave a reasonable gap in there to keep it from hitting the body.

 

[baldilocks]

For mine I used a combination of 2" x 2" x 3/16" tube, and 1/4" flat plate. There's about 1/2" clearance minimum between the body and the tube and plate. Using a flat plate the whole way would be easier, but contouring a few tube sections (or in your case C channel open side down might be better) would be stronger but harder. I compromised on mine and used tube at the bottom where the strength is most needed and a flat plate at the top where the shape is more complex and strength is less important. No matter how strong it is it will deflect to some degree when hit, so you gotta leave a reasonable gap in there to keep it from hitting the body.

View attachment 2556866

View attachment 2556869

I added a web similar to yours a few years ago. Like you said, it stiffened the wing but would still flex when hit hard. The web that I welded in caused damage to the body and seams opened up. My build thread has photos of how I cut the body behind the rear wheels in order to give clearance for much stronger bracing.

 

[thegadgetguy]

I added a web similar to yours a few years ago. Like you said, it stiffened the wing but would still flex when hit hard. The web that I welded in caused damage to the body and seams opened up. My build thread has photos of how I cut the body behind the rear wheels in order to give clearance for much stronger bracing.

I think I would just make the plate as tall as you can while still keeping some clearance from the body, now that you've cut the body there. And weld a 2" wide strip of 3/8" bar stock or something perpendicular on top of it to turn the structure into more of an I-beam shape with the bottom skin of the bumper acting as the bottom flange of the I-beam. For the weight, that should be a lot stronger than just a flat web plate.

 

[Pascoscout]

My gussets only clear the pinch weld on my fenders by about 1/4". I've dropped that bumper pretty hard on rocks and it's not showing signs of contacting the body.

The frames on these trucks are pretty thin and flexible. Maybe consider something bigger than 2x2 tube. I used a fairly large piece of plate, made sure to have it reach the top and bottom lines of the frame, to spread the load out. You could also add a couple more 2x2 along the frame to take up some load.

First pic the mount isn't welded yet, second pic shows the final version with another gusset added.

 

[baldilocks]

@Pascoscout Thanks for the input. That looks heavy duty. The finished product does need to take hard hits. I know that there will be flex no matter what I weld into the bumper wing so I’ll be sure to maintain ample space between the bumper structure and the body.