Factory Bumper Swing Out Build

[Hornd]

Your Fab Skills are very impressive.

Are you a little worried that you have your spindle in Cantilever on a Open Walled Thin Tube which is creating a Moment (Torque) about the Frame Rail? When you swing the arm out to drop the tailgate it creates a long lever arm (force x Lever arm = Torque).
At Minimum I would put a plate on the open C Channel of frame member.
The top of the C-Channel is in Tension and the bottom of C-Chanel is in Compression.
It might hold up, but watch if the swing arm starts to lean toward bumper.

Continue with the great work.

 

[Hornd]

Is there enough room to mount 2 cans behind the tire without contacting the tailgate?

Like Dis: http://www.nates4x4.com/product_p/jc_so.htm

 

[onemanarmy]

I know you have answered this before, but what wheels are you running?

Awesome bumper build, I've learned a few things.

 

[RhinoFZJ80]

this is very inspirational! Keep up the good work!

 

[SUMMIT CRUISERS Jr]

Your Fab Skills are very impressive.

Are you a little worried that you have your spindle in Cantilever on a Open Walled Thin Tube which is creating a Moment (Torque) about the Frame Rail? When you swing the arm out to drop the tailgate it creates a long lever arm (force x Lever arm = Torque).
At Minimum I would put a plate on the open C Channel of frame member.
The top of the C-Channel is in Tension and the bottom of C-Chanel is in Compression.
It might hold up, but watch if the swing arm starts to lean toward bumper.

Continue with the great work.

I haven't ever noticed any flex from the system regardless if it is fully opened or not. I am not worried about the torque it applies to the left side of the frame. If it was not a boxed frame, I would be worried and add more support. Granted the swing outdoes not open a full 180 degrees the cantilever effect isn't fully acting perpendicularly to the frame or C channel. The frame also has a crossmember welded to the top and bottom of the frame which I would think eliminates most of the tension and compression acting upon the frame. There is also a 1/4" plate going further forwards on the frame that helps distribute the force on the frame instead of it being consolidated to just the footprint of the 2x4. Then if there is still any worry, there is a 6"x4" 1/4" plate welded at a 45 degree angle further back onto the frame which roughly lines up with the swing out arm when it is fully opened. The swing out is incredibly stiff and has very little movement if any when latched down.

Only if something were incredibly strange were to happen to the swing out with it opened to its max position could any sort of damage happen to the side of the frame, but if that were the case, I think there would be bigger issues at hand, i.e. A massive tree falling onto the car and into the edge of the swing out with it opened at a campsite.

I know you have answered this before, but what wheels are you running?

Awesome bumper build, I've learned a few things.

Thanks, I'm glad this is helping and inspiring people to build out of the box things. The wheels are off the early 5th gen Trail Edition 4Runners, and the newer base wheels on the 2011-2014 FJ Cruisers if I remember correctly.

 

[SUMMIT CRUISERS Jr]

Well I've encountered another small issue today. I welded up the arm and I was measuring up where the arm welds to the bearing housing and my measurements weren't making much sense. That's when I noticed the length of the new one is 4.5" and the old one is 4". I'm not sure why they changed their design, but they only offer 4.5" and 5" lengths on their website. It's not a big deal for kits, but I need mine to look the same so I am going to look into cutting mine down and hopefully that will solve the issue because I don't have the time for them to machine up another and ship it my way.


New swing out

Old swing out

 

[SUMMIT CRUISERS Jr]

Is there enough room to mount 2 cans behind the tire without contacting the tailgate?

Like Dis: http://www.nates4x4.com/product_p/jc_so.htm

Mounting cans could be done if the tube to the wheel plate is elongated. I set mine up to hug the body close to make sure I could fit bikes behind it.

 

[Hornd]

Mounting cans could be done if the tube to the wheel plate is elongated. I set mine up to hug the body close to make sure I could fit bikes behind it.

View attachment 1187688

I just threw it out there since others might be building and adding can space during Fab would be nice even if it rarely got utilized.

 

[SUMMIT CRUISERS Jr]

The basket is mostly completed, the bolt on u channel is ready, and the uprights are cut out.

Need to attach the license plate holder, make some kind of secure bolt down for the Yeti, and do the last finishing welds and a little more work with the flap disk.

Just seeing how these look. I'm thinking the look from the side won't look good, so I'm trying to incorporate some mountain scene to cut out of it. My sketches just aren't convincing me though. The top 2" will be bent over flat.

 

[grizzlygibbs]

 

[SUMMIT CRUISERS Jr]

That's basically what I'm going for! Unfortnuately, nothing I draw really matches up with what anything looks like though.

 

[tlin]

SCJ - sorry, haven't caught up, may have missed it but:

1. Tire swing out kit - will one be available for the passenger side?
2. Have you determined/shared costs yet for said kit (DS or PS)?
3. As another '92/3FE'er, what discount should I expect?

Kidding aside, props to you, GREAT WORK. Thx again for sharing your progress and updates with the rest of us.

--t

 

[Steven Kurtz]

You have another interested party, Passenger side would be nice.

I was actually wondering why you chose driver side. Any special reason? Seems like a liability when parked on the curb with the swingout opening into traffic...(in this country anyway). Of course if you have another swingout on the other side I don't suppose it really matters that much.

I assume the actual swing out will be in pieces for the consumer to weld together? This would make it easier to adjust final tire position relative to tailgate.

Looks like you have many takers ahead of this post, any idea on turn around time?

Great work on this project!

 

[SUMMIT CRUISERS Jr]

SCJ - sorry, haven't caught up, may have missed it but:

1. Tire swing out kit - will one be available for the passenger side?
2. Have you determined/shared costs yet for said kit (DS or PS)?
3. As another '92/3FE'er, what discount should I expect?

Kidding aside, props to you, GREAT WORK. Thx again for sharing your progress and updates with the rest of us.

--t

1. Yes. I will be sending them out for either the passenger's side or driver's side.

2. Pricing TBD but sub $500. Not sure how much lower than that yet.

3. We will see...

You have another interested party, Passenger side would be nice.

I was actually wondering why you chose driver side. Any special reason? Seems like a liability when parked on the curb with the swingout opening into traffic...(in this country anyway). Of course if you have another swingout on the other side I don't suppose it really matters that much.

I assume the actual swing out will be in pieces for the consumer to weld together? This would make it easier to adjust final tire position relative to tailgate.

Looks like you have many takers ahead of this post, any idea on turn around time?

Great work on this project!

I definitely prefer to have my tire on the driver's side as it impairs visibility out the rear window when changing lanes. I'm hardly ever parallel parked, and even more rarely have a reason to open my hatch when I am.

The actual swing out will be parts that will be mostly tacked together just requiring final welding and however much work the buyer would like to perform to make it look however they would like.

No idea on turn around time. I was hoping to make a run of kits over the past couple weeks, but several setbacks have made that impossible. Not to mention I've been working on my passenger side swing out as well. That has taken a lot more time than I ever anticipated.

 

[grizzlygibbs]

When you build it, we will come

 

[SUMMIT CRUISERS Jr]

Well the second swing out is done!

I made a u channel to fit over the arm incase I ever decide to go with a different set up on that swing out.

I pulled the wires out of the license plate holder along with the bulb housings and they screwed right into the new JDM piece!

I had cut out a pair of uprights with mountains, but after seeing it, I wasn't satisfied with the shape of the top of the opening and just couldn't find a way that visually pleased me so I decided to go with a clean triangle cut out on the final version.

 

[LS1FJ40]

Nice work!

 

[TheBelgian]

Amazing work and skills!!

 

[tlin]

Well done, sir!!

 

[96Cruiser]

yes, EXCELLENT !!!!