Im gonna build me some bumpers (1 Viewer)

[lx450landcruiser]

I just bought a new Miller mig welder and i have decided that spending $700+$100 for shipping is just to much for a front bumper. I know there great and look bad ass but that a lot of cash to drop on a hunk of steel im gonna scratch the hell out of. So my question is does any one have any plans for a front bumper I have seen rear plans and i plane on doing that after the front is done but where's the front? Also any ideas on stuff to weld on to the front when im done like off road light mounts maybe a CB antenna mount? Also what gauge steel do you guy think i want something really strong but i don't want my cruiser to do nose wheelies when i stop.
thanks mike

 

[cruiserdan]

Let's not forget about air bags as well.............

 

[Outback]

Where did you find those *rear* bumper plans??? I'd like to see them too.

My buddy and I got a hankerin' for some bootie fabbin'

Jody.

[move] [/move]

 

[NW-sickboy]

GO FOR IT!.....nice to see some more guys ball up and see that they could build 3 or 4 bumpers and learn a hell of alot more than just buying the Generic arb or slee stuff. and i think the guage question is totally legit. some of the steel these guys are using is overkill.....i would lean a little to the lighter side and just brace everything reallly well......Good luck...keep us inforjmed......and when you are all done you will have a bad ass welder for your next project

 

[Beowulf]

LX-Mike,
Suggestion. (And this may be my last for you.)

If you are going to wheel your truck then you will need sliders. You're equipped with a welder and you are hankering to start heating up metal and building something.

Go grab the slider plans from George's web site and build you up some sliders; then decide if you want to buy or build the bumpers.

Good luck.
-B-

 

[sleeoffroad]

[quote author=NW-sickboy link=board=2;threadid=5662;start=msg44866#msg44866 date=1064520886]
some of the steel these guys are using is overkill
[/quote]

Mike, I beg to differ. Currently we are using 3/16" Grade 80 for the front bumper, and I bet you, if you tried you could probably bend that as well. ARB's use a thinner metal, but they bet a lot of strength from the wing desing and folds as well as the bar work.

It all depends on what you want to protect and how you wheel it.

 

[Gumby]

I agree with da Wulf. Make sliders first. You need them more than bumpers if you really plan on wheeling it and you will gain lots of experience making them.
My guess is you will find you spend more on simple sliders than others can make them for you.

 

[MTNRAT]

Good advice Beo.
Sean

 

[NW-sickboy]

Hey....I am not saying that ARB and slee is not some High quality steez....it is way high quality....but there is something to be said for doing it yourself. AND hell yes i wheel my junk...I beat the s*** out of it!. thats why i bought an 80....I just know the experience from the first PO steering conversion on my 40 to learning to throw down a decent bead is why i love landcruisers. Furthermore i dont want any plastic wrap and sure as hell dont want anything to do with heeps.......great suggestion by the way to have him build his sliders....georges are slick and a great set to model yours after. as far as the gauge is concerned; do a search on pirate in the minitruck/4runner section and you will find tons of great bumpers and protection from a lighweight minimalist standpiont.....just my 2 cents.......

 

[lx450landcruiser]

Thanks guys ill check out the pages and look at the sliders.
As far as the bumpers go im not a newbie to welding i have been certified in both mig and arc welding and i have built custom front and rear bumpers for my last two fj40s. I love the ARB bumpers and the Slee off road ones but for the price on one of those bumpers i can pay off the welder and still have money for other projects such as a new roof rack, tire carrier, maybe even an exo-skeleton. Im deff going to put sliders on it no doubt, along with skid plates i was just curious what gauge you guys though would be sufficient yet not over kill.
thanks again

P.S. the rear bumper planes are at http://www.yankeetoys.org/black900rr/rearbumper.html
i really like the look and function really a good page

 

[Junk]

lexymike,
A lot of time goes into designing those bumpers - which of course you know since you've made a few in the past. The lines of the 80 make it a lil tougher than a 40 which can be a straight beam (and most are).

When it comes to an 80 series, being that heavy of a truck, there is no such thing as overkill except for when you are parked on top of a deer you just hit doing 80 mph - then you are over kill.

 

[lx450landcruiser]

thanks ill keep that in mind. lol

 

[sleeoffroad]

[quote author=lx450landcruiser link=board=2;threadid=5662;start=msg44987#msg44987 date=1064538272]
I love the ARB bumpers and the Slee off road ones but for the price on one of those bumpers i can pay off the welder and still have money for other projects such as a new roof rack, tire carrier, maybe even an exo-skeleton. [/quote]

I am all for everyone making their own bumpers. Good ideas surface from this, makes one think out of the box etc etc. If you are capable and have the tools, go for it. However one should be carefull to just add up the cost of the steel in a bumper and then say it is to expensive. If your time is your own (like workless Junk ) then they can be less expensive, however I can assure you that making those bumpers are going to chew up a couple of weekends if not more.

I just have a pet peeve about people only looking at the materials and then putting a price on the product like that. Yes, the steel is cheap, the time and design is not.

I appload George S & Mike Fox (I believe that is his rear bumoer) for publishing their plans. That gives people and idea of what is involved and if they can indeed tackle it themselves.

<off soap box>

 

[lx450landcruiser]

I by no means am saying that the slee and Arb bumpers arnt worth the money you payfor them. There worth every cent im just saying from where im coming from. 17, still in school, little money and lots of weekends to screw around. i would like to try and build my own. Thanks for your input and ill let you guys know how it goes, hell i may end up just buying a bumper if all goes to crap

 

[alia176]

Damn, wish I had a LX450 when I was in high school....instead of the '70 Ford Fairlane 500 I drove around Large back seat though

 

[firetruck41]

Yeah my first car was an 82 Civic 1300FE, not real "cool" but 51 mpg in city drivin' was good for a poor HS student. I don't think I'd have been able to pay for gas if I had a 80 series in HS!

 

[Beowulf]

1952 Oldsmobile Rocket 88. Nobody measured MPG back then; it was only .30/gallon; as low as .16/gallon if you could find a price war between companies. Since I worked in gas stations through HS, finding the cheapest fuel was easy.

Got a '57 Chevy with a V8 during my sophmore year. That was a great car for HS and the '57 Chevys still turn heads to this day. I saw a 2dr hardtop and a Nomad during lunch today. Weird.

-B-

 

[Rogue]

[quote author=firetruck41 link=board=2;threadid=5662;start=msg45916#msg45916 date=1064865012]
I don't think I'd have been able to pay for gas if I had a 80 series in HS!
[/quote]

I was barely able to buy gas for a '91 Civic in HS, and now I am a college sophomore fighting with myself on whether or not to sell the cause of my current fiscal depression, and yet my third greatest source of joy.

 

[shocker]

My first (and high school) vehicle: 1974 IHC Scout...... Muddin in construction sites and by old, washed out bridges

I've never owned a "car".....

 

[Beowulf]

>> ... third greatest source of joy <<

You mean *two* things can possibly rank before Cruiser ownership? One maybe, but not two!

-B-