Jzilla's custom rear bumper, tire carrier and front bumper build (1 Viewer)

[jzilla]

The last big project on my diesel converted FJ60 is a custom made, rear bumper, rear tire carrier and front bumper.
When I first got into cruisers ten years ago I made my bumpers and tire carrier with limited welding knowledge, that being said, nothing ever failed.
Well now I have a lot more experience and I wanted to try and make some really nice stuff to suit my clean FJ.

I looked at many rear bumper designs here on MUD as well as all over the net for quite a long time. I guess I kind of went with a hybrid of a few designs. I wanted to make it my own
At the same time I am getting the tire carrier going, I am using a comp4x4 heavy duty spindle. I will be chopping up my old tire carrier and reusing the steel from that.
The bolts are all 1/2 inch grade 8.
The fun began with removing the stock bumper brackets. I ground down each rivet until flush with bracket and then hammered each one out with a punch and big hammer.

After making several templates out of cardboard I finally cut out two bumper mounts using 1/4 inch steel plate. In order to fit the 1/2 inch bolts I took a 1/2 drill bit and just enlarged the holes a bit, took a minute to do all 6.

Most of the steel I used I did not even have to cut the widths! I got it from a local metal supermarket and it was already in the widths I needed. Except for the small vertical piece which I had sheared at a local shop, well when I got it home I had mismeaured so I just cut it by hand anyways

The following pictures are from my first day working on it, as you can see I tapered in the ends

 

[jzilla]

The next few pictures are from day two.
I am leaving the rear crossmember in place as it is not in the way, also it is in great shape, it still has the factory paint on it where the stock one was sitting.

 

[jzilla]

And two more...

 

[jzilla]

Yesterdays work...
Cut off the ends to follow the lines of the truck.

Welded a 1/4 inch steel plate to the bottom to tie into the rear crossmember with 3 bolts. I cut two of the welded-on nuts off the crossmember and then just enlarged the holes, the middle hole was already there.

I figured I might as well use this as another attachment point since it was so easy to.

 

[jzilla]

Drilled hole in bumper. I was able to slide the bumper under my drill press so that made things a bit easier, it took me forever to decide where to drill that hole.
I also went from passenger side to drivers side and back again, that is a whole other discussion though...

I had to cut the spindle housing and the spindle to match the slant in the bumper. I made a little boo boo when cutting the angle so I had to reweld part of the sleeve back on the top again...

 

[jzilla]

Added three gussets today and capped the passenger side end off.
I plan to partially box the ends in for strength, especially for the tire carrier side.

I picked up a black $6 cutting board this evening for the tire carrier to rest on, it is about 1/4 thick, there was one that was an inch thick!
Anyhow I figure the 1/4 inch should be ok? I was going to fasten it with a couple stainless bolts that are countersunk and attached them on the other side with nylocks.
Anything wrong with that?

 

[John McVicker]

Good looking work jzilla. Subscribed.

John

 

[cruiserpilot]

Looks really great! Loking forward to the rest of it. Where did you get the spindle from?

 

[jzilla]

Thanks!
See post #1
It is the heavy duty spindle from comp4x4
Tire Carrier Hinge Kit - Heavy Duty - 1-3/4" Mega Spindle

 

[pistonpete]

 

[lcwizard]

you'll need at least one grinding wheel....

 

[Mace]

you'll need at least one grinding wheel....

Flap disc..

 

[alaska60]

Flap disc..

agreed.....
you can polish steel with one of these.

 

[jzilla]

I think he was being sarcastic?
Anyways I have several flap discs, and grinding wheels.
I will probably just grind down the main stuff with the grinding wheel then use the 40 grit, I have a 120 grit and a polishing wheel as well, but the 40 grit works great if you vary your pressure.

 

[Sixty's Guy]

Thats great!

 

[Bigduke6]

That looks great. The proportions are perfect. What sizes flat stock are you using? Can't wait to see more!

 

[jzilla]

Thanks
The the following are 1/4 inch: frame mounts, tie into rear crossmember, center vertical piece, center rear piece that slopes inwards to truck.
Everything else is 3/16.
Just found out last night that the U bolt on the destaco latch I am using is a bit too short, so I have to find a longer one.
Still trying to decide if I should use a big bolt with a t-handle on a nut to keep the carrier against the truck or just a big trailer pin.
I want the cleanest look possible. The trailer pin might be all I need.
More pics to come later today.

 

[jzilla]

Here are a few pictures of what I just finished, setting the pin up and the plastic pads took two days, seems the little details take the longest.
Making sure things lined up perfectly was very time consuming...
Not even sure if I need to bother with the destaco latch now, this nut and bolt latch I made is super secure, just need to find a better pin to go through the nut and bolt...

 

[landcruiserjunky]

Its starting to come together very nicely

 

[CruisinTiger]

Looks very cool man...are you gonna put a Reece hitch into the bumper....saw a guy who did something similar on an 80 and flush mounted into his bumper....you definitely have a lot of patience.