Protecting cut and folded quarter panels

[Kejtar]

OK, so my quarter panels are cut and folded and I'm also working on my rear bumper... the question is did anyone tie in any sort of protection into the bumper? if so how did you do it? The one idea that I had won't work and i am having a hard time visualing a good solution.

[Jump This]

On our last outing I noticed a couple of bumpers that exstended around the sides and up to ...say, the wheel well. They were mounted using an exstention that bolted to the unibody frame.
Picture a bumper that 'slides' around the frame on either side then bolts in using the stock rear locations with bolts running thru the frame on the sides.....does that help?
I liked the design, at least the mounting set-up...I'm thinking about duplicating it with 3X6 square....
Rick

[Fullsizexj]

Contact Dave Taylor and see how he did his, it is exactly what you are looking for

[FarmerMatt]

I came off the bottom of the bumper & side of the bumper. These are extended up to the wheel well.

Matt

http://home.earthlink.net/~pigie/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/botw30121.jpg

[Kejtar]

I came off the bottom of the bumper & side of the bumper. These are extended up to the wheel well.

Matt

http://home.earthlink.net/~pigie/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/botw30121.jpg

Does it "hang" or does it tie into the folded quarter panel?? Also is it someone reinforced against impact landing so it doesn't move up too much ?

[FarmerMatt]

It's not tied into the wheel well at all, just welded to the bumper. It will move at the wheel well slightly with an impact from a rock, but normally you'll come down & hit closer to the bumper itself (less leverage) so movement is minimal. It's worked well for me over the past 2 years of heavy abuse. I wish my body panals would have held up as well... Here's a pic of ORGS rear bumper with a similar design.

Matt

http://home.earthlink.net/~pigie/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/orgsbumperrearview.jpg

[Kejtar]

It's not tied into the wheel well at all, just welded to the bumper. It will move at the wheel well slightly with an impact from a rock, but normally you'll come down & hit closer to the bumper itself (less leverage) so movement is minimal. It's worked well for me over the past 2 years of heavy abuse. I wish my body panals would have held up as well... Here's a pic of ORGS rear bumper with a similar design.

Matt

http://home.earthlink.net/~pigie/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/orgsbumperrearview.jpg


Cool.. thanks :D

[XJZ]

Remi:

I think the only way to reinforce the forwardmost portion of a wrap-around bumper is to weld an arm/outrigger type bracket to the frame and use that as a mounting point. On the d. side you'll have to deal with the gas filler, but you should have plenty of room forward of that.

[Nay]

What kind of bumper are you building? Tube?

If you are doing a tube bumper, just tie it into the frame on the side the same way you'd do a front prerunner style bumper. You want to do this for side impacts no matter what else you do.

Honestly, though, you'll have enough clearance back there that you shouldn't be hammering it. If you have plans for an internal cage, which you should if you really need to be cutting your quarter panels, then I'd just plate the folded portion with some 3/16" stock and brace it up into the cage from the inside, and skip trying to get bumper coverage, which, in the end, only costs you the clearance you were after in the first place.

I've been looking into the same thing, but I'm not sure I want to change my setup. I have the Tomken '97+ bumper that reuses the stock end caps. The plastic just bends up when I hit it, sometimes denting the quarter panel a bit, and then springs back into place. But I'd like a tube bumper to get the weight down back there, so I'll probably mess with it at some point. If I do, it will definitely tie into the cage.

Nay

[Kejtar]

Last year I landed hard on the passenger quarter panel which didn't do much damage to the quarter panel, but instead it sent the force of impact up and caused a "dimple" at about middle of the window. Then on the other side I landed this year right on the corner and I kind of mangled it.... so I figured... bye bye quarter panels :D I cut them and folded them at about even height with the underside of floor.

Bumper will not be tube.... So my current plan is to put steel plate underneath, reinforced with sime angle iron welded in a V to give it a 1" or so to reinforce it and counterract the potential bending up movement. I might even go as far as look into tying into the bottom of the floor/frame to spread the load a bit upon impact... or not :D

What kind of bumper are you building? Tube?

If you are doing a tube bumper, just tie it into the frame on the side the same way you'd do a front prerunner style bumper. You want to do this for side impacts no matter what else you do.

Honestly, though, you'll have enough clearance back there that you shouldn't be hammering it. If you have plans for an internal cage, which you should if you really need to be cutting your quarter panels, then I'd just plate the folded portion with some 3/16" stock and brace it up into the cage from the inside, and skip trying to get bumper coverage, which, in the end, only costs you the clearance you were after in the first place.

I've been looking into the same thing, but I'm not sure I want to change my setup. I have the Tomken '97+ bumper that reuses the stock end caps. The plastic just bends up when I hit it, sometimes denting the quarter panel a bit, and then springs back into place. But I'd like a tube bumper to get the weight down back there, so I'll probably mess with it at some point. If I do, it will definitely tie into the cage.

Nay

[slujeeper5]

Hey FarmerMatt,
Speaking of bumpers, what type of bumper is that on the green cherokee? I figure its one of your custom ones, but if i could buy that for a '98 somewhere i would. Thanks.

[twcguy]

Last year I landed hard on the passenger quarter panel which didn't do much damage to the quarter panel, but instead it sent the force of impact up and caused a "dimple" at about middle of the window. Then on the other side I landed this year right on the corner and I kind of mangled it.... so I figured... bye bye quarter panels :D I cut them and folded them at about even height with the underside of floor.


Kejtar -

Did you have to reweld the pinch seam after cutting and folding, or is it unrelated? I am cutting soon to put on some 33's I bought, and wouldnt mind just doing this at the same time.

Any pics?

Josh

[Weasel]

I have cagedXJ's old bumper and his has tube that run outside to provide some protection. The outer tubes are unsupported right now and have been bent up slightly but once I cut the 1/4's I will run some smaller tube underneath to connect them to the main bumper structure to keep them from teaking upwards.

http://www.performancemw.com/products/photos/custom_02_t.jpg

[xjk9bar1]

http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/3/web/483000-483999/483879_15_full.jpg


http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/3/web/483000-483999/483879_11_full.jpg

Some shot's of mine. 3x5x3/16 box tubing...it's held up to some pretty good smacks on the rocks.

[FarmerMatt]

Hey FarmerMatt,
Speaking of bumpers, what type of bumper is that on the green cherokee? I figure its one of your custom ones, but if i could buy that for a '98 somewhere i would. Thanks.

The rear bumper was built by Hanson Ent. out of Salinas, Ca. It originaly stopped at the start of the quarter panal. I cut & folded the quarter & extended the bumper up the sides. I personally have never seen a rear bumper that looks & flows as nicely as this one built by anyone else.

Matt

[freerider15]

http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/3/web/483000-483999/483879_15_full.jpg


http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/3/web/483000-483999/483879_11_full.jpg

Some shot's of mine. 3x5x3/16 box tubing...it's held up to some pretty good smacks on the rocks.

How hard was it to do that really, because I would like to do something just like that sometime. One more ?, how hard was it to cut off the part/metal where the stock bumper sits, the part where your rear bumper touches the sheetmetal, sorry if im bieng kind of vague lol.

[xjk9bar1]

It would take a day. Couple hours cutting & folding the quarter panels. The rest of the day welding up the bumper.

[Roxtar]

I came off the bottom of the bumper & side of the bumper. These are extended up to the wheel well.

Matt

http://home.earthlink.net/~pigie/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/botw30121.jpg

One other rear bumper question. I like how the receiver barely sticks out but how do you get to the pin hole?

[JeepFreak21]

One other rear bumper question. I like how the receiver barely sticks out but how do you get to the pin hole?


It's gotta be behind the bumper, but Matt, did you have to cut the bulkhead to get it to fit like that?
Billy

[Nay]

Can you post some pics of the cut and folded quarter panels...all the other shots have a bumper covering it...I'd like to see just the raw metal work, with perhaps a small writeup on where to cut, what to fold first, and how to fold it.

Thanks,
Nay

[Crunch]

Hanson's bumpers are very sweet, I have his front bumper. Lots o' luck getting him to build you a rear though. For a very comparable rear bumper, check out BPIfab.com. I've been over to look at his bumpers and they are equally as nice.
Crunch

[FarmerMatt]

I don't have any pics of the panal being cut & folded. Honestly my sides & lower quarters were really trashed so pretty work on them wasn't needed. The side panal's & bumper protection were more for beautification rather than protection. There's nothing left under those panals to protect!

The reciever hitch pin is accessed from behind (underneath) the bumper. It's not very convenient, but the added clearance is more important to me. The bulk head did not need to be cut at all. The reciever tube does not extend any furthar than the top plate of the bumper.

Matt

[small pederson]

freerider,

did you have to weld a new seam in your wheel well? if you cut that far do you have any tips or pictures?

[JeepFreak21]

I don't have any pics of the panal being cut & folded. Honestly my sides & lower quarters were really trashed so pretty work on them wasn't needed. The side panal's & bumper protection were more for beautification rather than protection. There's nothing left under those panals to protect!

The reciever hitch pin is accessed from behind (underneath) the bumper. It's not very convenient, but the added clearance is more important to me. The bulk head did not need to be cut at all. The reciever tube does not extend any furthar than the top plate of the bumper.

Matt


Matt, is that bumper not closed off on the back?
Billy

[FarmerMatt]

No it's not closed off in the back. The bumper is formed & built out of sheet steel. It's laser cut & press boke rather than starting with square tubing.

Matt

[JeepFreak21]

No it's not closed off in the back. The bumper is formed & built out of sheet steel. It's laser cut & press boke rather than starting with square tubing.

Matt


Interesting... how thick do you think it is?
Billy

[FarmerMatt]

It's made from 3/16".

[freerider15]

Pederson, those werent mine. I think Ill have to look into cutting the rear lower quarters off sometime...soon...

[twcguy]

I am still wondering if you have to reweld after cutting. Anyone know? :banghead:

Josh

[xjk9bar1]

I am still wondering if you have to reweld after cutting. Anyone know? :banghead:

Josh

Not if you careful cutting and maintain the pinch welds (to be bent afterwards).

[ChuckD]

I am still wondering if you have to reweld after cutting. Anyone know? :banghead:

Josh


I guess you can rivett, but I welded mine. You will definitely want seal it up.

http://home.comcast.net/~cdutke/qtrpan/images/DSCF0048.JPG

http://home.comcast.net/~cdutke/qtrpan/images/DSCF0040.JPG

[twcguy]

Those pictures help alot. Thanks!

Josh

[ChuckD]

I have more on my site also.