Trying to post some pics of the bumpers so far...

But it appears I need to take a beer break and hit it again tomorow. Regardless, here's a try at image hosting:

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v338/Colorado_XJ/?action=deletepic&pic=100_0909.jpg

Been working on some bumpers for the XJ. The front one is most of the way there. I added some things to it and reinforced the driver's side plate/bracket to tie into all 3 steering box bolt holes. I also made a spacer plate (like C-ROK's) to go between the frame and the steering box to eliminate any frame failure potential. The bumper mounts to 9 points on the driver's side and 6 on the passenger side. It's constructed of 6x2x3/16 tube, 1/4" diamond plate (top flat section), 5/16 A36 plate (mounting bracket/upright and winch tray), 1" A36 plate (shackle mounts), and 1" ID .120 wall HREW. For now, I am happy with it, until I need to increase the approach angle. Then I will start over and make version 2.

The rear is my latest project, and I am most of the way there, in parts. The main tube (5x3x1/4) is fabbed and shackle mounts (1" A36) are welded/sanded. The end caps will be bent plate to mimic the rear body lines. I have it tied into the frame at all 8 bumper points, plus 6 of the 8 tow hitch points. I really don't think I need to worry about the 2 holes (one in each side) that are in the sheet metal lip at the rear-most edge of the body. If anyone thinks otherwise, I can make it work. It'll just be a bear since I snugged the bumper up pretty close to the body. The rear bumper may also serve as an air tank (it's about 3.25 gallons), but that's down the road when the AC runs out of juice and becomes OBA. The shackles front and rear are alloy body and alloy pin, giving a WLL of 7 tons while still using a 7/8" pin.

Currently working on a gas tank skid for the oversized replacement tank I have in there. I'll post some pics of the AR-400 t-case skid/dropped x-member when I crawl under there again. Didn't lose any clearance, and dropped the t-case about 1/2".

You need to cut and paste the last option that Photobucket shows ya at the bottom of each pic.

Thanks. Last beer of the night... I can still type....with a little help, it appears I might get through this! Now, if only I can keep things from corrupting....

-Rich

How did you curve the rear bumper like that? I broke my rear bumper/tire carrier last weekend in Tellico and am thinking about fabbing a new rear bumper and I like how yours is curved like that.

Ary

The curve is courtesy of a hydraulic ram. My shop uses a 300-ton unit to camber steel beams, so I put the big girl to use on her littlest job ever. Blocked at the ends, it pushed about 2-1/2" before it would relax to a 3/4" bow. You could try heating it, but mine is 1/4" wall and too short of a span to get much of a result, I fear. Your best bet is to find someone with a porta-power and try that out.

-Rich

OT- So you said your place of employment puts arch in steel beams? I alsways wondered how bridges were built to get that arch in them? So do you use this big press to put arch in the I beams and then weld in the cross pieces and such to make the bridge? Just curious. How big of I beams get arched in this manner? Are there other ways this gets done? Thanks for any inf. Jeff :dunno:

I've arched tube like that with a torch and a wet sponge. You heat it up cherry red with a rosebud then quench it. It will shrink at that point. You have to do some work to make sure you don't corkscrew it, but it can be done in a small shop.

I've arched tube like that with a torch and a wet sponge. You heat it up cherry red with a rosebud then quench it. It will shrink at that point. You have to do some work to make sure you don't corkscrew it, but it can be done in a small shop.

By the way, nice work.

Sitting in the garage or in a small shop, heat-shrinking will definitely get 'er done. But with the setup we have, I couldn't NOT use it!

Cambering beams results in a semi-permanent (what's REALLY permanent?) arch. No bracing or anything required to hold the shape. The floor on our building (what the cambering rig is built onto) is an amazing thing...about 7 foot thick post-tensioned concrete reinforced with stacked 36" beams and #12 rebar. We can camber sections up to 40" deep. The stoutest member my shop has done was a 36" beam weighing 328 pounds per foot, at a length of 78 feet (12.8 tons). We only put 5.5" of camber into it, but we had to "push it" 13 inches in 5 spots for it to relax to that camber and have a gradual arch. For the really arched bridges, most places will use lighter members and have them hydraulically rolled. The 2 large operations doing that here in the US are in Chi-town and DFW area.

I have some more pics of it finished, I'll post some soon.

-Rich

I used the heat-shrinking method to do my front bumper!

I used the slit and reweld method to contour my homebuilt bumper project.
I have some pictures and text of the project. I wasn't really very hard but it did take a bit of time. Everything was mostly done by eyeball and tape measure, if it it looked good and was centered I welded it.

Building a Bumper - http://hometown.aol.com/xjtim/index1.html

Bumper Pic here -

http://www.fototime.com/F4656DBB3BC16F3/standard.jpg[img]
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