rear bumper mounting options

afd516 · Nov 25, 2005

I did a search to find how you guys that made your rear bumpers mounted them to your jeep and came up with nothing.

Does anybody have any pics on how you fabbed your brackets to mount the rear bumper to the xj?

2xtreme · Nov 26, 2005

Most custom rear bumpers are mounted to the stock 8 mounting holes that the stock bumper uses and also go down the bottom of the frame rail to include the mounting points like a rear 2" receiver would (useing a nut strip on the inside of the frame rail).

So you end up with at least 7 mounting points on each side.

Michael

Kejtar · Nov 26, 2005

afd516 said:
I did a search to find how you guys that made your rear bumpers mounted them to your jeep and came up with nothing.

Does anybody have any pics on how you fabbed your brackets to mount the rear bumper to the xj?

Will your bumper have a hitch in it and do you want to tow? If yes, then keep in mind that while most of the aftermarket and custom bumpers have a class 3 hitch on them, that hitch is for recovery only and not for towing (ask JohnJohn what happened when he hooked up a trailer to the bumper he bought

).
I've opened up the holes in the rear crossmember and slid angle iron with nuts strategically welded (so that it acts as a nutzert as well) and primarily hung my bumper on that.

RCP Phx · Nov 26, 2005

jelrod · Nov 26, 2005

afd516 · Nov 26, 2005

I came up with the same mounting brackets as jelrod with minor differences. I thank you guys for posting. I was just looking to see if I was on the right track as far as the brackets go and I was.

The bumper will not be used for towing ONLY A RECOVERY POINT AND A WINCH WILL BE ABLE TO GO ON IT AS SOON AS I WIRE IT. I WILL POST SOME PICS WHEN I FINISH.

OH YEAH PLASMA CUTTERS RULE!!

devildog0 · Nov 27, 2005

For something that wouldn't be used for recovery or towing (I've already got a class III hitch back there) but would have a spare and possibly a Jerry Can and Hi-Lift mounted on it, would using the 8 stock mounting holes cut it?

Detour · Nov 27, 2005

Personally I feel you need to hit the 8 stock holes and go beyond, preferably
an insert of some type as noted in previous replies........and then again, go
beyond that.......but...
But most importantly, if you look close to prior pictured examples.....watch
your heat while welding, not for nothing...but deflection or warpage in steel
as shown in previous pictures can be beyond counter-preductive if you need
to stress your bolt connections just to get a good mesh between connections.
Keep your warpage to a minimum when welding flat connections...

vetteboy · Nov 27, 2005

devildog0 said:
For something that wouldn't be used for recovery or towing (I've already got a class III hitch back there) but would have a spare and possibly a Jerry Can and Hi-Lift mounted on it, would using the 8 stock mounting holes cut it?

I wouldn't do it.

The stock holes are designed to have loading in compression only. They're meant to somewhat support the bumper in event of a rear-end collision, and to collapse and buffer the effect of that collision on the rest of the unibody structure.

Once you start putting bending and tension loads on them, that rear crossmember (effectively formed sheetmetal) isn't too strong. Even the factory spare tire carrier (for a little 225/75R15) wasn't mounted to the bumper. It would probably hold a static load just fine, but once you get a spare tire bouncing and pulling on it, I'd give it maybe 6 months before the area around the nuts started fatiguing and pulling out.

BRIANHO13 · Nov 27, 2005

I fliped my hitch and welded an piece of 2x5 tube to it for a bumper, that way I have the strength of the hitch, and a bumper.

JnJ · Nov 27, 2005

One more point, the stock class III hitch on my 87 mounted like others (through the frame rails into the nut serts), and two additional bolts up behind the bumper to the rear crossmember. I'll use all these points when I build my bumper.

devildog0 · Nov 27, 2005

alright no tire carrier for the stock mounting holes. Thanks

afd516 · Nov 28, 2005

This is what I have so far. Tommorrow it will get paint and be mounted on the xj. I am waiting for the d-ring/shackle tabs which will be mounted later this week (easy).

What do you think so far? I will take pics of it once it is painted and on tommorrow and post.

devildog0 · Nov 28, 2005

I wish I had a garage I would be working on my bumper and skidplate right now its raining here right now so using an AC welder and power tools probably wouldn't be the best idea right now since I have to work outside.

PapaPump · Nov 28, 2005

there were newer spare carriers mounted to the bumper. i have seen them on 95+ or so

RNMedic · Nov 28, 2005

BRIANHO13 said:
I fliped my hitch and welded an piece of 2x5 tube to it for a bumper, that way I have the strength of the hitch, and a bumper.

got any pics of that?

BRIANHO13 · Nov 28, 2005

Here is a pic of the rear of it.
You will have to grind the weld on theends of the hitch so you can flip the rails to the other side and slide them inward about 1/4" each side.
make sure you start with a hitch that doesn't hang too low or you will have to cut into your rear floor a little(ask me how I know, I used a vally hitch). You will also have to trim the rear cross member a bit to get the hitch to fit.
I love the way it looks and works.

afd516 · Nov 28, 2005

With the exception of the d-ring tabs/shackles it is finished. I can now place my hi-lift any where around the bottom and lift the jeep. I will wire in the winch to run off the rear probably on wed.

I also have plenty of places to tie in the exocage when I start that sometime after the first of the year.

Hows it look?

TheManch · Nov 29, 2005

looks nice, for my own prefences it is a little plain from the back, i think if you add shackle tabs it will break things up a bit. just my opinions but hey my bumper looked mucht he same!! kicking garage as well!!! in the pick with the black xj you can see the unibody flex if you look at the hatch to bumper lines....i love xjs

TheManch · Nov 29, 2005

btw where does yuor exhaust go?

Mike

rear bumper mounting options

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