home made bumpers...searched, looking for input

[rehab]

this will be my first time fabing up bumpers, much less anything else with the exception of shock mounts. im looking to copy something like the rock lizard front bumper.
http://www.rocklizardfabrications.com/100_0706.jpg
im a fairly good welder but im having my buddy who has been welding since he was 12 do it up. my question is what have you guys built your bumpers out of? im thinking 3*5*1/4 square tube or 3*5*1/4 c-channel. however, the thickest wall the local scrap yard has is 1/8 inch. i would also like to know how you guys tied in the shackle mounts and how you made your front and rear mounts. i plan on incooperating a steering box brace also. any info and ideas are welcome. ill post some of my drawings tomorrow.

[RCP Phx]

Bumper strength is more by design than material thickness.On my front the top tube is 2x2x.188" everything else is .125".The mounts are 1/4"(tripled up for the shackles).Rear is 2x6x.188" w/ 1/4" mounts(shackles tripled again for 3/4").
http://hometown.aol.com/__121b_hq51gQJZjgg3M13QnEnq0+NiOmzcB+jS
http://www.hometown.aol.com/rpayne9421/images/rear%20bump1.jpg
http://www.hometown.aol.com/rpayne9421/images/rear%20bump2.jpg

[jdogg4]

I used 2x2x3/16RT 1/8 is to thin all that work and onegood hit to dimple dent or jack everything up isn't worth it. Find at least 3/16 and save the headache of having to do it all over again.

I tide my shackle points on the front and back of the bumper.

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2117063623

[XJ_ranger]

obivously didnt look very hard - :eyes:

about 2 weeks ago I posted this about mine...

http://www.opiebennett.com/tech/frontbumper/index.php

[Steve F]

I made one only two weeks ago and based it on that very bumper

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=86763

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/album639/Bumper_051.sized.jpg

Cheers
Steve

[rehab]

I made one only two weeks ago and based it on that very bumper

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=86763

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/album639/Bumper_051.sized.jpg

Cheers
Steve
i saw your thread and it inspired me! lol i was just curious to see what matterial everyone else was using and what would be the easiest to work with. was the 1/4" difficult to bend like that, i know you scored the back of the metal to make it easier, any other tips?

[IntrepidXJ]

haven't built my new front bumper yet, but will be doing it this summer. but i can give you some info on my rear bumper.

I made my rear bumper out of my old rock rails. they were 2"x4"x3/16"
the mounts are made from 2"x2"x1/4" angle
just put a receiver in the bumper for a recovery point.

here's some pics

receiver
http://pictures.myxj.net/rearbumper3-14-06/DSC08504.JPG

mounts go inside the framerail and thru the bumper
http://pictures.myxj.net/rearbumper3-14-06/DSC08524.JPG
http://pictures.myxj.net/rearbumper3-15-06/DSC08545.JPG
http://pictures.myxj.net/rearbumper3-15-06/DSC08581.JPG

complete
http://www.myxj.net/trail/MoabCO/Pritchett_Canyon1_5-4-06/photos/DSC00137.JPG

HTH

[zthang43]

I used 4x6 box tubing, 3/16 wall for my front bumper, 1/4" plate for the mounts, and 1x2 solid bar stock for the D-rings, they run through the bumper and along the mounts.

I also based my bumper on the rock lizard design in your first picture with the red XJ; but their bumper is C channel and I used box tubing so it would work as an air tank. According to my math, it holds about 5 gallons.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c26/zthang43/Cherokee%20bumper/Img_2887.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c26/zthang43/Cherokee%20bumper/Img_2888.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c26/zthang43/Cherokee%20bumper/Img_2890.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c26/zthang43/Cherokee%20bumper/Img_2745.jpg

[Steve F]

i saw your thread and it inspired me! lol i was just curious to see what matterial everyone else was using and what would be the easiest to work with. was the 1/4" difficult to bend like that, i know you scored the back of the metal to make it easier, any other tips?

The 1/4" is pretty easy to bend, if it doesn't bend score it a little deeper. The problem points was where the top and front face meet as it has harder to get the angle grinder in there and the steel is thicker. I ended up cutting that bit with a hacksaw. The steel still tore a little there due to it having no gao to close into when it was bent (the 3mm disc lives some room for this when it does the scoring). It was no big deal though, a quick file down and some weld and it was sorted.

All in all it was pretty easy to make, the brackets were the most time consuming bit.

Cheers
Steve