Custom Bumpers

Hey guys, i am looking into making a custom bumper for my XJ. I want it to look relativly simple yet slick. I also want it to be relativly light weight. 1/4" steel bumper on a Unibody XJ is way overkill.(The brackets will be 1/4" though) The main portion of the bumper i wa thinking of maybe 1/8 or 3/16". What do you think? Also of course hooks for D rings and light mounts for my PIAA's. What do you guys recommend for the thickness? Also any good sites that i could go to inorder to get design ideas or info. Thanks.

try http://www.ajsoffroadarmor.com/ i saw there web site ont eh jeepin site and was pretty inprested. i would say go with the 3/16. i am going with 1/4 just in case. i liek over kill. and i am not really worried about weight. not like i am building a dragster here

Regal, AJ agree's with you on the 1/4" thing, as do I. Check out his site as posted above, if you have any issues with the website, let me know, I'm the Webmaster

AJ built my front bumper.

PhatXJ,

Nice looking bumper. Any specs or build pictures?

Bones
#6

Thanks Bones. No "build pictures" other than what you see, there are a few more on AJ's Website. The bumper is 1/8" and all the mounts are 1/4" and the shackle mounts are 3/4" tied straight into the frame mounts. There is a receiver hitch behind the license plate. The grille guard was a grille guard I had before on my stock bumper that was customized to work with the new bumper, it is removable and is held on by 4, 5/8" gr 8 bolts. The grille guard is also part of the shackle mounts.

eace:

If you want another idea go to:

http://www.wnccustomjeeps.com

and click on "What we Do" Dave (35xj) builds a really bumper.

The problem with going with 1/4 inch material is that you'll start needing 1/4 inch material because your XJ will become a fat heavy PIG. I did the 1/4 inch thing and was very happy to get rid of it!

1/8 tubing is fine for bumpers. I used 2x6 1/8 wall tubing for my XJ and it holds up fine. Each bumper weighs only 30 lbs with brackets before adding all the geegaws. I got rear ended by an Escalade and virually nothing happened to my XJ while it destroyed the Escalade.

I've since added a tow hitch receptacle to the rear bumper and beefed up the backside with a 1/4 inch plate that's really heavier than needed. You can make small cuts on the backside of the tubing and bend it to match the contour of the front of your rig and weld the cut back up. Easy to make and install and plenty tough- believe me! You can also tuck them up close & tight to your rig for maximum departure & approach angle without compromising protection

xjdaddy said:

If you want another idea go to:

http://www.wnccustomjeeps.com

and click on "What we Do" Dave (35xj) builds a really bumper.

Click to expand...

I never get more than three photos on that web page and no links to any where on it!

the skin should be around 3/16(.188) to 8ga(.177) anything more is a waste of material and will be too heavy.

brackets should be no less than .250.

Well for simple and light weight, this is what I did. Of course in the pictures it is not finished, I capped the ends and still need to add paint.