Bumper building

Wasn't sure where to ask this, but does anyone have any plans/can give me ideas to build some bumpers for my XJ? I'm thinking 4x4" square tube, 3/16" thick for a basis, but I don't want it just to be flat on the XJ, I'd like it to have some flair. A lot of regular bumpers I see especially the winch bumpers have the 3x4 or 4x4 piece about as long as the distance between the mounts, then it slants inward to the fenders. I'd like something like that. I'd be making a sort of basic bumper, no winch needed, and maybe make a brush guard on the front as well to go onto. Hopefully simple.
The rear I'm guessing I'll have to figure out, I don't want a gap showing between the taillights and the bumper and I want the quarter panel to line up to the bumper. I'd also like to make the mounts on both bumpers stronger than stock, probably 1/4" flat steel and have D rings front and maybe back.
My plan is to take the mounting pieces and have them longer than needed, cut out channels in the bumper and weld the bumper to the mounts. Drill holes for the D ring shackles to go in.
Hard to explain but I think you get the idea, I've seen a couple companies do this. I'm also thinking about making my own HD steering box brace out of some 1/4" steel but that might be harder than I think. I ask this all because I went into the steel supply place around and got a rough quote on 10 feet of 4x4" 3/16" thick square tube and about 4 feet of 1/4" flat steel and it came out to be about $120, I'd rather have plans or a materials list so that I can buy exactly what I need and have as minimal waste material as possible. Thanks.

Thats my bumper.. My advice is get some nice big pieces of cardboard and a really good razor knife, build tempolates from cardboard first.

I usually start with pencil and paper if I need some help developing my ideas. Draw it out on paper and erase it and redraw it until you like what you have. Here's my white-board sketch of my front bumper, and what it looks like today (mid-build).

Mine:

http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=968021

My simple build (not fancy)
http://www.rockrunneroffroad.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=34

heres my huge @$$ bumper. its not that bad in person. not nery pretty either



made out of 6" C-channel.

userbmx1315 said:

heres my huge @$$ bumper. its not that bad in person. not nery pretty either

made out of 6" C-channel.

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OMG,I think he was probably looking for some "usefull" information!

I've seen kinda worse. One guy's XJ I saw in an off-road shop had a custom front bumper that was supposedly so heavy that they needed a cherry picker to hoist it up and bolt it on. They said it was like 300 lbs. It was beefy, it stuck out probably 6" or more and was all boxed. I'm thinking of adding in my idea of Mosephus's build. Instead of using 2x4 like he did (I'm guessing) I'll use 4x4. Cut and angle the sides in the same way he did. Using 1x4" plate for the mounts/D rings at the end of the mounts. The end caps will also be 1/4" and will sorta follow the bumperettes that a stock XJ has, only it wouldn't come in as close so that the tires can still have room to breathe. Either that or I won't do caps. The rear is where I'm really in a bind, I don't want a gap showing inbetween the taillights and the bumper, and I want it to butt up against the stock quarter panel.

Userbmx......"WOW"...


Most likely not much help, but for my own build, I went unconventionally short, and stout.

Is it just me, or does that rig look like Johnny Five?

it does look like johnny 5 hehehe

Johnny 3.875......

My bumper build - http://hometown.aol.com/xjtim/index1.html

http://www.twisted-halo.com/digicam/xj/Bumper mount.pdf

Several companies like JCR and some vendors sell bumper mounting brackets.

http://www.jcroffroad.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=3UNBF&Category_Code=XJB

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=935716

Tim_MN said:

My bumper build - http://hometown.aol.com/xjtim/index1.html

http://www.twisted-halo.com/digicam/xj/Bumper mount.pdf

Several companies like JCR and some vendors sell bumper mounting brackets.

http://www.jcroffroad.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=3UNBF&Category_Code=XJB

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=935716

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I think your build is what I will copy. Not exactly spot on, I'll use a lot of ideas from a lot of different bumpers but still keep it simple. I was wondering how the bumper would look if it was cut and welded inward at the sides just a tad, so that works.

Just got back from another steel supply place, holy crap it was a ton of money. I didn't buy anything but a couple little pieces to make the steering box brace (little school project). I might make a write up on it if anyone is interested.
Their 2x6" square tube was almost 22 dollars a foot, their 4x6 square tube was 37 dollars or something a foot. I was planning on putting a flat 4x6 piece in the rear and making 2x6" for the front.
Keep in mind that I need 5 feet appox. for the front and about 6 feet for the rear (the rear is a few inches wider I found out from quarter panel to quarter panel). I'm just thinking about making tube bumpers now, would tube bumpers be harder or easier to make? Just a double tube bumper.

Mosephus said:

My simple build (not fancy)
http://www.rockrunneroffroad.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=34

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Where did you get the unibody tie in brackets from? I was looking around a few days ago and found the site but can't remember where I was at the time.

~Alex

it would really depend on if you have a TUBE bender. those go for about 350ish new. the steel place around here goes by weight. usually can get about 10 ft of channel for about $30. next time i go i'll price (maybe buy) some 2x4x1/4.

Try here for a price comparison - http://www.discountsteel.com/index.cfm/go/main.itemDisplay/itemID/47.htm


Looked at the Ukrain Train bumper kit yet ?

codyyy said:

Just got back from another steel supply place, holy crap it was a ton of money. I didn't buy anything but a couple little pieces to make the steering box brace (little school project). I might make a write up on it if anyone is interested.
Their 2x6" square tube was almost 22 dollars a foot, their 4x6 square tube was 37 dollars or something a foot. I was planning on putting a flat 4x6 piece in the rear and making 2x6" for the front.
Keep in mind that I need 5 feet appox. for the front and about 6 feet for the rear (the rear is a few inches wider I found out from quarter panel to quarter panel). I'm just thinking about making tube bumpers now, would tube bumpers be harder or easier to make? Just a double tube bumper.

Click to expand...

Welcome to the world of steel...........though, those prices are a tad high.

That johnny 5 bumper is sweet. Due you have any more pics? :cheers: