Operation build-a-bumper has begun! Rough pics.

[Vetteboy]

Picked up my steel today:

8 ft 2x6x3/16" channel
3.5 feet 2x2x1/4" square tube
18"x8"x1/4" plate

$36 [img]icon_smile_big.gif[/img] But the only thing I actually paid for was 5 ft of the channel. They gave me the whole 8 foot piece because they had it laying around and didn't want to deal with an extra 2.x foot piece. The other stuff I found here at school.

It's going to look something like this...pardon the rough drawing, I did it during class today cuz I was bored, and didn't have a ruler or anything.




I haven't figured out the exact logistics of it yet because my XJ is 75 miles away at the garage. No rush on it though. Should be pretty cool when it's done, and hella strong too. The shackle mounts are gonna be 1/2" thick, and those pieces are going to extend down the frame rails, and the driver's side one will also brace the steering box bolts. The hitch will be braced from behind with the 2x2, welded along the face of the 2x6 channel, and also to the 1/2" plates that go along the frame rails.

Will keep posted as it progresses, and take pics as always. [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

[agoldxj]

looks like a good plan [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

[phillyzj]

looks real sweet. one little thing i notice, you're gonna need to bring the hitch out a little more so you can fit the pin in there. that is all.

[MiguelXJ]

very nice Chris!

Cant wait to see it done! Are ya gonna do some CAD drawings or what? I'd like to have that... [img]icon_smile_big.gif[/img]

[jerod2099]

Originally posted by phillyzj:
looks real sweet. one little thing i notice, you're gonna need to bring the hitch out a little more so you can fit the pin in there. that is all.

Not completely true. There should be room to get behind the bumper for the pin. Or it can be done like my tj bumper. I beefed up the factory rear bumper with 2x4 tubing and cut a square hole in the bumper for my hitch and shackle recievers. The 2" square tube is flush with the bumper and the pin drops in from the top. The only downfall is you have to drill a hole through the top of any aftermarket hitch items. I made my own so I had to drill a hole anyway. You can see the pictures here......http://www.simplyjeep.com/sjgallery/...umb_jeep28.JPG

[phillyzj]

ahh i see the hole now, my bad. what can i say it was 6am

[MiguelXJ]

Originally posted by jerod2099:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by phillyzj:
looks real sweet. one little thing i notice, you're gonna need to bring the hitch out a little more so you can fit the pin in there. that is all.

Not completely true. There should be room to get behind the bumper for the pin. Or it can be done like my tj bumper. I beefed up the factory rear bumper with 2x4 tubing and cut a square hole in the bumper for my hitch and shackle recievers. The 2" square tube is flush with the bumper and the pin drops in from the top. The only downfall is you have to drill a hole through the top of any aftermarket hitch items. I made my own so I had to drill a hole anyway. You can see the pictures here......http://www.simplyjeep.com/sjgallery/...umb_jeep28.JPG </font>[/QUOTE]sweet job!! [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

but you better change the link to:

[Mudstuck]

looks good vette, can't wait to see the results. I can't wait till I can get my hands on a welder [img]icon_smile_big.gif[/img]

[Vetteboy]

Originally posted by MiguelXJ:
very nice Chris!

Cant wait to see it done! Are ya gonna do some CAD drawings or what? I'd like to have that... [img]icon_smile_big.gif[/img]

Yup, as soon as I get some measurements and stuff, I'll draw it up fo' real.

And yes, like was said, the pin can be accessed from the back.

[img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

[deke]

if you have a YJ around, the YJ frame width is the same as the XJs. if thats the measurement you aremissing. or i can do take it for ya.

[Itellyawhat]

Look at this site, this is the beefiest back bumper I have ever seen. [img]icon_smile_shock.gif[/img]

Beef, it's whats for bumpers.

[phillyzj]

that one seems a little too bulk for me

[Vetteboy]

I need to take a lot of weird measurements for placement of the receiver hitch, bolt pattern for the steering box in relation to the bumper bolts, as well as width in general for the whole thing.

The frame rail width is the only one I actually have, I think. [img]graemlins/laughing.gif[/img] I've got it at somewhere around 32.75".

That WJ one is much too big for my taste. Sticks out too far on the sides, and the guy must have no problems with departure angle. [img]graemlins/iono.gif[/img] To each his own I guess.

[98XJDMB]

I really like your bumper. I like how its tapered like:

but C4X4F's winchless bumper is square. Have you seen one sold similar to the one you are making?

[Jeepin Jason]

Looks good. Couple of things though. Could just be the scale of your drawing being off, but you need to extend the mounting brackets back to pick up the rear through-frame hole.



Also, unless you push the bumper forward quite a bit there may not be enough room to have that much of the reciever behind the bumper. It may be possible to line it up so that it goes through the hole in the front crossmember though, but that would make getting to the pin behind it quite a PITA.



That is why the reciever on C4x4's front bumper sticks out so far.

[Mudstuck]

if you fab up a front bumper, would it screw with your airbags? Where would the airbag sensors be in a 98XJ?

[Jeepin Jason]

Originally posted by Mudstuck:
if you fab up a front bumper, would it screw with your airbags? Where would the airbag sensors be in a 98XJ?

Sensors are decelleration-based, not crush-based. It's all built into the steering column.

[XJ Fanatic]

Originally posted by Jeepin' Jason:
Looks good. Couple of things though. Could just be the scale of your drawing being off, but you need to extend the mounting brackets back to pick up the rear through-frame hole.



Also, unless you push the bumper forward quite a bit there may not be enough room to have that much of the reciever behind the bumper. It may be possible to line it up so that it goes through the hole in the front crossmember though, but that would make getting to the pin behind it quite a PITA.



That is why the reciever on C4x4's front bumper sticks out so far.

jason you do not need to extend it, i have a feeling chris will be doing it like AJ's or bulletproof... the one you got a review on

[XJ Fanatic]

[Jeepin Jason]

Originally posted by XJ Fanatic:
jason you do not need to extend it, i have a feeling chris will be doing it like AJ's or bulletproof... the one you got a review on

I don't have any reviews of bumpers from AJ or BP? If he's building a close-fitting bumper out of 2xwhatever tubing, it's going to be hard to fit much of the receiver behind the bumper, unless he sets it up to stick through that hole in the front crossmember, or he sets the bumper out further forward.

All of BP's bumpers are winch bumpers anyway... [img]graemlins/iono.gif[/img]

edit: Oh, you're talking about the mounting brackets, and that bumper was/is from BPI Fab. Yeah, I guess you can wrap the mounts around the bottom of the frame rails. Personally like the the longer side mounts though.

[ April 13, 2004, 03:14 PM: Message edited by: Jeepin' Jason ]

[XJ Fanatic]

ok the bpi one than, wasnt sure what it was.

[XJ Fanatic]

actually now that i relook at hwat he said he is going to make it like the crock plate, so it would extend back far enough

[Vetteboy]

Yeah, there really isn't a scale on those drawings. Mostly just doodles on my clipboard while bored in fluids class.

It is going to tie into points beyond the front bumper bolts. I think what I may try and do it something like this:



The mount then also acts as a brace for the steering box. I'm not entirely sold on this yet however, because I'm not sure what the effects of a solid hit to the bumper would be on the steering box. Wouldn't want to mess up the steering by hitting a rock real hard. This one also bolts through the swaybar mount which is a good idea I think.

Another example:


That one not only braces the steering box bolts but also gets that hole you mentioned, Jason. Their finished one looks a lot like what I have in mind:


Both the general idea (I'm doing my sides a little differently) and the flush mounted receiver hitch. If I can fit it and only have the bumper stick out that far, I'm gonna take that route...it may involve me making a custom receiver so that the hole is positioned a little differently, but the only things that I'd be putting in it (a winch mount, tow point, or front cargo holder) would most likely be made by me anyway, so that's not a big deal.

The tow hook brackets I made right now wrap underneath (like in Fanatic's diagram there) and they're freakin strong as anything, so that's another option. I may do that in addition to something else.

Like I said, I've got a pretty good idea what I want to do, but I still have to lay it out on the actual vehicle. That'll happen in a week or two, when I can drive it again.

[ April 13, 2004, 04:46 PM: Message edited by: vetteboy79 ]

[redjeepguy]

your drawing looks just like the bumper i built.



and the bracket

[eXJperimental]

I do like what he did withe fender trimming. That looks clean and functional.



[img]graemlins/rock.gif[/img]

[IMORTL]

i just pulled off my front bumper and i want to build a mount that mimics the power steering brace... then remount the Pre-runner bumper on top of the new bumper...









Ken

[IMORTL]

like this...


[ April 13, 2004, 10:39 PM: Message edited by: IMORTL ]