Bumper Build Up

[Mporter]

So I'm in the process of building a new bumper for the rear of my cruiser. I bought a kit from a fellow 'Mudder and just haven't found the time to get it welded up.

So far the only progress that has occurred is taking the bumper off (countless times) and grinding the old rivets off the brackets, and replacing with grade 8 hardware (1/2"). This is a pain in the a**...darn Toyota for making decent vehicles. No pics of this process as of yet, but I do have a few of the kit.

It's all 1/4" plate with 3/4" tow points.
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/cc7f75b5.jpg
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/6e2bf344.jpg
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/9ed4f515.jpg
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/39c24bda.jpg

Ill try to get pictures of the actual fab process. Hopefully it will be starting soon.

Here's the original thread that I found this kit on: http://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/141734-rear-bumper-build.html

[Brody]

Nice Matt! How come it's not done? I thought you had loads of free time?

[Funrover]

Good luck, You are gonna make me wish I had one.

[1freaky1]

Nice looking kit Matt, who makes it?

[Mporter]

Nice Matt! How come it's not done? I thought you had loads of free time?

hah, between work and school, I hardly have any free time


Nice looking kit Matt, who makes it?

it was something a guy in Idaho designed and started to market, I believe he has a small company called Teton Cruisers

[Hypoid]

Looks like fun!

[MelloYello]

That looks like a great project. Post up pics as you make progress. I would like to see.

[Mporter]

Yeh I went down to altitude steel today and got some 2x3 and 2x2 tube stock for the swingarms. Aaaarg gettin antsy

[scout man]

how much did that 2x3 cost you? I am hopefully headed down that way wednesday or so for some steel for sliders and a square front drive shaft.

[Mporter]

For 11ga (1/8") it was $4/ft new but we got 3/16" from the old bins for $.50/lb. There was quite a few bars of 3/16" 2x3 in the old bins near the back

[scout man]

cool, I will have to see what they have. I think I am looking for probably 1/4 inch minimum.

[Brody]

I managed to piece the square stock together from a mix of scrap and a new. Something like 1/4" 2 1/2x 2 1/2 and 3/16 2x2...anyway they weren't the same thickness and gave me a tighter fit. Still some slop, but not a lot. I am never in 4wheel drive on regular roads anyway, so I never factor in anything over 30 mph. Remember to toss in a pound or grease or silica sand into the sleeve before you cap it off.

I also beveled the steel way back, welded the ends once, cleaned off the welds and welded them again with a wider slower weld. If your driveshafts are close to the same length, you can carefully cut the front one so that it will work for both the front and rear..I think I simply got real lucky with mine as my square with work for both as there is only about 2" difference in length.

[scout man]

yea, there is a significant differenc betwen my front and rear drive shaft. I have been brainstorming how to use it for a temp rear drive shaft though. Might just need to carry a second uppes half, and the bottom half can be used front or rear diff, then carry one short upper half CV and one long upper half U-joint to cover front and rear.

[Mporter]

Take yer damn hijack outta my thread!!!

Just kidding, it's fine with me until I actually start building it up. (then again, it'll probably still be alright during and after build)

[scout man]

oh, you can just get over it buddy :D

[Chris]

oh, you can just get over it buddy :D

You hijacker Steve! What are you thinking? BTW, did I see in another thread you picked up the parts haul discussed elsewhere? :D

[scout man]

you sure did Chris... I think this thread would be a good spot to list every piece of it, one item per post :D

[Chris]

Careful, Brody's watching! :erm:

[Rob]

you sure did Chris... I think this thread would be a good spot to list every piece of it, one item per post :D

Don't forget to take pics of each item from all angles and post them individually.

[Mporter]

Ok so I got a little more done on the bumper today (still no pics).

Basically just sanded the burrs off the edges of the steel, dry fit the tow points in the bumper, and cut the 2x3's for the swingarm bottoms. However, I think i'm going to get some thinner steel for that since when we went to Altitude the first time we got some 3/8" stuff, since it was scrap and didn't cost that much, but now that we're cutting and seeing how much it weighs, it's a damn metric ton.

Anyhow, should start welding in the next week or so.

[Mporter]

At last boys and girls, the day(s) of reckoning are upon us. Finally i get to build something out of this pile o' steel.
Today was a pretty long 13 hour day of building the bottom section of the bumper. Still have at least 1 more day of work ahead though.

Some pics...most have my dad in it, because I had to take pictures otherwise he probably wouldn't. All of the welding is/was being done by me...most everything else is too....

Thing is gonna weigh a metric ton by the end of it, but hey...it'll be damn near bulletproof.

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/DSC01216.jpg
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/DSC01217.jpg
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/DSC01218.jpg
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/DSC01219.jpg
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/DSC01220.jpg
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/DSC01221.jpg

[Mporter]

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/DSC01222.jpg
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/DSC01223.jpg
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/DSC01224.jpg
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/DSC01225.jpg
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/DSC01226.jpg
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/DSC01228.jpg

[Mporter]

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/DSC01229.jpg
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/DSC01230.jpg
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/DSC01231.jpg

[Rob]

Glad to see you got it started, Matt. Looking good. Keep the pics coming.

[Mporter]

As of right now it's sitting on the car like in the 1st pic of post 23 ^

It's only tack welded but it's very VERY stout as it sits right now.

[Brody]

Nice Matt! Now you have the heavy bumper where you need the weight, the light bumper with the winch in front...Time for a spring over, a little lift and some 44s like on Robert's rig....

[Andrew]

Nice! I need to learn to weld.

[CR]

Lookin Goood :smokin:

[Mporter]

Nice Matt! Now you have the heavy bumper where you need the weight, the light bumper with the winch in front...Time for a spring over, a little lift and some 44s like on Robert's rig....

Haha yeah. It's funny though, when we put the bumper on, it doesn't seem to even affect the springs.

But yeah....later on will be the SOA, however I think biggest ill ever go is 37s

[Mporter]

Anyways, got a lot more progress into today. Got the entire bottom section (all of the kit) fabbed up and fully welded, spindles were cut....that's about it, however, since my mom took the camera....I have no eye candy for you all.

Should just been one more day and ill be done and getting it painted.

[Mporter]

Well today i got more progress on it, still not done.

Got the spindles welded in, swingarm bases welded up.

All that's left to do is build the tire carrier and Jerry can holder and then grind and paint it. I'll upload a pic later on tonight.

[Mporter]

Here is the completed bottom part

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/612bcd02.jpg

[Mporter]

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/1a0dbecf.jpg
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/dfcfffd5.jpg
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/99a4ebc6.jpg
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/shotgun12321/eff14c7b.jpg

[Fordguy77]

so what kinda latch style are you going to use on the swing gates?

[Mporter]

http://www.mcmaster.com/#container-latches/=6k1740

Eventually

[Mporter]

Finally got some progress on this (after a long time of stagnation). Tire carrier is finished, right side swingarm just needs a box to carry jerry cans, then ill be done.

Eye Candy!

I also realized that there was the original Dealer plate underneath my license plate (see last picture). Kinda cool because that's been there since it was received at the dealership (early 1988)

[Brad]

Looks awesome!

Funny, I used to put that exact plate on the new cars when I was a sales porter in 1990! :thumb:

[Mporter]

Haha yeah. It was funny because it was turned around underneath the license plate and thought it was funny it was still there after such a long time.

[Rob]

Looks great, Matt. :thumb:

[Chris]

Well done Matt!

[Brody]

Looking really nice, Matt! I really like the double swing away set up!

[Patrolman]

Nice work! You can come build one for my 4Runner when you are done. That is exactly the same setup I hope to have someday.

[Mporter]

Nice work! You can come build one for my 4Runner when you are done. That is exactly the same setup I hope to have someday.

Hah, I wish I had time to do that. I really enjoy fabrication I just hardly have any time anymore (since im up in Boulder for school and it's a 30-40 minute drive before I can even get near some tools.)

[Fordguy77]

So you ended up fabbing a bracket and using a receiver lock to hold the swing arms together over the latch?

[Funrover]

Sweet!!! Good choice on the double swing, that's what I am going to do also. I dig it!

[Mporter]

So you ended up fabbing a bracket and using a receiver lock to hold the swing arms together over the latch?

Yeah seemed more secure,and less costly than a latch.


Sweet!!! Good choice on the double swing, that's what I am going to do also. I dig it!

Thanks. Good luck to you.

[1freaky1]

Looks really good Matt, can you still open the rear window with the spare mounted or do you have to open that side of the swing arm?

[CR]

Very nice job Matt!

[Mporter]

Looks really good Matt, can you still open the rear window with the spare mounted or do you have to open that side of the swing arm?

Yea you do have to open the side to get in the back.

[Fordguy77]

I really like that bumper, i am still undecided between buying his kit and modifying it for my needs, or just making one from scratch. I've gotta get those sliders on first though.

[Mporter]

I really like that bumper, i am still undecided between buying his kit and modifying it for my needs, or just making one from scratch. I've gotta get those sliders on first though.

Yeah sliders are next for me. It's a really nice kit, and super fun to build.

[KnuckleHead]

Looks really good.....