Update - More pics below in another post
Here it is:
http://home.comcast.net/~explorer4x4/bumper/bumperinstalled1.JPG
Poughkeepsie Gulch - Ouray,CO 2 days after installation

With the winch:
http://home.comcast.net/~explorer4x4/bumper/Bumper-Winch1.JPG

I wanted a new front bumper to replace the flimsy stock one. It needed to be a jack point for a hi-lift, hold a winch inside it, have tow points integrated into it, not stick out too far and it needed to look good. I did a little research and found a bumper design I liked. The bumper I liked was made by Bulletproof Mfg. for a Jeep XJ. I also saw LimitedEx had a bumper similar to it on his Explorer so I asked him for a few dimensions. I ordered the metal and began to fab my new bumper. It is made of 2"x6"x3/16" box tube, 3/8" mounting plates, 1/4" ends and center, 1"x2"x1/8" outside reinforcement links and 2- 1"x3" tabs for the shackles. The pieces were all cut and are fully welded. I made the plates with 2 sets of holes for stock height and 1" BL height so it would be adjustable. It attaches to the frame with 3ea. 1/2" grade 8 bolts per side. I have a Warn XD9000i that I want to mount inside of it in the future but for the present time I needed my bumper to support a multi-mount setup. I made a receiver hitch that bolts inside the bumper to the frame attachment plates. It is fully gussetted and uses 2ea. 1/2" grade 8 bolts per side to attach it. The outsides are reinforced with a piece of 1"x2"x1/8" that runs back and bolts to the frame. They are flange mounted for easy removal/installation of the bumper.

Edit: The winch cradle is also home-made. It was designed to look like Warn's but has a few different features. It is made of 1/4" steel and is gussetted. The handles bolt on and are 1/8" x 2" with a pipe (electrical conduit) welded in for the actual handle.

Here are a few more pics:

Bumper completed just needs paint:
http://home.comcast.net/~explorer4x4/bumper/Bumperfab2.JPG
http://home.comcast.net/~explorer4x4/bumper/Bumperfab1.JPG

And 1 last pic of it installed:
http://home.comcast.net/~explorer4x4/bumper/bumperinstalled2.JPG

In the future I am considering adding a brush guard that would bolt on or a small stinger bar which would also bolt on.

I will have additional pics of the winch attached later when I get them developed.

Very nice!

Very nice, i like it alot.

Thanks guys!

That bumper is not nice, it is awesome. I'll have to say it is one of the best home built bumpers I have ever seen. In fact, it is better than most aftermarket bumpers. :thumbsup:

hell ya, that bumper looks Hella tough :D

Lol, I thought that kind of looked familiar;) :p
Man that looks excellent! I like how you set the diamond plate under the lip of the C channel instead of on top, like KMA did mine:( Wanna build me a rear one??:D

wow, that is very very nice, you could make some extra cash doin this for people on the board.

Is there any chance you could post the angles of the cuts made on he metal. I would like to do this to my truck too.


David Larson

Originally posted by asterus
Is there any chance you could post the angles of the cuts made on he metal. I would like to do this to my truck too.

Yeah I will measure the angles and post them in the next day or two.

Originally posted by GaSouthern1
wow, that is very very nice, you could make some extra cash doin this for people on the board.

I really have no plans for re-producing the bumpers because right now I have no time between all the things I have going. Plus, I need to get a bigger band saw first LOL.

Limited Ex, thanks for taking those few measurements for me. Next comes the rear bumper with a swingout tire carrier made from the same box tube but that is still in the distant future (maybe next summer) so you will have to wait :D I saw how you had your diamond plate on and I really didnt like it either. The Bulletproof Mfg. bumper had it like what I did and I think it makes for smoother lines that way.

Thanks for all the comments guys :)

I wasn't asking for you to reprosuce them. I was wondeirng if I could get say, the same measurements you had gotten so that I can make my own. that bumper looks really nice, and if I can make it so that it will also fit with my 3" body lift, it would be awsome.


David Larson

hey can you send me some more pics of that?

cmacfarlane@shaw.ca

Originally posted by bipolarbob
hey can you send me some more pics of that?

cmacfarlane@shaw.ca

yeah but it may be a while before I can take some. Any specific shots your looking for?

Aw man!! I really gotta learn to weld and start making my own stuff!!

was looking to make one...some close-up's that might help?

Okay I got some more pics:

Side shot:
http://home.comcast.net/~explorer4x4/bumper/BumperSide1.JPG
Side/Top shot:
http://home.comcast.net/~explorer4x4/bumper/BumperSide2.JPG
Shot of Shackle tab welded through bumper:
http://home.comcast.net/~explorer4x4/bumper/BumperTab.JPG
Underside shot which shows outside braces with flange mount:
http://home.comcast.net/~explorer4x4/bumper/BumperUnder1.JPG
Front shot with winch cradle in:
http://home.comcast.net/~explorer4x4/bumper/Bumper-Winch2.JPG

I still have a few things to do such as make a diamond plate cover for the center section with some different light brackets.

Sweet thanks!

Why did you kill your approach angle if you have a multi-mount?

Originally posted by Kirby N.
Why did you kill your approach angle if you have a multi-mount?

I didnt kill it really, I have my reasons behind doing what I did. I know what you are saying though, why have the bumper stick out far in front when all I needed was a hitch closer in to use the multi-mount. There are a number of reasons I did it that way. First, the multi-mount will not always be in the bumper so the bumper retains a close to stock or better approach angle with it removed. Second, I do not want to hard mount a winch in the front because of areas where I park stuff can get stolen or vandalized. With the multi-mount I can leave the winch at home and it is safe. Also I wanted to hardmount my winch in the bumper in the future when the Explorer is not my daily driver. By leaving the bumper stick out just enough to fit the winch, I do not have to make or buy a new bumper when I want to finally hard mount my winch. Does that answer it Kirby?

Gotcha. In that case it is pretty cool!

VERY NICE!!!!!!!!!
If could you post measurements, and cutting angles, that would be awesome. I would also like to see the finished product, when you add the brush guard to it. That's right down my alley of what I'm looking to do to my Ex.

damn that bumper makes your X look pretty mean. looks professional, not home made at all. clean work man.

VERY NICE!!!!!!!!!
If could you post measurements, and cutting angles, that would be awesome. I would also like to see the finished product, when you add the brush guard to it. That's right down my alley of what I'm looking to do to my Ex.

I have been pretty happy with it so far and I no longer think I will add a brush guard. May take me a while to get measurements, I have been pretty busy lately. If you want you could just come up to Albuquerque to see it :D

damn that bumper makes your X look pretty mean. looks professional, not home made at all. clean work man.

Thanks. I take pride in my work and if I dont like how something came out I keep working on it/ redoing it untill I am satisfied.

I have also added a diamond plate piece in the middle to cover my hitch and it has an access door to get to the hitch pin and winch electrical connector. There are probably pictures floating around here somewhere with it on there.

Hey Brian,

Thanks for the invite. I didn't notice you were from Albuquerque. I moved to Albuquerque a while back ago. Guess I forgot to update my location. It would be cool if could see your Ex and possibly get more pics and measurements.

VERY NICE!!!!!!!!!
If could you post measurements, and cutting angles, that would be awesome. I would also like to see the finished product, when you add the brush guard to it. That's right down my alley of what I'm looking to do to my Ex.


yes if you could do that it would be awsome, i have been lookin all over the site for a bumper that i like, and yours has every thing that i wanted in one

I love that bumper...damn i need the learn to weld. It looks better thn alot of "aftermarket bumpers"

I love that bumper...damn i need the learn to weld. It looks better thn alot of "aftermarket bumpers"

Thanks, I just finished up my rear bumper to match- see this thread: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=149826

And 99stocksport, you would be better off just starting with what you have and start getting measurements. The measurements on my bumper were dictated by where the frame plates went, the size of the winch and how far it would stick out from the grill, the length of the front clip and where the body lines came in for the bumper to match to. JZRANGER4x4 came to my house and wrote down what he needed so I never got the measurement and angles myself.

alright, thanks for the tip

Where did you get the front reciever for your bumper? Looks great very professional.

Tim

Where did you get the front reciever for your bumper? Looks great very professional.

Tim

Thanks! I made the receiver hitch myself and it has been thoroughly tested :D

We build quite a few bumpers at my place for rigs of various persuasions, with and without winches, etc.

What we do to figure out the bumper we want is to lay it all out using either stiff cardboard (similar thickness to the steel we'll be using to fabricate it) or thin plywood/paneling. We mock up a bumper, including mounts out of the wood or cardboard, taping it all together, then transfer each piece to steel. Cut it out with what you have -- we use a combination of tools, from a sawzall to a skil saw with metal cutting blade, to cut off wheels, chop saw, and once in a while (if I have a used on in stock) plasma cutter, which is the absolute best.

Lay out everything, then tack-weld it all together. Check fitment and straightness (make sure your welds do not warp everything!) and then go to burning... Grind to suit your needs, and finally paint as desired.

It's mostly time-consuming, but not all that difficult to build some very nice looking bumpers using this technique. We use a few different "cheats" to get some desired features, like using rounded box steel to get a rounded edge on parts instead of a square edge, pipe or tube to get smooth corners, etc.

I'm also working on a couple simple dies for my 20 ton press to press out some shapes that we use often. They are not rocket science -- just a couple pieces of pipe used to form a round piece or a couple pieces of angle iron to form square edges. I'm also working on a "dimple" die to press those cool looking dimpled holes in stuff -- they both strengthen a sheet, and look great.