Building a winch bumper for our 01 Explorer.

[RockRanger]

We have owned this explorer for 6 years now and has been a great vehicle for my wife to drive around. Now it is time to start modifying it. First up is a winch bumper. It bolts to the factory brackets that will have some extra reinforcements welded to them. This is the start of the mounts flipped upside down in the photo.


20180201_133534 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

From the front side with the mounting points tacked to the winch plate.

20180201_133612 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

Next a 2x2x.120 square tube 34.5" long is slid thru the four brackets and rests on the bottom of the winch plate. The ends need to trimmed at the shown angle to clear the front plates when they go on.

20180202_110644 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

20180202_110557 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

 

[RockRanger]

Then you can start tack welding the outer wings on.

20180202_105848 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

A few views of the bottom before the lower pieces are placed. this lets you see the frame work.

20180202_123900 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

20180202_123103 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

Before all the lower plates go on some of the areas need to be welded as you will not be able to reach them otherwise.

20180202_125737 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

 

[RockRanger]

Then tack weld the lower pieces on and test fit it all.

20180203_152037 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

20180203_152005 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

20180203_152018 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

Included are shackle recovery points and notches for a hilift jack.

20180203_152325 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

20180203_152047 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

That is as far as I got for now. I still need to finish weld it and paint it. Can't decide if I should go white or black with it. I also need to build the braces for the frame mounts.

 

[RangerX]

That Ex looks bone stock. Does putting on a winch bumper mean there's a list of other mods coming for it?

 

[RockRanger]

161,000 miles of stock. It will be a very mild build. Dirt road exploring type of build. Already have a 4406 tcase and a 4.10 front diff in the garage.

I can't fit the whole family in the Ranger and we can't fit everybody and camping gear in Tracy's Jeep.

 

[Spudhut]

Great ...Where did you pick up that bumper kit? I like it. Please keep us posted!

 

[WormsExplorer]

Can't wait to see the finished Bumper.

 

[RockRanger]

I designed, cut, and built it myself. It will be about three or 4 weeks till I can get back to finishing it. I have a list of changes to make to the next one. All small changes like adding a tab or or moving this or that a bit here or there.

Overall I am very happy with how it turned out.

 

[RockRanger]

Also, short of the 2x2 tube the entire rest of it would fit in a flat rate box....

 

[BKennedy]

That is very cool.

 

[Stic-o]

It starts....

I need something like that for the Navajo. And I definitely need your help with body armor/flares later on for the same

 

[yostyexplorer94]

That is some good fab work. Way beyond my abilities!

 

[Desert_AIP]

Nice bumper!

 

[RockRanger]

Some pictures of of it painted and mounted up on the Explorer. Painted it Rustolium Hammered Black.

20180214_135442 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

20180214_140813 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

20180214_135634 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

20180214_135624 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

20180214_135747 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

 

[BKennedy]

I like it, and I am sure you like, but does Tracy like it?

 

[RockRanger]

Of coarse she does. But she also wants me to finish the rebuild of her Jeep before I get to far into this build. I also just picked up the rear driveshaft for the 4406 swap. I think I now have all the parts to do that swap as well.

 

[Stic-o]

I know a sweet rear bumper that would look good on the back of that thing

 

[RockRanger]

So here it is what this bumper looks like in raw format.

20180326_141843 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

The whole bumper also fits in two flat rate shipping boxes. All that needs to be provided is 4 grade 8 bolts and a roughly 34.5 inch long piece of 2 inch square tube.

20180326_163336 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

 

[BKennedy]

Now that's cool.

 

[RockRanger]

Now that's cool.

That is not what the lady at the Post Office said when I dropped off 6 boxes totaling 240lbs today....