Rear Bumper Project. | Page 2 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Rear Bumper Project.

Very nice fab work.. It looks like your bumper weighs a ton!.. did you have some extra hands to help install it?
 



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It's heavy, but it's really not too bad...next time I have it off to add stuff I'll weigh it.

The brackets, or mounts sit inside the frame rails- so once you put it in place it stays. Then just move it by hand to adjust, and drop in the bolts. ;)
 






Originally posted by cdsl227
The brackets, or mounts sit inside the frame rails- so once you put it in place it stays. Then just move it by hand to adjust, and drop in the bolts. ;)
\


Very smart!
 






Ok, I don't care for the paint job so it's going to go Semi-Flat, probably Rustoleum.

I've figured out my recovery point for the rear also.

I had 2 D-Rings on the counter and was looking in the case when I saw a 2 inch receiver, I looked a little more and there was a 10,000 lb. ( I think it's 10,000) Lobster claw and the mount for it to slide into the 2 inch receiver...I liked the nasty look of the Lobster claw so- it's going to be my recovery point for the rear.

I'll mount the receiver a few inches above my add-on tow hitch, it's one of those Hidden Hitches that isn't hidden anymore because of the Body Lift. I'm going to try and stay within square of the bumper mounts since they're inline with the frame rails and that would make it stronger...but i don't want it to be too crowded one hitch right on top of the other...gotta take a hard look at it tomorrow.

Pic to come.
 






Por-15 is an amazing product.....Por-15 It would be even better if it was UV stable. I brush it on it it settles into a Glass like finish...

I noticed your pics were all of your X in the street. Do you wrench in the street? Your neighbors must love the noise when you break out the big tools...The air compressor you have would wake the dead! I am always making tons of noise and thank God my neighbors are 150 feet away..
 






Originally posted by DEROCHA
Por-15 is an amazing product.....Por-15 It would be even better if it was UV stable. I brush it on it it settles into a Glass like finish...

I noticed your pics were all of your X in the street. Do you wrench in the street? Your neighbors must love the noise when you break out the big tools...The air compressor you have would wake the dead! I am always making tons of noise and thank God my neighbors are 150 feet away..

POR-15 is great, but the ChasisCoat I put on from them isn't the finish I was looking for so I got some Semi-Gloss Alkyd, while I was at it I picked up the paint for the hood. :D That's gonna be fun.

You're right, the finish was actually nicer looking with just the POR-15! But it changes in the sun...

I'm just gonna hit it with a Scotch Brite pad on the RotoZip and then paint oover it with the Semi-Gloss.

I've got to put some work into it tomorrow to get the hitch tube in and strong...then I can slide in the lobster claw.

I also made a pair of wings for the side...I figured if anyone gets too close it'll take off their mirror (cars), but I'm not sure I want to put them on the sides, I might cut them down and weld them to the top to protect the tail lights...I put a nicely slanted X in them I think they look good, but where they'll end up who knows.

I do most work in the backyard, and not that I'm rude or anything, but F@#$ the neighbors...most of them are azzes...the ones that are cool couldn't care less what you do or how much noise you make.
 






I have wanted a welder for years, so I am jealous....How long did it take to learn to weld and did you learn on your own, or did you take a class?
 






Very nice work. My big question is are you using a plasma cutter, or that little grinder to cut that metal?
 






Originally posted by DEROCHA
I have wanted a welder for years, so I am jealous....How long did it take to learn to weld and did you learn on your own, or did you take a class?

I just went out and bought the welder and did one dual battery tray project and then went to town on this one.

I watched the little video that came with the welder, did some research online about flux core, mig, arc, tig...etc.

I was always mechanically inclined and used to do refrigeration, so I soldered coppper, or brazed as some would say, I've watched people weld...I've used a few Oxy/Acetylene torches to cut up cars...

But I think it's pretty easy...


I used a Dewalt 4 1/2" angle grinder with cutting wheels to cut the metal. :p I wish I had a torch.

The Rotozip I use for the Scotch-Brite pads, and cutting smaller stuff.
 






Beginning of a tire carrier...

Ok, here's a few shots of the start of my tire carrier. I opted to go with a design that swung down instead of swinging open to the side.

rearbumpertirecarrier001.jpg


rearbumpertirecarrier002.jpg


rearbumpertirecarrier003.jpg


rearbumpertirecarrier004.jpg


rearbumpertirecarrier005.jpg


It's a little rough and I have to smooth some things over, but it's a start.

The mounts are 3/8, the rails for the tire carrier are 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 - 1/8th inch box tube. The ends where the hinge portion is are reinforced with 1/4" on both sides.
 






Looking good still.
Why your hidden hitch dont look so hidden?
Nice X across the street.
 






The 3" Body Lift un-hid it. :D

But I'm thinking of cutting the end plates to tightent it up to the bumper so there's no gap.

Yeah it is a pretty X up close...he keeps it in nice shape, always clean.
 






More Tire Carrier.

Ok, some more pictures of the tire carrier being built.

rearbumpertirecarrierpart2001.jpg

rearbumpertirecarrierpart2002.jpg

rearbumpertirecarrierpart2003.jpg

rearbumpertirecarrierpart2004.jpg

rearbumpertirecarrierpart2005.jpg

rearbumpertirecarrierpart2006.jpg

rearbumpertirecarrierpart2007.jpg


I'm going to reinforce by jacketing with 1/4" here and there, and then add plate in one or two places.

I weigh 180lbs, and I stood on the outer bar (top rail of the carrier) while in the down position...
 












To keep it up, some Viagra...

no really, I was thinking a 1/4" C type bracket just on top of the bumper, reinforced with a fishplate and use some type of pin on each side, I've got rubber bump stops that I'm going to be putting just above the 3/8" brackets so if I use a C type bracket and exert force with the rubber bumpers in place I'll be able to pin it and it should hold it tight.

To mount the tire i'm not sure if I want to mount it lug side (face in or face out) in or out yet...in would be easier.

But I'm open to suggestions! I'd just rather not weld a rotor up there...
 






My CoryL bumper simply had a round steel plate with 3 studs bolted to it. The tire bolted to those 3 studs easily.
 






Is yours face out or face in...I was planning on putting a piece of plate and just welding some lugs into it temporarily since my lug pattern is going to change when I finish the SAS.


I'm trying to go the path of least modification. ;)
 






Originally posted by cdsl227
To keep it up, some Viagra...


nice
:D

Well, I would think that it would be better with the lugs facing out, so you would just take the tire straight off the back when need be, and wouldn't have to mess with folding the thing down every time a tire change is necessary. The brackets sound real good, especially with the rubbers to keep the vibe action down.;)
 






Yeah, I meant with the tire on the outside of the tire carrier, but which way are you guys facing the rim itself? Cause if you're facing it the same way as it mounts on the truck- those'd have to be some long azz bolts! I was figuring mounting it with the deep side of the rim facing out so I could use short bolts.


Some pics of the almost finished product:
rearbumpertirecarrierpart2008.jpg


rearbumpertirecarrierpart2009.jpg
 



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The spare mounted on the carrier just like on the axles. The psuedo rotor that it mounted to was suspended out from the main carrier so it was inset in the rim like it should be.
 






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