Things you would like to see in a Gen 2 Bumper

[Mcane6]

Some D rings would be cool.
As for fit. My guess would be that 95-100% of the 2nd gens to buy a custom offroad bumper would have a 2 or 3" body lift. If they could be made to perfectly fit a 2" BL it would still fit a 3" bl better than we could fab up our old bumper after a 3" body lift. So its real simple, make it to fit a 2" bl and everyone will be real pleased . So now, how hard would that be to do?
OK now put me down for one.

I like this idea so it will fit to a 2" BL BC most here have a BL. So why buy a custom bumper and then mod it to fit.
Make sure to add the wrap around protection on the back bumpers.

 

[Savage Wolf]

cause a stock hight bumper IMO isnt going to fit right on a 2"-3" BLed truck, on the flip side of that a bumper made for a 3" bodylift will hang down 1" on a 2" lift and 3" on a truck with no body lift

ok seems a few lost the original question, you all want approach angle or a me to make 3 diffrent bumpers (Stock, 2" bl, 3" bl) keep in mind if you were to get a "stock" height bumper from the plans I have, moving it up with a BL wont work, you going to need to cut up the bumper to make the frame clear probably

 

[Arnie897]

I asked for approach angle, tow points, winch mount, 2 light tabs, and two flag tabs. Custom is the way I had to go and this is what I got:

The two additional tabs you can't see are directly infront of the tube that follows up the grill. Mine is made for an X with a 3 inch body lift. This is probably the best way to tuck a winch in a hidden location.

 

[Bronco638]

On a side note, how many of ya would want precut/semi welded rockslider mounts, other words 4 bolt on frame mounts (pin locked reciver style) but add your own slider tube?

Sign me up for these, too! Although, I think I would prefer a mounting plate big enough to use u-bolts to hold the mount to the frame.

Dave.

 

[ryf]

why not make 1 bumper, with a bolt plate on each side so you can adjust, also helps those who may one day remove the body lift, and only one set of parts.... or 1 bumper with 3 or 4 different brackets to bolt it up, and make the clearences it for a range, up to 3 inch, or two, or whateva.... and if you don't like da bolts, pay a local welder or do it yourself to finish it off once you get it where u want it.... anyones thoughts???

 

[Savage Wolf]

why not make 1 bumper, with a bolt plate on each side so you can adjust, also helps those who may one day remove the body lift, and only one set of parts.... or 1 bumper with 3 or 4 different brackets to bolt it up, and make the clearences it for a range, up to 3 inch, or two, or whateva.... and if you don't like da bolts, pay a local welder or do it yourself to finish it off once you get it where u want it.... anyones thoughts???

the thought crossed my mind for a bumper with 3 sets of mounting holes, but a truck with no body lift is going to loose 3" if I allow for the frame to clear for it to be moveable, there is no removable brackets on my design due to the fact that the mounts are also part of the winch mounting box, a easy example is my stock bumper on a 2" body lift I had to cut two notches in the bumper for the frame and it sticks down about a inch and a half under the bumper...

as for the u-bolts for the rocksliders mounts, I dont think thats going to work very well at all, on the drivers side of the explorer, the fuel tank sits part way inside the frame, no way to put a u-bolt around it

 

[ryf]

why not 3 different plate sets, so you have two mounting bolts per side on the bumper, then 3 sets of plates that adjust for the different body heights to go to the frame.... not one plate with three holes, this was what I was thinking I lost it in the keys I guess.

 

[Mcane6]

Arnie
what a bumper like that cost to be made

 

[Arnie897]

Probably around 600 or so.

 

[AspenX]

Savage Wolf, why bother to build a heavy steel custom offroad bumper for a stock street truck? You might could sell one every 3 or 4 years. Try and build something for the people looking to buy. The guys with lifted rigs, who offroad their trucks, and really need and want that kind of bumper. You could probably sell them faster than you could build them. I dont know yet if I am getting a 2" or 3" body lift cause I just got a second gen and I'm starting all over again. Think about building to fit a 2" bl, because it should be fine with 99% of the people who WILL actually BUY one from you. No body gets a 1" bl, and stock trucks dont want or need that kind of bumper. I will probably get a 3" body lift and will be very happy to have a custom bumper with a little gap instead of a stock bumper and a huge gap,
I dont care if you use bent tubing or plate steel welded together. I like both kinds. As long as its strong, increases my departure angle and I can bolt it right up is All that matters. I would need a 2" reciever hitch to carry my bike rack and to put a shackel for offroading then it wouldnt need D rings.
Build that and me and several others on this site will buy it. Then I can get rid of the U-haul hitch.

 

[bmxking5]

Aspen, just because you don't have a body lift, doesn't mean your a street truck. Many people have or are going all suspension lift instead.

EDIT: This is for a 2nd gen In that case, it is very rare to see all suspension lifted Explorer.

 

[Arnie897]

I would dare to say that a majority of the lifted 2nd gens are going to have the 2 or 3 inch body lift....not the suspension lift.

 

[AspenX]

Yeah, I think I have seen 1 2nd gen on this board with the $1600 suspension lift and I dont remember who it is because its a newbie or someone with very few post. So, like I said earlier If Savage Wolf will build some bumpers, everybody that would buy one has either a 2" or 3" body lift. Its so simple and they talk about having to build for 3 different sizes including stock or trying 3 different mounting holes its too much hassle.
How many of you with a 3" body lift would be happy with a bumper made for a 2" bl ? I know I will be and its going to look alot better than a stock bumper with a 4" gap above it.

 

[Mcane6]

I would be happy with a bumper built for a 2" BL on my 3" BL X. i just want a bumper that isnt the stock look. And that is useable BC with the BL both bumpers are useless when it comes to pullin or towing

 

[94ZebraRanger]

Has anyone seen the winch bumper that is on the MTX Ranger, it was featured in 4x4 builder. That is what I would like to get for my EX.

Tim

 

[Castees]

AspenX, SavageWolf,
I would love to get a bumper like ARB's (increases my approach angle, gives me a place to put a winch, has fogs/driving lights mounted in the bumper, brush guard that protects my headlights/grille with another two tabs for off-road lights, CB antenna mounts, tow points, is strong enough to handle everything I'll put it through and has a nice look), but I'm not doing a body lift. So not EVERYBODY that wants this bumper will have a bl. I understand and agree that most people will have a body lift that will want this. I'm probably one of the few that won't do body lifts and won't cause the bumper to be made for our Ex's unless you do a definitive poll... (I would rather gain four inches and lose one because it hangs over from making it for the 2" BL then wheel with my stock bumper) I like the idea of different mounting methods, but I'm not sure what that would do to the overall strength of the bumper and agree with AspenX that it'll probably be too much hassle. Personnally, I really don't like the pre-runner style and would rather see an ARB or CalMini-style bumper. Right now I have a Westin that I hate and would pay immediately for an ARB bumper that I could bolt to my frame (don't have/won't have my own welder or other power tools where I could do significant modifications). I'm moving to Alaska this summer and would like to have this on before then, so... when do you think production will be started on your first line? Do you have any plans/pictures you would be willing to post? Really looking forward to this!!

 

[Savage Wolf]

Well I started to work on the bumper, but I see a snag vs diffrent winches what type are winch are most of you looking at for your trucks, right now I'm using a warn XD9000i but with a 2" bodylift it looks like i am going to need to cut part of the grill to get max approach angle and still have the bumper tight to the truck (I dont want it sticking out a extra 6" from the front end) but what do you guys want? a winch bumper thats tight to the front, or some stick out in the front with open top winch area? (or should I just make both lol)

Edit: Keep in mind that I'm working with a first gen right now, the room for a winch might be diffrent on a gen 2

 

[Castees]

Winch on bumper

Savagewolf,
I'll be using either an XD9000i or the Warn 9.5ti [dimensions: 23.1" L x 6.3" D x 10.0" H (Mounting Bolt Pattern: 10.0" x 4.5")]. Depends on how the bumper comes out! I sent you a PM... I have a Gen II and won't know how much it will impact the grill until I get a better idea of how the bumper will look/mount, etc. Keep up the good work and let me know what you need to make it happen.

 

[Buckshot]

look here....and many other posts....bumper could have their own forum by all the pics and designs......

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122524&page=2&pp=20&highlight=cali+bumper

 

[Savage Wolf]

Buckshot, yeah there are alot of posts about bumper ideas, I think I have a reply in almost all of them atleast once

Castees, well at least your using the same winch that I have already I just need to get a 2nd gen to get the mesurements off of and check to see how much room there is for the winch, as for when I'll have something useable I hope to have the prototypes done in the next month or two (for the 2nd gen) the first gen bumper should be done in the next few weeks (long as I dont hit any snags)