Body Lift Bumper brackets

[jwrezz]

So, years later, I'm finally ready to reposition my stock bumpers. With a new son, I'm not buying cool tubular bumpers any time soon. Nor do I have the time or equipment to make my own.

So anyway. After years of procrastination, I got out the box for the PA853 body lift and looked at the directions and brackets. I was told origianally that kit 853 would have the proper front brackets, but I'd have to fab some rear ones. Upon further observation, I've realized that the front brackets from the kit seem like they will work on my rear bumper. The other brackets seem useless. So, I had my front bumper off ready to use the brackets from the kit, but was out of luck. BUT I was looking at the way that front bumper is mounted and it looked like I could play with what is there and make it work. Well, I'm almost ready to put the bumper back on, but am exhausted so I'll try and get to it tomorrow. But it does seem like it's gonna work. I had to notch part of the mount that is attached to the frame, and drill new higher holes but I think it may work! I don't think I'll get it the full 3" height that i need, but it'll be pretty close. I'll get some pics up asap.

 

[BonesDT]

I don't know what you just said. The front brackets from the kit (which are made for a Ranger) should fit your Ex without any fabbing. They just need to be bent into shape, but that's done by installing them and tightening all the nuts.

I needed to make very simple custom brackets for the rear. All you need is a flat piece of thick steel with 4 holes drilled in them.

The 1st pic is the front "C"-shaped bracket from behind my bumper. The 2nd is the bracket peaking out the front of the bumper. I used a piece of wood to space the bumper further out to give more tire clearance.

The 3rd pic is the custom rear bracket. The 4th pic shows you have to cut the rear bumper a little bit to make room for the frame.

Please excuse the rust. I'm POR-15'ing it this week.

 

[jwrezz]

Nope, the front bracket that came w/ my kit was not the C shaped thing that I needed, but it was the exact thing (so far from looking at it and the other pics up here) that I need for the rear. I'll post pics of the brackets that came w/ the kit too. Hopefully tomorrow. Soon you'll all understand. There was one other guy on this board that had a similar issue.

 

[jwrezz]

Some pics of the bumper/frame mods.

Here's all the pics...http://picasaweb.google.com/jwrezz/XLTFrontBumperRelocation#

I drilled the outer bracket hole up higher (even w/ the inside ones). Then had to notch out where the old one were so the brackets would fit there. Driver's side is notched, passenger's is not (started but wore my grinder out). Then the brackets were swapped and remounted so that there is more up travel in the adjusment. There are also pics of the brackets that came in the kit. You can see that there is not the one that many people seem to have gotten in this kit for the fronts. But the ones that are for the front seem like they'll work on the back.

These should work on the rear of mine, but they're supposed to be the front brackets according to the kit.

These, well I don't know how they'd mount to any thing, but I'm sure they do something on some model of Ranger or Explorer.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Those are the 853 brackets, you had to order the 853 to get the proper steering extension, but you need the 883 brackets. I know, I just helped BT93 put the lift on his 97 and his 853 kit had those brackets....

 

[jwrezz]

It was so long ago that I forgot which kit i ordered and for what reason. Pretty stupid now that I had to go out and get a flaming river shaft to replace my worn one! But the bumper, although not perfect, is a whole lot better. I hope that I got the brush guard relocated enough to maybe cover up the bumper gap. I won't have it all together and finally adjusted for a couple weeks. This wknd and next are pretty booked!