Looking for 2 gen front bumpers.

[jkufen]

I am about to get my 99 Explorer 4x4 on the road for the first time. I am going to start off roading it here shortly and I am wanting to get rid of the plastic front bumper and make a custom metal bumper for front end protection and to mount a winch. I am going to build it out of 2x3 rectangular tubing. Its 1/4 wall. I attached a rough drawing on the design I am going use. I was just looking around on the site for some ideas of other front bumpers and surprisingly I havent found too much. This is the idea I am going to put on my 86 B2 as well. Would love to see some other 2nd gens with metal front bumpers.

 

[jkufen]

 

[TheRyan]

I have also wanted to make a front bumper for my 2001 xlt. Are you going to have the winch mounted on the bumper or on a plate behind it? like in this thread: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=368836
Also are you using steel or aluminum?
I like the design

ryan

 

[jkufen]

I am using steel. I want to mount the winch behind the bumper. Right now I have a trailer hitch mount on my B2 front bumper and the winch goes into the trailer hitch. The downside to that is the winch sticks off the front of the truck and always gets beat on trees or the ground when going up or down steep hills.

 

[4pullingGM]

This is the bumper on my 97, it is a very solid bumper. I do like it but I am going to be changing it some because it does stick out more than I like

 

[FROADER]

First sticky in the fabrication forum - http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99820

 

[TheRyan]

So many good ideas

thanks

 

[fsumotorhead]

I ran without a bumper for 4 or 5 years. I made a custom winch mount out of the generic Harbor Freight Jeep mount. The custom carrier plate is bolted with 4x 1/2 grade 8 bolts, the same bolts that hold the front reciever in place.

I originally designed the carrier to house the winch behind the stock bumper, and it worked, but was a PITA to engage the winch, so off with the bumper.

(dead links)

Flash forward a few years, and I was sick of bashing the front end on trees and such. After replacing a headlight, I decided I needed more protection. I made it myself, though I did need to use a good friend's bender (and knowledge of bending). I added a wide hoop to incorporate a 30" LED light bar... my wife tells me it will be awhile before I can afford one though.

These were in the building stage.

This is what it looks like in action. I scrapped a tree and removed paint off the left side of the bumper within an hour of it's first use lol.

I still need to add a few trick tabs for the lights and a dune flag mount bracket.

Sorry fo all the pics, I love posting pictures of my junk!