Little update on the front bumper progress.
This tube bumper was originally made for a 1" body lift and mounted to the stock frame horns. So instead of chopping it up and remaking the mounts on the bumper, the frame rails were worked on to fit the bumper. The only thing done to the bumper itself was a cut made on the outer mount tubes, allowing them to be pushed forward and the gaps welded shut again. The mounts on the stock horns are off set as I am sure anyone who has done a body lift has discovered.
So we start off by removing the 4 welds that hold the frame horns.
Then we tack on a 3/8" plate.
Then we line up the bumper, trace where we want to cut, remove them and shape them with the torch. The centers were torched out for square holes and these massive 1.5" thick shackle mounts welded to both sides of the plate. A couple of holes drilled, then they got cleaned up a bit with a grinder, and tacked back on.
Little bit of welding to the back sides.
2"x3" sq tube was cut and used for gussets behind the plate, and on top of the frame rails. Once everything was welded up nice and tight, some 40 grit flap discs on the grinder was used to clean/shape them.
At this point the rains started. So a quick coat of rust inhibitor paint was sprayed on until the real paint can be applied later.
Lack of work/funds are most likely stop me from getting this bumper powder coated, but I do have plenty of paint that I can spray myself with a HVLP.
Going to have to wait for the right conditions for that to happen. Might be a few days, might be a few weeks, who knows. Even tho this looks weird right now, I think it will turn out okay after the paint & all bolted up.
Until the next update....Wheel safe and wear a condom.
