Started making my new rear bumper. New pic 1/20/07

[CSaddict]

I will update this thread as I build.
Main beam is 2x4x1/4 thick.
3/4 shackles fit nice. Drilling 1" holes through 3/4" steel suck with a 1/2hp drill press.








Still have to add the receiver I made and decide on the corners for angle and capping, add sub frame tie ins, and build the rear tire carrier. I just got my hinge assembly. I will keep updating.

Heres my bitch. 95 XJ 4.0, auto 3" rough country, 31 BFG A/T, rusty's air tube with big K&N, Rusty's TB spacer, Flowmaster exhaust,surco 45x60....blah blah blah.

[HeavyMetal]

im really lookin forward to seein more of this, great work so far

[CSaddict]

Thanks. I tried to do all the hard work first. I had to bring it to my shop to mount the main beam to the mounts because it was too heavy to tack up evenly. I used a fork lift jack to support it and level it then I tacked it. Solid as hell now.

[HeavyMetal]

for mounts, whatre u doing? is it square channel welded to a plate that mounts to the stock holes and to a strip that runs down the frame rail where the hitch mounts to? mines gonna be underway soon and i believe this is the common method

[CSaddict]

Mine is 2 1/2x1/4 square tubing welded to 1/4 plate. The sub frame tie in will be flat bar like you said. I plan on welding studs for the inside the subframe part and just usings nuts on the outside.

[heapxj]

looking good

[CSaddict]

Ok, worked most the night and ended up at this point. The Rock rails are painted and ready to go on but were still tacky. Here is how far I got with the bumper.

Here is the bottom support I bent around the hatch handle.


Closer look. Not bad for a $90 bender! You can also see the 2" receiver I added. Welded through the bumper.


Here is the hinge assembly from AtoZfabrication.com Good piece for $50.


Hoop added. Need to add tire plate and a support. You can see I shaped the ends and capped them.


Added support.


Piece of shit De Staco latch everyone said to use. I didn't trust it and took it off.


I made a T handle out of a bolt and welded a nut on the stop. Solid as it gets.


I will get the tire plate made today and then one more support to the tire support. Then just the unibody tie in on the bottom and paint. This thing is a monster.

[Eskimo]

bad fuckin ass

[HeavyMetal]

i just got that a to z fab hinge unit in the mail today for mine

and im also going to be using that latch from mcmaster, whats the gripe with it? plenty of guys seem to have used it succesfully on their designs, including JCR and rigidco.

[YeaItsCold]

Yea not to question you or anything but maybe you didnt mount it right? It does seem like a very reliable latch?




of course you'd know better then me..

[CSaddict]

Mine didnt come with that lock assembly that is in the picture. I didn't even think about going to get a looping pin like that. I was in a fit of rage and cut it all pissed off. I still have it. I will look to see if mine has a provision for that clip. Mine is the Mcmaster one.

[CSaddict]

Pretty much done. Still need to make the unibody tie in on the bottom. I learned a lot making it. If I had to do it again I would do a few things different. I may add a Hi Lift mount under the tire. I dont want it on the roof rack like I originally planned. Hinge is very fluid. I still may use the DeStaco latch I got on the upper part to limit flex.

[spanky]

looks good only thing u might want to think about is if u back in to a tree that teh tire wont hit the glass

[CSaddict]

The bar would have to totally smash through the tailgate for that to break the glass. At that point, I would deserve it.

[HeavyMetal]

i think it looks great, exactly how i want my tire to sit on mine when its done