"MRA" Offroad bumper build
12-19-2012, 05:57 AM
#61
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Year: 1993
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Nice job! Thats a lot of cutting with a zipcut and minigrinder. Good thinking with your choice of materials to keep your cutting to a minimum. If you are planning on skirting it, do it now. Welding on stuff thats been painted is gross----even after you remove the paint!
I will be building my bumper out of 3/16" plate, but I have a plasma cutter to do all my cutting!!
I will be building my bumper out of 3/16" plate, but I have a plasma cutter to do all my cutting!!
12-28-2012, 06:28 PM
#62
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Nice job! Thats a lot of cutting with a zipcut and minigrinder. Good thinking with your choice of materials to keep your cutting to a minimum. If you are planning on skirting it, do it now. Welding on stuff thats been painted is gross----even after you remove the paint!
I will be building my bumper out of 3/16" plate, but I have a plasma cutter to do all my cutting!!
I will be building my bumper out of 3/16" plate, but I have a plasma cutter to do all my cutting!!
12-29-2012, 10:02 AM
#63
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I hear ya. Lots of snow on the ground here but temps are still just above freezing so it's not too bad to work outside. I have mine about 3/4 done, all tacked together and almost ready to pull it off for welding. Yours is looking good man!! Keep at it!
01-06-2013, 06:03 PM
#64
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Believe me, there is nothing weak about this bumper! It is one stout beast. But yes, I did plan on welding some angle brackets on the back to re-enforce the bends.
01-06-2013, 06:07 PM
#65
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on the front? Hrrrm I could be completely wrong but let me draw something. If im thinking correctly you just reduced the strength of those bends a little. here's my awesome paint representation. taking away material and then re welding it is definitely the way to go i just think you did it on the wrong side, the fact that it is angle iron and that you welded the top is great, that will do wonders. what i would do is bend up a plate to match the contour and weld that in with rosette welds and stitching, or add a fat gusset. just my .o2 because i love the look and affordability of it over making one massive thing out of box or plating up down left right etc, and id hate for you to damage it down the trail because of when someone like me with very little bit of fab experience (or more) coulda said ey, check that out. Cant wait to see it painted!
so number 1 is what i think you said and number 2 is what would probably be better. see how when it bends it stretches the thinner part of the metal is all there is? i know you said you welded over it, i just think having the metal butt up against itself is better. if you do a contoured reinforcement just bend it regularly (vise and a bfh!) drill the holes first if you are going to rosette weld it.
damn I need a welder haha then i can put my welds where my mouth is and more metal where my rig is...
so number 1 is what i think you said and number 2 is what would probably be better. see how when it bends it stretches the thinner part of the metal is all there is? i know you said you welded over it, i just think having the metal butt up against itself is better. if you do a contoured reinforcement just bend it regularly (vise and a bfh!) drill the holes first if you are going to rosette weld it.
damn I need a welder haha then i can put my welds where my mouth is and more metal where my rig is...
Believe me, if anything happens to this bumper it would be a miracle. It is one stout mule.
01-06-2013, 06:12 PM
#66
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I have the bumper pulled off now and ready for final welding. Just need to quit being lazy and get it done. Probably won't be able to paint it until Spring due to the cold weather though.
It may be March before this is completely done and installed....uggh...
It may be March before this is completely done and installed....uggh...
01-14-2013, 11:18 PM
#67
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Awesome looking bumper dude!!! I've looked at tube and square bumpers, but yours looks a helluva lot better. Mine will do double duty, for wheeling and to keep a-holes from bouncing off my bumper to parallel park. I live in SoCal and watched a guy bounce off my front bumper parallel parking and get pissed at ME for scratching his bumper on his rice burner!!! Oh yeah, forgot to tell ya I have spikes on my front bumper. LOL!! A bumper like yours would make them not even think of touching it!!!
01-21-2013, 06:49 PM
#68
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In case anyone was wondering how my tow hook set up was going to work, here is a couple shots of it. I incorporated the main part into the frame brackets as seen at the beginning of the thread. Then added 1/4" pieces on both sides and welded all the way around to bumper and original tabs. I don't think they are going anywhere.
I just have to drill the final 3/4" holes for the tow hooks. Already have pilot holes drilled to get started.
You can see the skirt being added here in the second pic. Still need to add the angled and end pieces. I am working on it.....
I just have to drill the final 3/4" holes for the tow hooks. Already have pilot holes drilled to get started.
You can see the skirt being added here in the second pic. Still need to add the angled and end pieces. I am working on it.....
Last edited by Marks2000XJ; 01-21-2013 at 06:51 PM.
02-09-2013, 01:10 AM
#70
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I hope u don't mind but I've looked at bumpers for days and this thing is sweet I'm gonna steal your idea and build one identical to it I love it u did great work ill be sure to give u credit on my build thread this thing is nice
02-11-2013, 10:35 AM
#71
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Year: 1993
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Don't forget to add in some gussets to beef up that bottom skirt. Not trying to hack your thread, but here's a picture of how I gussetted the inside of my bumper. Makes that skirt pretty beefy for sliding over stuff without bending the skirt.
02-17-2013, 02:45 PM
#74
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Year: 1989
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subbed!! i want this exact bumper for my 89! plus a small bull bar for looks! great build i will have questions on how to perfect mine to look like yours!!
03-30-2013, 09:03 PM
#75
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I am still working on my bumper. Kind of quit on it over the winter. It is warming up now so progress will resume shortly.
Mastrblastr, I have gussetts installed for the skirt but thanks for the input.
Mastrblastr, I have gussetts installed for the skirt but thanks for the input.