bmikes

Well, I figured since I used this forum among others to research how I was gonna make my back bumper I would do a little thread on it. As always, I appreciate all feed back and would love to see what ya'll think about it!

The reason I decided to make this bumper is because the one I made previously was pretty flimsy and only attached using the 8 stock mount locations and bolts. I figured that now that I'm lifted and running 33's I'll be able to get myself stuck well enough that I will need some REAL recovery points in the rear. This bumper uses the 8 stock bolts, and also 8 additional bigger, stronger, thicker, nuts and bolts that come with the JCR Offroad nutsert strips.

So here is a picture of the bumper I made when i first got the jeep over a year ago.

bmikes

I didn't take pictures of the material I started with, but it is a 2"x6"x.375" piece of rectangle tube that I got 63" long I believe. From there I cut what was gonna be the bottom corners at 45* angles, and cut out strips of 3/8 flat stock to cap the ends.

Next step was to cut a hole out in the middle of the bumper to make room for a 2" receiver. Once I got that done I started welding on my D rings.

bmikes

So after I got that done the bumper pretty much looked like this




Next came the actual mounting brackets. For these I used 3/8 plating. There is basically three pieces that I used for the attachments. There is the plate that uses the 4 stock bolts, the plate that bolts to the JCR nutserts, and the little piece that attaches those two plate. Here is some pictures of the attaching brackets.

























Here is what the 3 pieces look like tack welded together unmounted




All welded up





So at this point I have the bumper itself, and the mounting brackets, so all that is left is to connect them!! I cut off some rectangle tube 1.5" long to space the bumper out a little, and give room to bolt it in, and also to access the hitch pin that is behind the bumper




I welded on the inside, as well as the outside of these spacer tubes to ensure they weren't going anywhere












There is the mounts with the little spacers welded on.









So next I mocked up where I was gonna weld the bumper on












It took a few different set ups to hold it up since i was working by myself, but I finally got it. I tacked it on and then unbolted everything and welded the bumper to the spacers








Then here it is!! The only thing I have left to do is smooth out all my grinds with a flapper disk, and paint it!










Sooooooo..... What so ya think?

Flowpro

Very impressive and nice looking welds.

Barrelmaker

Only thing i would have done is run the box tube inside the frame rails.
But just my opinion.

bmikes

Thanks man! I appreciate it!

bmikes

I thought about it, and I looked at a lot of bumpers that did it like that, but I didn't want to cut the unibody and more than I had to. But I might go back and do that in the future

Cherokeekid4x4

Looks cool! Doesn't look like my buddies that he's having made but it reminds me of it. His wont ever come off either! Lol

stang65

looks good

bmikes

Thanks guys!

Lowrange2

I have to agree. I would have went inside the unibody with the tie-ins. Cutting the 2" x 4" square out of the back won't weaken it enough to make a difference.
.

Barrelmaker

Unless the bumper is pulled straight back from the bottom it is going to pivot on the lower tie in weld.

bmikes

It might flex some right there, but it's not really gonna move at all I don't think..

bmikes

I also decided today I was gonna add a little rocker protection. So I used 1x3 .120 wall tubing and mocked up up next to the jeep. I'm gonna weld up around the parameter of the 1x3 and then I'm gonna gusset the bottom and the inner side. On the end of the 1x3 near the wheel I'm gonna use 1x1x.120 square tubing to go from the rocker protector toward the unibody. Ill weld the 1x1 to the 1x3 and then bolt the 1x1 to the unibody

1ABrian

nice work man. Keep it up. Kudos on the welds too. very nice