I just welded angle iron to my mounts and drilled holes in them to utilize the stock holes.

These aren't mine, but they're what I did.

 

Welded the cracks yesterday. This app won't allow me to post pics.
I've got extra angle iron and scrap steel to finish the bumper mounts. I'm anxious to get this done in time for Moab! The hard part is done, next is to weld the bumper mounts and bolt everything up.

 

well you are not the only one that this has happened to apparently.... i know this thread is older but I just want to share....

the nates bumper does not have correct tie ins to the uni frame rail and causes the rear mounts to fatigue and crack.....



the correct fix has been stated, you need to weld a piece of angle that can slide inside the uni rail....

 

Well it wasn't an isolated case then was it.

 

no its a **** design, but the bumper is a good price..... so i am taking the bumper off re-welding the back of the jeep together and making the bumper correctly so it slides into the frame rails.

 

I guess thats the reason for the lower price of the bumper.

 

I also have Nates4x4 rear bumper, the design is good for pulling on/recovery, but not so well for long-term vertical loading.

 

I agree on his mounting choice. The bumper survived Moab on numerous ledges. I was afraid of losing it the very first time I came down on a rock.

My frame tie ins are 2x2 angle inside the frame. I also welded 1-1/2x1-1/2 angle to the Nates lower frame tie in. This stiffened up the rear a lot. I suggest to keep the lower frame tie ins. Especially if you plan on installing a gas tank skid or shackle relocators. It will keep everything sandwiched between the two pieces of steel.

 

I see your Jeep is green too... must be a green Jeep thing haha

 

ha yeah i have the hd offroad shackle boxes and they are very beefy, I wish i had them before i installed the bumper because those bumper tie ins actually buckled my frame rail a bit... With the shackle brackets there it is very well reinforced.

 

well here is the start of my fix.... nate welds his bumper bracket centered on the tube, & the factory uni rail is offset, so you cannot just cut off the bracket and slide in something because it wont line up...

I found that if I cut into the bracket a certain way, I could weld angle iron onto the bracket that will slide into the uni rail and hit the bolts...





i tacked it and mocked it up, seems to be working out so far....8 dollars in 3/16" angle iron would have saved me allot of headaches....

 

If Nate did the inner frame tie in, similar to RC or Warn, his bumpers would be a lot more sturdier. But his pricing wouldn't be reasonable. It's a simple reinforcement, time consuming, but easy to do. Glad you got yours reinforced.

Have you reinforced the body mounts yet?

 

Is your swing out on the driver side?

 

I am so glad I ran across this. I scored a bumper/Tire carrier off C.L. for a very good price. I have not mounted it yet and now am glade. So I was wondering if you think plating the factory mounting area would have kept this from happening? Seems like the fault isn't in the bumper but the factory area is not substantial enough for the weight?

 

that's exactly it. just not strong enough for a tire swing bumper or even so much a recovery bumper at that.

so pulling from a hitch is a better idea, that's why the mentioned frame mounts for the bumper is a good idea.