Bumper build along

[PSD Ryan]

This is probably gonna be a slow one, since I don't have a lot of free time to get it done, but I almost never drive my personal truck anymore unless it's at/to the ranch since I've got a work truck.

Today I decided to start on the rear bumper. Pulled the old one off. Decided to flare the drop like the stock bumper. Somewhere along the way, I screwed up and the right side end pipe is 2 inches too short. I have no idea how it happened, but it did. I measured twice.





I've got some options. I want yalls opinions.

Option 1: This is the best option...recut the right pipe. Only downside, is I'd have to buy more pipe to have enough to do the front bumper. I think. I'll have to really measure what I have to be sure.

Option 2: Cut a few inches of pipe, and weld it to the end, grind the weld flush, and recut to the right length. I did this on some scrap, and it looked pretty good, but it would probably be more work than option 1. Upside is it saves pipe.

Option 3: Cut 2 inches off the left pipe, and make the drop 4 inches wider. Since it flares out, it would be REALLy wide at the mouth, and I don't think it would look good.

If I could buy schedule 40 4" at a reasonable price and not have to buy an entire 21 foot length, I'd pick option 1 in a heartbeat.

[CletusBodeen]

I might can get you piece of 4" long enough to re-cut the screwed up side? How long do you need?

[PSD Ryan]

40 inches. I could get away with 35.

[KEG08]

I would cut the two inches off of the left side, the side you didn't mess up on, and make the center piece four inches longer. Im asumming your'e gonna have a piece of plate on the bottom that connects the left and right side together and runs along the bottom of your license plate. I think this will correct the mistake. If you want, pm me your number and i'll send you some ideas- Iv'e built quite a few replacements for customers.

[dclifton]

I would find a piece. And redo it. That bumpers gunna be on there for a Long time and your gunna want to show it off. So just do it right now. So u won't kick urselflf for doin it right later. Just my honest opinion

[PSD Ryan]

Didn't have much time tonight before dark. Friend loaned me a band saw and I cut a new piece. Turns out band saws suck for cutting pipe at an angle. Used the chop saw and got it all sorted out.

Cut the side plates for the drop and welded them to the pipe. Cut the floor plate for the drop, and have to cut the back plate and weld that up tomorrow. Then its just the deck, skirts, and mounts.

[PSD Ryan]

Got the drop all welded. I wasn't super happy with the fit. The floor plate I measured out a little bit free hand instead of checking the angles real good, so it isn't perfect. The end pipes are straight, but one sits just a hair offset forward from the other. So far though, I think it looks decent, especially for my first bumper build.

It looks crooked in the pic, bit its just how it's sitting on that little piece of 2x4

[PSD Ryan]

Come to think of it, I didn't leave any room in the drop to put decking over it. I may cut a new back plate and weld it in a quarter way into where the pipe sits so I can have decking across the entire top. Or maybe not. Plenty of bumpers have no deck over the drop.

Skirts, end caps, top, and mounts remain.

[fishstix]

Looks good..

[jwedel]

Looks pretty good. I'm sure you have it already planned on how it'll look, but you can check out my thread from when I built mine- if you need any ideas

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/76-gm-trucks/82-exterior/378724-check-out-bumper-i-made.html

[PSD Ryan]

I don't have much of a plan...I've been freestyling this mostly. Thanks for the link. It looks very professional. Did you paint it or powdercoat it?

[PSD Ryan]

Had a few spare moments today to make a little progress. I made mounts completely different than I had originally planned. I planned to use the bar stock vertically, but the screw holes are angled, and I was lazy and didn't want to find the angle, and figure out exactly where to get it welded on the pipe. Soooo I made the bar stock lay flat, and it will sandwich between the hitch receiver and the frame. I added gussets, and it's not a hitch/tow bumper, so I think with the quarter inch mount, it will be plenty strong. I got great penetration and a nice even weld. These puppies aren't going anywhere.

I didn't get around to fitting it and cutting the holes for the bolts, so I will probably do that tomorrow. Getting the mounts done was the part I dreaded most. The rest will be cake.

[jax0075]

nice work

[PSD Ryan]

I worked on it until the wife wouldn't let me anymore. Apparently shes not happy with me welding with a tornadic thunderstorm rolling through

I cut holes in the mounts, unbolted the hitch receiver, slid in my bumper, and mounted it up. I wasn't happy with the vertical support the mount offered. I thought it would be plenty, and it did support the weight of the bumper just fine, but it flexed if you stood on it.

So I added vertical supports in basically the same fashion the stock bumper is mounted. I only got them tacked to the horizontal support before I was cut off. Even so, it's solid as a rock now. You can jump on it with no flex at all. I'm confident it ain't going anywhere.

All I have left is to finish welding the supports, then do the decking, end caps, skirts, and holes for the backup sensors, license plate, and Lord, don't let me forget the hole to lower the spare tire

[AndyRealtree]

Definitely don't want to forget the spare tire hole.. Haha. Looks good man. Can't wait to see the final product