WARNING: Mini Truck Content: Fins n Things Disaster Prevention

[AxleIke]

As many of you know, I had a "not so well welded" bumper on my truck at CM06. Being low on fundage at the time, (mostly due to transfer case gears and air lockers) I re-welded my old bumper to serve until i got the time and motivation to build a new rear bumper.

This is Phase 1. Basically structure. Some cosmetic grinding, but mostly just tacking, fitting, and solid-welding the whole thing.

I'm reusing my old trailer hitch brackets. They are 1/4 plate, and already custom cut and drilled to my frame. Plus, they have been super reinforced.

The main beam, lower wing plates, and forward brackets are all 3/16. The top wing tubes are 1/8 because i couldn't find 3/16 in the size tube I wanted. I'm confident it is strong enough. The tabs going to the frame brackets on the bumper are 3/8" uneven angle. Again, I wanted 3x6, and that was the thinest I could get.

The frame brackets are held on with 4, 1/2" G8 bolts, the bumper is held onto the frame brackets with 4 more, and the front wing support is bolted with the same.

I'm *hoping* I won't have any further embarrassing bumper issues. We'll see.

On to the pictures.

__________________________________________________

A DIY bumper kit?

Lining up the main beam. This was the most time consuming part. Measure, move, remeasure, move, measure, adjust...ad nauseum.

Finally got it straight. I also trimmed off the corners.

Tacked on the upper part of the wings...

Measuring for the wing-to-frame support, this table is pretty handy.

All tacked up, ready for welding. I bolted everything together to hold the bumper rigid to avoid warping. I also went VEERRRRYYYY SLLLOOWWWWLY to the point of irritation on my part. But, no warpage was worth it.

got scout?

Phase 1 complete....Fully welded.

Phase 2 will be adding the receiver hitch (recovery), as well as the cosmetic welding. Phase 3 will be tail light hoops, and paint.

Stay Tuned....

 

[Uncle Ben]

Looks great Isaac!

 

[Red_Chili]

Very very nice. I used receiver brackets initially as well, they work great.

One comment: if you bring the side wing supports to the frame forward of the receiver hitch brackets, instead of to the brackets themselves, you will eliminate the one thing that makes 4Runner bumpers flexy: rear frame C-channel flex. If you can use that forward attachment to the frame, that goes away almost entirely.

 

[Uncle Ben]

Very very nice. I used receiver brackets initially as well, they work great.

One comment: if you bring the side wing supports to the frame forward of the receiver hitch brackets, instead of to the brackets themselves, you will eliminate the one thing that makes 4Runner bumpers flexy: rear frame C-channel flex. If you can use that forward attachment to the frame, that goes away almost entirely.

Hmmmm never heard of c-Channel flex in a Cruiser!

 

[Jacket]

Very nice Isaac. As soon as you're done we can get started on mine.

 

[Beater]

dude - it's just flame flex in an 80.. that rear frame section is a noodle on mine.

 

[AxleIke]

Thanks for all the kind words...

Also, forgot to mention, but I will be cutting off the lower portions of the frame brackets, the parts that are sticking below the bumper in the last two pictures...

Very very nice. I used receiver brackets initially as well, they work great.

One comment: if you bring the side wing supports to the frame forward of the receiver hitch brackets, instead of to the brackets themselves, you will eliminate the one thing that makes 4Runner bumpers flexy: rear frame C-channel flex. If you can use that forward attachment to the frame, that goes away almost entirely.

I'll have to look into that...Although, where the wing support ties in, it is forward of the c chanel part. The bolt that goes through there goes through the fully boxed section...Not sure if that makes a difference, since it does tie to the reciever mount and not directly to the frame...

 

[Red_Chili]

The idea would be to spread the mounting points. Think of where the bumper would pivot - most receiver mounts have about a 2-3" spread in the mounting area, if you can take your side wings and use them as structural components, and make that mounting bolt pattern spread over a couple of feet, you are golden. Then you can hang a spare on there without resorting to a brace like I had to.

I'm just lazy or I would reengineer mine as well. But it works well enough for now.

 

[AxleIke]

I'm not following that...I could *maybe* go forward a bit, but a few feet would put it right into the tire and wheel well...

I won't be running a tire back there anyway...I'm not that good of a welder.

 

[Red_Chili]

From what I see you are...
crude ASCII art, showing the bumper far left, the wings above and below, the receiver mounts inboard, and the additional connection between the wing tip and the frame, just behind the rear wheels:

__________
||.............|
||___........|
||
||___
||.............|
||________|

 

[Red_Chili]

Aw crud, this forum software strips spaces. Ignore the dots above, they are in place of spaces.

 

[Rezarf]

Looks GOOD Isaac!

Drew

 

[Red_Chili]

Hmmmm never heard of c-Channel flex in a Cruiser!

The only C channel is in the very rear, where the receiver hitches typically fasten... hey, come to think of it, exactly like the noodley hiney of an 80!

 

[Uncle Ben]

The only C channel is in the very rear, where the receiver hitches typically fasten... hey, come to think of it, exactly like the noodley hiney of an 80!

Well if it's like an 80's hiney then it's perfect....leave it alone!

 

[Rezarf]

Sorry Isaac, had to do it...

 

[AxleIke]

What i really love about those pictures is that in the second one, everyone is standing there with hands on hips looking at the bumper, and going, "huh, i don't think thats supposed to do that."

Yes, that is what we are trying to avoid.

 

[Bighead]

What was going on in those pics? Were they trying to pull you back off the rock?

 

[Rezarf]

Yeah, Issac's rear bumper was hung up on the rock, not letting him go up or down. The angle was really steep, and with this new bumper I bet he makes it no problem!

 

[Jacket]

if its any consolation, when I was there a few weeks ago a Rubicon with front and rear lockers couldn't make that line either. Although he did manage to "sidestep" the wall toward the right and finally get up......

 

[AxleIke]

What was going on in those pics? Were they trying to pull you back off the rock?

It was a case of "I'm young, and going to show off, and ooopppss".

I got up on the rock, lost traction, and slid down onto the rear bumper. I couldn't go either direction, so a tug was attempted, by wraping a strap around the rear bumper, since the hitch was inaccessable.

Turned out the bumper wasn't welded very well. (not my fault, so i saved a *little* face, but not much).

Thankfully, everyone was being very safe, and standing clear. so no injury occured.