[jstandle]

Hi All,

I bought myself a HF pipe bender and decided to try it out by making my first bumper. Its made out of Schedule 80 pipe, 1 1/2" I.D. for the main horozontal bar and 1" i.d. for the hoops. I was able to scavange the pipe from a friends place, the stuffs been laying out in the weather for a few years. It's not in the greatest condition but will serve it's purpose as a ranch beater. I also made new bumper brackets out of angle iron.

What additions do you guys think I should make to it? I think I'll get some diamond plate to cover the lower hoop. I was thinking I might need extra bracing on the upper hoop?

Thanks,
Jordan :jeep:

 

[BBurris]

nice Mack truck dog...some of the guys that drive the rig trucks have rigged their washer fluid jet to shoot out between his legs...

 

[Slagburn]

I think you need to finish welding the upper hoop on before it falls off.

 

[jstandle]

It's welded on, I made a few passes on it even. Some places just look more even than others, I'm just a beginner level welder. Luckily with a wire feed you can really suck and still make a decent weld.

Jordan

 

[Slagburn]

Luckily with a wire feed you can really suck and still make a decent weld.

Jordan

If you say so.

 

[TheBadXJ]

I like the design, although i would have made the lower hoop slant back a little more so that you have a better approach angle. Post up some pics when its all finished.

Not trying to flame anyone here but, as for welding, GMAW (MIG) can produce a 'good looking' weld without having very much penetration. SMAW (stick) is a little harder to do and can also look rough, but you can almost accidently weld something right because it gets such good penetration.

 

[deja vu]

Good design but i would of made it 2 main bars instead of one and extend it out farther for a winch mounting plate.

 

[jstandle]

If you say so.

Well, with in reason. I just mean they are easier than other methods.

I had the amperage turned up pretty high and was making sure I had good penetration with the weld. I'm no professional, but I'm not worried about it falling apart. If it does I'll just do it again, no big deal. She's a beater, thats why I built my own parts, i'm not going to the car show.

Jordan

 

[jstandle]

I like the design, although i would have made the lower hoop slant back a little more so that you have a better approach angle. Post up some pics when its all finished.

Not trying to flame anyone here but, as for welding, GMAW (MIG) can produce a 'good looking' weld without having very much penetration. SMAW (stick) is a little harder to do and can also look rough, but you can almost accidently weld something right because it gets such good penetration.

My original plan had the lower hoop angling back, but the way I made my bumper brackets I had some lower over hang that made for a really strong mount. I figured I'd rather it be strong if I were to hit something than to hit it and have it fold right back into the radiator.

I agree with the good looking weld but not penetrating much with a Mig, thats why I cranked up the amps so it would penetrate, thats correct isn't it?. That Schedule 80 is thick stuff so I knew I would need to turn it up to weld to it well.

I've got a lot to learn with welding, so if this falls a part I will know what to improve on, if not then I have been doing ok!

Thanks,
Jordan

 

[FlxnXJ]

Iam not to sure about that bottom hoop, Are you planning on wheeling that thing?. Approach angle really does matter. It kinda looks like your ready to plow snow

 

[jstandle]

Good design but i would of made it 2 main bars instead of one and extend it out farther for a winch mounting plate.

I did want to make it two bars, but the pipe I had is sooo heavy, since I'm too cheap to spend $2 a foot on something a little lighter like schedule 40, I went with what I dug up.

If I ever get a winch I will have to redesign it all, but for now I think it will serve it's purpose. I would kind of like to have a winch on a receiver so I could use it front and back, I might incorporate one of those someday.

Jordan

 

[jstandle]

Iam not to sure about that bottom hoop, Are you planning on wheeling that thing?. Approach angle really does matter. It kinda looks like your ready to plow snow

Yeah, she obviously ain't built for looks, haha. But you might be right, I'm not sure how well it's going to work. Would angling it back really make that much of a difference? I'm an amatuer at this 4x4 biz, most my experience has been on ATV's and a couple CJ's my dad has had.

Jordan

 

[TNToy]

Shrink the bottom hoop and angle it back slightly further than the upper halfi s angled forward. It's a plow right now. It easily reduces your anle of approach by half. Add a couple straight bars up top, and you're done. It'll look fine. :grinpimp:

Notice how all the prerunner bumpers are sloped pretty steeply underneath the main bar? No ground clearance loss... it's just there to hopd the aluminum skidplates on.

Pics 1...

 

[TNToy]

...and two. Wish I had photoshop here, not just mspaint. Oh well.

 

[jstandle]

Dangit, that is what was in my original plan and I talked myself out of it after I built the bumper brackets, cause it was easier to just weld the lower hoop flush to it. Oh well.

Now I'll have to figure out how to get that peice off and still make it salvagable.

Any recomendations on removing welds from tight spots? I can grind on some of it, but not all. I have access to a plasma cutter, maybe I can turn the amperage down on it just enough to break through the welds.

Jordan

 

[korda]

If you plan on pulling on the bumper I'd make sure the bradkets extend back to the hole about 12" back on the frame. Look at aftermarket tow hook brackets too see what I'm talking about.

It looks like the agle iron is only bolted to the front 2 holes out of the three the factory bumper mounts use, those will never hold on a hard pull. I bet you'd tear them out if you bumped into something with that.

 

[jstandle]

It goes to all three of the factory bolts, I just welded on a peice of flat bar to extend back farther. I do plan on pulling with it, so I'll check into those factory tow hooks, or just cut off the flat bar I put on there and weld on a longer peice to extend back to that point.

Thanks!
Jordan

 

[lucky]

If you have the Mig turned up too high you can be undercutting at the bottom of your welds with stiil having a booger effect on top. What some folks think is penetration is in fact under cutting. If it's not backfilling right then you will find out when it comes in contact with something. I would definately put on the diagonal bars, but I think I would eliminate the bottom altogether... Just my opinion!

 

[jstandle]

My main concern with having a bottom bar is for radiator protection. I should have made it a few inches shorter though. I think in a few months I'll start over again from scratch with the new ideas I've gained from this one.

Jordan