Well I have been running this bumper for well over a year and it has taken some serious abuse! Everytime I go wheeling I end up landing on it pretty hard and I've been hung up on it a few times. It hasn't deflected enough to contact the tailgate and those booger welds of mine have held up just fine.

To further affirm its strength, I managed to get rearended once and back into someone once with the bumper. Both times the other guy received significant damage, but this bumper survived without even cosmetic damage.

Not long ago I built a fold-down hi-lift carrier to go on the bumper and that has worked out great for me. Details on that can be found here. Here is a picture with the carrier installed:


Originally I planned to continue with the box tubing around the sides of the truck using mitre cuts. But after seeing a few done that way, I decided it looked too much like a bumper car. So, a year later, I finally got around to cutting it into something I like:o. Here are some pictures.

I started by cuttnig the tube with an angle grinder and cutoff wheel


Next a heat & beat was in order


A couple c-clamps helped align things and keep the seam together


I used a stick welder for this. I haven't used one but once in a class three years ago, so I was happy to get decent welds. I have gotten MUCH better at MIG welding and have used a MM175 with success on rock sliders and other doodads


After the welding was done, I cut the ends with a taper. I'm tired of hanging up on rocks!


Next came cleanup with the grinder


And finally a spray bomb


I decided to leave the ends open so I can still use the HiLift at the corners of the truck.

In case anyone is wondering, the mounting outriggers were cut down to make room for the shackles on my longer Chevy springs. I added some gussetting up top (the most I could fit between my current bolt pattern and without interfering with the tailgate) and I've abused it this way for many trips wtihout incident.

Cheers <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

Looks good <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

i really like the bumper. thats my next project.

Looks good, bumper brackets look familiar



Bumper info.

I should have mentioned a LONG time ago, thanks to Roger Brown for the bracket idea! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

Bandit,
I think the welds look bad because they are contaminated with the metal's coating. I personally don't think you need to pre-heat, but I agree 100% that you need to clean the area with a grinder before you weld. I've learned this the hard way. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> And cleaning the area will actually make it easier to weld.

If you want to take it a step farther, grind the area and then clean it w/ rubbing alcohol or automotive paint degreaser, just to make sure that it's super clean.

EDIT: one more thing, I think you need to turn up the heat a bit. Looks like the welds are sitting on top of the metal; not getting the penetration you'd like.

Thanks guys!

I got some pictures of it on the truck tonight. With and without my swing-down hi-lift carrier installed.









bkg - I know those welds were awful <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> Somehow they've survived rather well for the last year. I am just not worried about them anymore. I have done lots of recoveries with this bumper, been rearended, backed into people, jarked from it, and dropped the fully loaded ruck off 4ft ledges right onto this bumper... they're still hangin' on. It defys logic. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/zombie.gif" alt="" />

HAHAHA! How many license plates do you have!?! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Only a couple <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

HAHA Now I'm on the same page. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />