I'm sorry for getting off topic, but did he tell you about Wendy's a week ago? After we had gotten done eating we went out to the cars and just as we get to them his starts to roll backwards towards the restaurant! The whole front of that place is glass! and there was a group of elderly folks sitting right in it's path. Luckily I noticed and stopped the damn thing before it got too much momentum...dum <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/butwiggle.gif" alt="" /> didn't set the parking break, or put it in gear in a sloped parking lot. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shame.gif" alt="" /> Hate to say it, but I think he'll be one of the few who can take a reliable vehicle like that 83 and make it into a death trap <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />

I'll try to get back on topic <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Are you going to use the stock bumper mounts for this monster? Or are you going to add more to the front, perhaps on different surfaces, some in pull, some in sheer. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shame.gif" alt="" /> some kids have to learn the hard way.....


Well, the stock setup has 2 bolts going Straight in and 2 going Up into that frame rail. I'll probably put more than one Straight into it (4 maybe 5) and then 2 Up into it. Plan on makin them all grade 8 and the whole thing as strong as possible. Might need to make a bracket, but regardless i want as much of this thing driectly to the frame as possible.

Finally midterms are over, so i'm looking foreward to posting rear bumper and sliders soon.
Oh, and these should be simple, no gizmos, *LOL*
<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

only way i can start this post is like this
<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

ok, so in the spirit of testing my design i decided to do a pre-build of my bumper out of cardboard because its significantly cheaper than messing up with metal, and my goodness this was the best idea ever. I realized exactly how poor my measurements were the first time, and how the bumper Really sat on my truck. I was impressed with the fact that my mounting position, placement of rear-facing lights, and just general design was good, save for the bulkyness and coverage (up to the front quarter panels) which i was desiring. All those who said it looks big were right, seriously. Heres the pics of the exact design above converted into real-size form (but i left out the push bar part)





Its versatility as a bumper/snow plow would have been just awsome <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/zombie.gif" alt="" />

anyways, me and my pa cut it down a lil' bit to about this size:



but it still seems too big. With smaller dimensions and really not liking that big flat face it has on it i've decided to cut it down and get a little more creative with its design inistead of its features after all... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/drunk.gif" alt="" />

so the next [cardboard] one i'm planning on building will probably look something like this....




man its going to take forever to weld.... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/drunk.gif" alt="" />



not sure if there would be any issues with this new design, but any input would be much appreciated!
<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cyclops.gif" alt="" />

I haven't read through the entire thread in detail, but I want to commend you on mocking the bumper up out of cardboard before building anything. Sometimes it's easy to get lost in CAD and never make a connection with the real world to get a proper sense of proportion. There's nothing worse than getting really excited about a design, thinking everything is perfect, and then being totally disappointed after working so hard to build the real thing.

Keep on making mockups and don't stop until you are happy with it. It's a lot easier to cut & tape than grind and weld! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

Here is one a friend of mine did for his 2nd gen. I think this looks a little biggish, but it has a pretty good shape to it and you can see pretty well how it's mounted. It doesn't have a winch, but that wouldn't be hard to design in.
http://www.supermotors.net/vehicles/registry/7173/28832

Here is my front bumper:





One of these months, I plan to relocate the winch control box off of the top of the winch and behind the grill.