Another try
[img][image]
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee49/wsquaredodie/bumpernoslip-2.jpg[/img][/image]
[img][image]
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee49/wsquaredodie/bumpernoslip-1.jpg[/img][/image]
WELL IT WORKED!! Just have to figure out the complexities of sizing. Anyway, The first thing was to take the KM bumper and put a no skid coating on the step and the top of the bumper. Did that with spray on bedliner from the local Advance Auto.
You can see the condition of the factory bumper. The crud packed into the step area where the receiver hitch is bolted up is gone. Anyone need a receiver hitch - like new. The bumper brackets and the plastic top to the bumper you can have for free.
[img][image]
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee49/wsquaredodie/ngbumper-1.jpg[/img][/image]
[img][image]
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee49/wsquaredodie/ngbumper-2.jpg[/img][/image]
When I took a closer look at the frame and brackets, I thought I was in trouble. Lot of rust, especially between the frame and the receiver bracket. It was so rusted up on the inside of the frame, I figured that I could just cut off the bolts and replace them. Unfortunately, it turns out the factory had 4 sided nuts welded to the inner brackets. Did not see this until I cut one off. So I have one inner bracket that I saved as is and one that will have to use nuts. Had to be careful as the wiring for the tail lights runs down the frame top at that point. But once off, I realized the metal on the brackets and the frame was good, just lots of surface rust. 2 days soaked with PB did the trick.
[img][image]
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee49/wsquaredodie/Existingbracketandframe-1.jpg[/img][/image]
[img][image]
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee49/wsquaredodie/framedriverside-2.jpg[/img][/image]
[img][image]
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee49/wsquaredodie/bracketsoutside.jpg[/img][/image]
[img][image]
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee49/wsquaredodie/bracketsinside.jpg[/img][/image]
And what I thought was frame rust swelling up between the receiver bracket and the frame was actually a welded on spacer on the bracket....
So I scraped and sand blasted the steel, then treated it with a phosphoric acid cleaner. You can use naval jelly or save a buck and use aluminum window and door brightener. What this does is convert the iron oxide to iron phosphate. If you are more interested go to Wikipedia and look up wikipedia.org/phosphate_conversion_coating. Also known as pickling or parkerizing. Then I coated the metal with a sealant until I get the POR-15 here.
[img][image]
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee49/wsquaredodie/cleanedbrackets.jpg[/img][/image]
[img][image]
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee49/wsquaredodie/cleaneddriversframe.jpg[/img][/image]
FINAL POST!!
Finished the job today. Got it all bolted up and wired up. Ready for some poor soul to try to rear end this thing like what happened to my last T. After POR-15'ing the undercarriage and fooling around with positioning of the new unit I decided to have it extend a little farther back from the stock location. 2 reasons. One is that I would have had to do some trimming of the new bumper brackets to get it closer to the box.The other reason is that it with it a little farther out the step and the bumper top give a bigger "footprint" for when I am actually stepping on it. A third is the body protection afforded. Anyway, after drilling my brains out to put int he 1/2-13 bolts, PORing all the bolts and soldering_heat shrinking and taping the license plate lights, it is done. Also POR'd the bracket welded to the exhaust pipe. Not sure if it will hold up to the heat - one way to find out. Very satisfied with the end result. This is one heck of a bumper. Gonna save my pennies so I can do the front one with a receiver hitch, hook eyes and a winch platform.
[img][image]
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee49/wsquaredodie/por-15onpipebracketweld.jpg[/img][/image]
[img][image]
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee49/wsquaredodie/platelightwiring-1.jpg[/img][/image]
[img][image]
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee49/wsquaredodie/platewiring-2.jpg[/img][/image]
[img][image]
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee49/wsquaredodie/viewofwiringintobumper.jpg[/img][/image]
[img][image]
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee49/wsquaredodie/finishedjobshot-1.jpg[/img][/image]
[img][image]
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee49/wsquaredodie/finishedjobshot-2.jpg[/img][/image]
Got some left over parts should anyone want them. Plate light assy's, receiver hitch, plastic bumper steps, stock bumper brackets. Will put in the for sale section tomorrow. You pay shipping and I will virtually give away.
Bill
