jimep

Started my bumper build on the Rat TuRD today. Didn't start bending the main piece up front untill it was dark out. Sucks bending with a flashlight!!! I'm kind of happy with it so far, especially for being my first one.

The home built winch mounting plate.

right front.

left front.

made with 1 5/8" Cromoly 4130 .083 wall.
It's not finished yet though, need to add a brace on each side from the main tube below the marker light to the winch plate, and weld on some tabs for the turnsignal lights, clean it up and paint. I'ts pulled back off till I can finish it up.

Teuf

And a fine rat turd it is, more pics.

jimep

Sorry, new to microsoft paint but did my best. I just need some oppinions. I want to throw 1 more set of braces on from the winch plate to the main hoop but i don't know if i should put them in the red position or the yellow position. red would be the strongest because it goes to the bend right? but yellow would probably help offer a little more protection for the winch and intercooler. Don't say both because overkill looks tacky imop.

Teuf

i would do Yellow n make m join at top in center. And then one straight up between the yellow n red.

camo31_10.50

i say put in the red tubes...then bring it up to make a grill guard or light bar type thing..lol

peow130

i like my idea o.o
spiderwebs are pure aesthetic.

theAuthority

i like the cobwebs. I say do it.

peow130

lol
everybody loves the metal spiderwebs.
and now it's overkill lol

Jay351

Go with the redtubes, then bend some sheetmetal and bolt it to the front of the bumper, then you got your protection for your winch and such.

I would look into more frame reinforcing, it appears you welded right to the front of the original frame. I would put in some additional bracing that spans down the frame...

I have to do it for my bumper, I dont trust it for heavy winching...yet

jimep

Thanks for all the input. I'll take u up on some of that advice. Here's kind of what I want the finished product to look like, only a lot more fluent with the body lines.


If anybody has any better ideas I'd like to hear them before I start cutting and chopping more of the tubing. I'm always open for suggestions.

Elton

looks interesting so far i say ditch the turn signals and put them up inthe corners

Lumpy

Lookin good man!!! What are you bending this with?

jimep

my budy's got a manual bender, quite a workout even with the .083 wall chromoly. couldn't resist the price on the tubing so I had to buy a die for him. The die alone was almost $300 (180* capable including springback). Picked up 18 stick for about $200 at a local airplane supply place. They sold it at scrap price because the surface was a little rusty, wipes right off with the oil thats still on it though.... PA laws suck with lights so I'm trying to put it in a visible location to keep the cops off me as much as possible. The brackets are 20 gauge sheetmetal so I'm hoping they'll bend out of the way before it breaks a lense. plan on wrapping some type of guard on the 2 exposed sides to help protect them a little better.

Teuf

Man i love wing it kinda seat of your pants projects like this, good luck and keep pics coming, even of your welder and or bender.

yoterr

yeah pics of tools your using are cool, specially when their affordable

jimep

lol. The bender's not realy affordable I think he paid over $600 for it but the dies is where they get u... I have 2 lincoln welders but no garage so my landlord doesn't realy like me welding. I tacked it up with my mig at my buddies, then took it in to my work and tigged it with the portable Miller. I will ocasionaly break out the welder here though. I feel like I'm stuck in a cage since I don't have a garage now.

jimep

Here's a pic of the current "Garage" to start with

now heres the previous 3 bay garage where I spent many a night and where the Rat TuRD was born.

Teuf

I here ya, i am garage less know that i am in Ca. I moved from NH, step son here in Napa uses garage as a detail area. So i sweat being out on the street, Quiet neighborhood though, i am starting not to worry. MMM Me n the kid was talking about getting a welder ourselves.

yoterr

that sucks, i hate doing driveway stuff...even if nobody cares, i have a garage but the yota barely fits so unless im doing engine work it gets worked on outside..

peow130

Hey man, get some triangles in that design.
Without them, you're going to have a really bad exo cage..
See, triangles don't flex and twist like squares or rectangles do.