Thanks bro! progress has been pretty slow, but I'm getting there little by little!



Thanks man! you got some pretty cool parts going on yours tho!

 

I got a little more done. I tacked welded the receiver in place, I also got the I triangle gussets cut out, still need to do a little grinding to make them fit.








I'm thinking of cutting the middle section out of my Smittybuilt front bumper and welding some mounts to attach it to my winch mount and use along with the other stock mounting points. This will just be temporary until I get the materials to build a plate bumper. What do you guys think?

 

It's coming together great ED! Really motivating me to start my own.

 

Looks good ed. Why not sell the smittybuilt bumper to fund the material for the plate bumper?

 

I like the Smitty bumpers myself over the plate style. Seems like several don't care for the Smitty bumpers but I like them. I know they wont take the abuse a plate style will so I can see why some would not care for them.

 

Nice work ED,the random deer and road critters are already shivering and hiding in the ditches!!

 

Quivering at the sight of the massive skull crushing bumper coming down the road. Haha

 

Didn't you me mention building the crossmember reinforcement peice too? If so, you triangle gussets won't fit quite right around your spring hanger anymore.

Other than that, it looks really good

 

Thanks Mark!

Thanks! I keep going back and forth on that, it seems like the Smitty bumpers stay on CL forever, I don't know if it would sell around here. I got it off my parts truck a couple years ago, so if I cut and modify it, I'm not really out anything. I just figured this way I can have my winch mounted, and still have some bumper protection until I get around to building one.

Hi Terry. I like the looks of the Smitty bumpers too. I like the aftermarket tube bumpers, like Addicted Off road sells like Mark (aka Chef ) has, but I don't have the means to do any tube bending, I figure a plate bumper is my best bet if I'm going to build one myself. I really like Richard's (aka Redeth) plate bumper and RBx's, I probably steal some styling ques from theirs, lol.

Lol, I hope ,I don't worry about the smaller critters, but I'm tired of swerving for deer!

Ha, ha, I'm still not used to how many deer are around here compared to where we used to live. I've had to swerve and or brake for bears too, lol. My wife saw a sow and 2 cubs about 100 yards from our house a couple weeks ago. Gotta keep a close eye on the kids when they're out playing!

Good eye Bump! I'm glad you mentioned that! I did think of that, its hard to tell from the above pics, but I used some 1/4" pieces of scrap and used them for spacers behind the winch plate when I bolted it up to account for the thickness of the future cross member reinforcement plate. I started cutting out the reinforcement plate, I just need to get some more skinny wheels for my grinder.

 

I thought it looked spaced out at the crossmember, but it doesnt seem to be at the top bolt holes. maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me lol

 

Nope, your eyes are dead on once again! I was trying to square it up because I noticed the winch plate seemed to be angled downward. I had to pull the top spacers out to get it squared up. So I went back and checked the squarness between where I tacked the winch plate to the backing plate, and that's where I messed up. I took for granted that the 90°ish bend in the winch plate was square, and didn't double check it.

So my plan is to finish cutting out the reinforcement plate and get that tacked into place so I have a nice square flat surface to go off of, and I won't have to use the spacers anymore. Then I will go back and cut the tack welds on the bottom of the winch plate and around the received tube and get that all squared up before tacking it all back together. It shouldn't take to long, I probably won't get to work on it till wednesday.

 

Any more work on the bumper today Buddy?

If you get the chance could you snap a pic of the measurements of the winch plate. like maybe with a tape measure on the nice picture from the side.

Did you decide what you are going to do with the smittybuilt bumper? Might look cool if you do cut it out and fab it into the winch plate. I kind of like the look of them as well.

 

Hi Mark. No progress on the winch plate/bumper today. My parents came over for a visit today. I will try to get some work done on it tomorrow if I can, if not then Saturday.


I'm leaning towards cutting amd modifying the Smitty bumper to bolt to the winch plate. I'll probably use it like that through the winter and build a plate bumper next spring.


Here's a few pics with measurements, not sure if this is what you wanted, I can post more if you need something more specific.

 

That's perfect ED! I am going to try and cut a piece I metal out large enough for me to have bent by the metal shop.

I think the cutting the smittybuilt will look cool and definitely be more cost effective until you figure out how you want to change it up later on.

Especially since winter is fast approaching. I have so much to do and so little time.

 

That will be sweet having a piece bent, it should be a lot easier, stronger, and look clean when our done!

I worked on the winch plate some today, although you probably couldn't tell by looking at it. It was one of those 2 steps forward and 1 step back moments, basically cut all the tack welds, had to remove the receiver tube. Then I clamped it to a beam in the carport and used a ratchet step to pull on one side till it was square and tacked it back together. It's not perfect, but at least it's not an 1/8" out square anymore, lol. That's what I get for getting in to much of a hurry to finish it, I hate re-doing stuff, but I couldn't live with it like that!

 

story of my life haha. looks good ed, i agree on the smittybuilt mod too, i'[m all about working with what you've got. it'l be unique too!
I'm currently sitting in the SEATTLE airport about ready to leave your rainy state and head back to the sunshine of peyton manning country... i gotta say though, it is nice and green 'round here

 

Looking good Ed!!

 

Glad you had sometime to work on it today.

I usually get into situations like that. I get in a hurry to get things done and end up having to go back and make changes to my previous work. I get very impatient sometimes. Haha.

 

Thanks man. I think I'm going to go ahead with the Smittybuilt mod, hopefully I can make some real progress on Saturday, I'd like to get the winch all mounted finally!

Yeah Seattle area is little to rainy for me, we had a dry hot summer here, a lot of fires in nearby areas, thankfully the forest that surrounds us didn't go up in flames!

Have a good trip home, wish we could have met up that would have been cool!

 

Thanks bud!