Well, I've got some serious work to do, but I do have my wife's relatives that live somewhere in Arizona I just found out. So, I'll find out where they live in relation to you, and then I'll let you decide where to go, because I don't have a clue. I can't promise a time frame, because I've got to get my bumpers done, sliders and some skids, before you attempt to kick my butt out on the trails. Plus you'll need to figure out what I can do with my wife when we go, because she hate's to wheel. She get's car sick real bad!

Chris

 

Yeah, it's covered for sure in the center. There's no way around it. I've even got it a tad higher than Steve has his, which would cover it even more. I'm probably going to pass on the tire carrier and put it in the cargo area for right now. This way I can get out to visit Steve sooner for my a$$ whippin'! We'll see, but the bottom portion of the bumper should be pretty easy to build. No bending, just good cuts a welds is all it's going to take.

Chris

I'll be taking some more measurements soon.

 

Does she like kids? She can take care of mine.

As for Beer, My main staple is Fat Tire or Four Peaks. I took Arian Flygt for four peaks and we sat there and watch all the betties go by for quite some time. I was sure he'd transfer to ASU after that one.

 

Chris,

Cool, that's all I needed to know then.

 

Tom, the tire is a 33" and it and the rim is to scale as far as height. The only thing in the picture that's not to scale is the width of the main cross tube that holds the shackles and hitch.

Chris

 

Yeah, Fat Tire is good stuff. My favorite sports bar finally got it on tap up in SF. Never had Four Peaks though.

 

I'm sure she can hang out with her family while we go. I'd love to do it soon, but I'm in between jobs, and job hunting is killing me right now. Once I land a job, I'll know exactly what's up. I do, almost know, that the week of Thanksgiving may work out! What about you during that time?

Chris

 

I agree.

What are you using for your hinge? As for the strength of the hitch, if you are very good at welding then either way won't matter. If you're just starting out, then I'd leave the main beam uncut. I'm OK with a welder and I decided to go with the hitch welded below the main beam, keeping the main beam 1 piece. I didn't trust myself.

The reason my spare tire/toolbox is offset, is so that there is less stress on the hinge and across the length of the carrier.

Once you figure out the fitment of the bumper to the truck, then making more should be relatively easy. It took me 2 solid weekends to build mine and it's just as simple as yours.

 

Ok, so the tire definitely not going on the roof, and I'm still not sure if I'm going to put it on the bumper either. As far as cutting the main cross tube, it's going to be cut by a reputable shop with an awesome set of tools. I'm not worried about the strength of it, because it will be strong as hell by the time I overbuild it.

Chris

 

I've never drank a sip of anything alcohol, so it's two drunk men and a baby, and then me.

Chris

 

3 drunk men? I only counted 1. Who's drunk now??

 

Robinhood,

I just looked at you pics of your bumper install, and it's going to be pretty similar to your design, but a tad different in places. I'm going to be using 3"x8or9" rectanlg tubing for the side parts, which will sit basically flush with my limted's fender flares. Then the cross tube will probably be 2"x5" rectangle tubing. Where you have a slight gap on the rear side on the ends, I'm going to cover that using sheet metal and it will be angled in sort of like Steve's.

chris

 

The pic I was looking at didn't have any dimensions on it as to how to build the bumper...gonna add some?



Brian

Fabbing anything that big with that many precision welds with the amount of tension/stress that the spare tire will put on the hinge due to bending moment, you had better get it right is all I gotta say. From an engineering standpoint you should mount it to the passenger side. Even when you do get some plans I would figure two weeks of constant work would be on the low side of a time estimate, 80 man hours for a project like that is on the low side. I would estimate it more like a 120-150 man hour project to really get it to look PERFECTLY SWEET!

I will be glad when the winter gets here and it slows down here so I can get working on my custom rear bumper!!!

 

That's crazy, but I don't have much experience doing it so we'll see. If it takes that long I'll shoot myself! At any rate, it's going to be much simpler than the picture can show, that's for sure. It's not going to be no where as tehcnical to build as the rockware ones.

Chris

 

...you gotta realize that includes enginerring time, drafting time, fab time, test fit time, test ride time, adjustment time, powder coat time, put it on the rig! It's gonna be done so I can reproduce it if I want to or someone else does. Understand now?



Brian

 

Yeah, I understand, but I'm not an engineer that like to plan 90% of the time, talk about it 5% of the time, and then build it in the last 5% of the time after someone has told them they are being way too anal about it! You know I'm kidding, but I had to throw something in about you engineers. I just wish I was one, so I could be doing something I love rather than have to suffer through.

Chris

 

That's why I put all my weight as close to the hinge as possible. But, 99% of the time the carrier will be closed and supported either along its full length or at the latch side so the bending moment won't be so bad. What you do have to remember is the moment the tire exerts on the carrier when it's closed is still significant...more than I thought. After I went to Pismo with mine, the carrier is slightly bent near the hinge. I didn't even think about the forces exerted on the carrier if I ever caught air.

 

:drum:

 

How touching Steve. Seriously, tear in my eye this very moment...

 

Assorted thoughts...

You will have to pull big favors to get the cut, welded and ground for 5 bills.

The pic is pretty, but that is how most bumpers look anyway.

Get the spare off the roof, I ran mine there for a season, did not dig it. Even with it on the bumper, it unloads the front on hill climbs.

Steve will spank you, hard. Have you got a locker? Find two, some bumpers, some sliders, and then talk trash.

My app will be out to ASU by Thanksgiving.

Look at Darren's bumper to figure out how much rear will be eaten.

Steve has more clearance at trail weight to the bottom of his bumper.

I drug the place for my hitch this summer even though it only sticks out about 2 inches from the main bar.