the other thread was badly cluttered with a bunch of irrelevant posts.

this is the final design for the bumper:



list of materials:

3.5"x3.5"x3/16" square tubing 72" long - main beam
2"x2"x3/16" square tubing 96" long - carrier frame
1.5"x1.5"x3/16" angle 72" long - bottom rock rail
24"x26"x3/16" plate - frame mounting brackets
28"x48"x1/8" plate - side plate (didn't have enough 3/16" plate)
32"x12"x16ga plate - top finish plate on sides
9"x9"x3/8" plate - wheel mounting plate
misc drop steel including some 2"x4" triangular gussets and some 3/16" plate & solid bar for other stuff.

also:

slee spindle (received) - $95 + shipping
hitch receiver and safety chain loop (received) - $29 shipped.
later, i'll order the latch (McMaster-Carr) and hold-open pin (Slee)... about $100 for both in stainless steel.


similar bumpers:





Please keep discussion relevant to this build - no off topic chatter please.

Ask questions and offer suggestions - but only relevant to this bumper.

THANKS.


[edit]
and here's the almost completed project...

 

Make sure the side wings of the bumper sit back from the flares. I know SS3's bumper was built this way. I am sure you know this, but if you make the bumper flush with the inside portion of the flare, the tire will rub at full articulation. Mine is starting to rub a little b/c the bumper extends just a little too far.

The design looks great and I am very interested to see the final design.

 

will-do. thanks.

here's some pics of the carrier hub/spindle and the main beam cut for the receiver and now welded in place and welds ground smooth.





that's a 2.5" square tube for the hitch receiver laying in a 3.5" square tube for the main rail so you can see how beefy the slee spindle/hub actually is.

 

Andy I don't know if your still running a body lift. But with my experience in this, you want at least a good 2 inch gap between the top of the bumper and any body panel. Especially the side wings. Two inches might not flow nice with the lines your trying to create so it would probably look better if you flared out the bumper from the sides of the truck. So that if the bumper did ever get pushed up, that it wouldn't smash into the rear quarter panel.

Also another spot where the bumper hit was the rear hatch. I've marked it in the diagram here:



make sure you don't create a perfect 90 angle there as well, sort of round it out, and leave enouhg gap.

Also how are you attaching the bumper to the frame? Just going to use the same bolt holes that the reciever hitch uses?

 

Just for completeness, link to Andy's first thread:
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f88/3rd-gen-ander-engineering-rear-bumper-build-thread-69419/

 

Shazad:

I'm planning on about a 1" gap form the bumper to the body panel, then adding a rubber gasket like Bruce uses, and then adding some reinforcement under the bumper to the underside of the body. If it moves in relation to the body, it will contact UNDER the body and not the painted sheetmetal.

The corner at the rear hatch will be rounded and the OEM plastic insert will be reused like Bruce did.

I'll be using the same brackets that Bruce came up with to mount to the frame. I'll be adding a cross bolt thru the frame w/ a sleeve and they will also have some extra support from farther up the frame when I build in my Aux Gas Tank Supports - all in addition to the mounts that the current Hitch Receiver uses that are rated for 500# of tounge weight and a 5000# towing capacity.

I'm also adding an X brace above the frame where the current spare tire lift resides. It will stiffen the rear section of the frame considerably.

 

Steve:

Thanks for bringing that one back and crosslinking. There's some good info in there but way too much clutter than I wanted.

 

andy,

best of luck to you on your build. subscribing

bob

 

receiver is now welded in the main beam and welds ground smooth. i also did a little touch-up work to the receiver end itslef. pics are in post #3.

 

You showed the receiver between two pieces but then you show it welded on a solid piece...I thought your were welding it in between two pieces, not into one piece...I'm confused...I think I need some

 

that's what i thought too, but i guess he just made a cutout 2" deep.... what did you use to cut the notch andy?

 

it's one piece of 3.5" box. the receiver is 2.5" box. i have some makita 7" metal cutting wheels for my circular saw - AWESOME! . i used one to cut about 2" deep. i finished out the hole w/ my 4.5" grinder, and then finished the corners w/ my jig saw w/ a metal-cutting blade.

i put the receiver in the slot, got it leveled out and square w/ the main beam and then tacked it in. today, i got it completely welded in (full 125 amps and wire feed about half way up to burn it deep) and then welds ground flush. the opening of the receiver is "banded" w/ some more tubing, but it wasn't fully welded. i completed the weld on the inside and the outside and then ground them flush too. i also rounded off the edges w/ the grinder.

i'm thinking that the receiver may be black instead of red, but that's something to worry about later...

 

Pass me one too (or three)

Watching this thread...

 

Maryville? You could probally watch some of it in PERSON...

 

Sheattttt dude..all you had to do was ask

 

Awsome build, I'm very interested, subscribing.

 

Andy should be fine with 1" between the bumper and the body. My Rockware has 1" clearance and took the weight of the truck without contacting the body...this was after the truck "slipped" off ledge and the bumper made solid contact with the rock before I dragged it off.

The one shortfall my Rockware has is the clearance between the sides of the rear hatch and the short inner vertical part of the bumper (the red dot on sdastg1's picture). When it was made I had less than .5" clearance between the corner of the hatch and the bumper. Whenever my bumper takes a shot (offroad or a pothole on the street) my bumper contacts the hatch. Now I have a nice .25" indentation with rust in the door.

 

I am planning on handing painting POR-15 on mine. Painted to match would look horrible very soon. If not POR, then a spray on rubberized coating--some durability.

Glad to see you are getting right to it Now you can display the 5th blingin' LX wheel and MTR

 

Remember, POR-15 needs a topcoat or it degrades in a metter of weeks, so Andy's OEM paint scheme would serve him well if he did that.

Lamm

 

Hey, im in clinton. ill do some observation.