Very nice. Very good for your first bumper.

 

holy crap. looks great andy.. can we get some nonblurry pics?

 

sure, when i get home. i haven't mounted the latch yet, and the wifey needed the runner to take some stuff to work today, so after those pics, i took everything back off. i'll get the latch drilled and mounted and the HDPE rail supports on there and get the welds zipped up and a coat of flat black and then snap some more pics. should have them in a few days. i also gotta get the tag mounted permanently so i can just leave the carrier on there...

 

oh, and that is one HEAVY sum-bitch. glad i have the airbags in the back... the wheel/tire is probably 60# + and then the carrier frame is another 80# or so and i imagine the bumper is 100+... i'll get final weights later...

 

I found my new bumper lighter than stock with Hidden Hitch. I know yours and mine are different, but I thought it was interesting that the custom weighed less.

Once again, S-I-C-K

 

I agree with you... I love the bumper, not digging the carrier. Any reason for kicking out the upper portion? Is it for tailgate clearance?

 

i think i'm gonna lop off the carrier and stack the tube and then just plate and reinforce it instead of the way it's offset now. i may leave a 1/2" of offset, but that's all it would ever need in my opinion.

i looked at the slee carrier again and it's cleaner cause it's just one round tube that goes vertical and it's all hidden by the tire.

i need to bring my tire down an inch or two and tuck it in closer to the hatch. i think that's what's throwing it off.

also, i may do away w/ that kicker on the pass side. the one behind the tag frame is fine cause it's hidden, but the one on the pass side may be a little much.

i may also go to round tube for the plate frame support and the high lift support. it's too squared and angled w/ all square tube. it needs to be smoothed out visually somewhat.

 

cut up the old carrier and salvaged the main beam and the hub plate. fabbed up another tire carrier out of 1.25" SCH40 pipe and the tag bracket out of 0.5" SCH 40 and got it on along w/ the hi-lift mount. the tire is now lower and tucked into the body more, but there's still plenty of clearance. i had to make a jig for the carrier frame cause the pipe doesn't run verticle when looking at it from the side. it actually angles outboard slightly away from the body and also triangulates to support the carrier hub plate - that was fun. it was worth it, cause now i have the look i want and didn't compromise on strength. the 2nd gen tag bracket will completely cover that pipe frame, so it won't be visible at all. the hi lift has the base plate, then an upper support that you can't see behind the tire.

[click a pic for the larger version]

 

Looking Good Andy.............

 

Much nicer...

I'm such a jerk though... Have you thought about leaning the tire inward to match the angle of the tailgate?

 

Oh so nice!

 

I agree w/ rockota.

What is the white thing under the tire carrier main rail in the last pic?

 

thanks. the other setup just didn't do it for me, but this one is looking much better IMO...

the white stuff? just some spacer scraps that i wedged in there to keep it in place.

they're HDPE. i'll eventually trim them and drill/tap the rail and mount them as bumpstops.

i got a bit/tap set for the latch the other day. on the first hole, the tap broke. went back to HD and swapped it for another one. drilled a few holes and then went to tap the first one and it snapped right off too. those things are JUNK, but i can't find a 5/16-18 tap anywhere else. i now have a 3rd tap and hope to that it will hold up so that i can get the stupid latch on.

 

are you drilling the holes out to the right size before using the tap?

Also, if you don't have a high quality high speed steel tap, you are wasting your time.

The 1/4" NPT tap I bought was $15...one tap...so if yours was cheap $$$ that is why it snapped.

 

yeah, it was cheap, but that's ALL i can find... that's it.

it came w/ the bit and the tap and was like $6... lol

 

I can get you one on Monday if you need

 

hell. i'll just use my $6 tap to finish drilling one more stinking hole. i have two tapped w/ 4 to go. if they keep breaking, i guess i'll just keep taking them back. that's what they get for selling junk that's advertised to be HD.

thanks a bunch for the offer though, eric.

 

A tap that keeps breaking isn't getting you a good clean tapped hole...and you won't have a good solid latch. Find a local bolt place or specialty hardware place, that won't be open past 12 noon on Saturday, and get a good expensive high speed steel tap...it'll cost you at least $15 probably.

I tapped my IFS box and my tap LAUGHED at the box...I heard it...it tore through that metal like a hot knife through butter and laughed.

Don't fubar a really nice bumper by using a half arse tapped hole.

 

naaah, i'll just get one of the good ones from work. they have tons. i'll take it back on sunday. i'm working tomorrow too.

i got all my stainless hardware there too. button-head allen screws, flat head allen screws, etc, all in stainless.

 

There ya go!