Inferno451

So a couple months ago i build a winch bumper for my 87' 4runner that bolts into the stock threaded holes for the bumper. The first time i used the winch it broke the welds on the upper bumper tabs. I've been looking at the bumper reinforcement kits from front range off road and addicted off road and wondering if i would be just as well off just cutting off those brackets and welding on some angle iron in their place. Anybody have any experience or recommendations about those tabs? They are now bent down a bit.

aviator

No ideas from me vis a vie which is better re-enforce/gusset or new steel... I'm sure one of the fab types will chime in soon...

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

Some pictures would be a big help!!

A very vague description ?? what size and type of metal did you use ??

was it new off the rack or scrap laying around??

Before you go trying to fix this we need to figure out why it failed.

Was it just a poor design?? just poor welding??

Just where did the welds fail??

It could even just be the nature of the type of pull you made.

lots of things can contribute to a failure like this.

If you made this bumper there is no reason you need to buy anything but raw materials.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

:wabbit2:

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

A good drawing would even help.

Prehaps a better description of the pull that caused the failure.

There is no right or wrong way to do this some are just better designed.

Inferno451

Sorry guys, i guess i could have been more clear about which mounting holes i'm talking about. The bumper i built mounts to the truck using the 4 threaded holes the stock bumper mounts to. There are the two upper mounting tabs welded to the top of the front crossmember (the bar with all the holes in it) as well as the two threaded holes about 2 inches below those. See first picture to see where they are. The upper welded on tabs are the ones that bent down. They're welded very strong from the factory as i'm sure they were never designed to be winched from. My winch plate sits roughly an inch above the upper tabs and the first time i used the winch it torqued them pretty good. Pics included. My question is whether i would be better off buying a crossmember reinforcement like this one http://frontrangeoffroadfab.com/nfos...products_id=63 or cutting off those brackets and welding on some angle iron in their place. It's a 9,000lb winch, so i'd like it to be pretty stout. Thanks guys!

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

I understood which mounting tabs you were talking about.

Lets see some pics of the bumper mounted.

Mounted dozens of bumpers to those and had no issues but you gotta have a solid winch plate too.

Reinforcing it couldn't hurt but you gotta have a stout winch mount plate or its all mute.

:wabbit2:

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

Inferno451

I'm not sure what the facepalm is for, Wyoming. This is the first bumper i've built, but it's more or less an exact copy of the addicted off road front bumper. EXTREMELY solid winch plate, everything built out of 3/8 inch steel and nicely reinforced. The reason the upper tabs broke is because the winch is higher than both the tabs and the stronger lower mounting holes, which makes everything want to rotate down. The welds aren't broken, but noticeably tweaked downward, and i'd like to reinforce them before putting the bumper and winch back on. Any tips?

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

I also know all to well just what your talking about .

Then seeing a picture of something I can look at a few feet away tells me nothing.

So just what is it ?? Your first post says the welds broke!! Now you are saying they Did Not break only bent!!

Now without a picture of your bumper with the winch mounted I can only give you general ideas which I am sure if you built this you all ready know.

The fact you seem to have the shipping tie downs(tow Hooks) still on and your mounting brackets did not include using those points is interesting.

Then maybe you just put them back on after removing your bumper.

If you are attached to only the front of course it is going to pull down on any pull with much resistance .

Spazzcdnm

iTrader: (1)

Inferno451 and I are roomates, So are some pictures of the bumper in question. They are from our recent wheeling trip in Star Valley. I know they are poser pics, but oh well.




These are both after the tweak had taken place.

Inferno451

Thanks mike! You can't really tell from the pictures, but the whole bumper is bent down about 5 degrees due to those bent upper tabs. I was at the top of a hill trying to winch him up. The welds are cracked, but not completely failed, and i need to find some way to reinforce them so they won't fail completely when i do more winching.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

Not only were you making a hard pull but down hill also.

Ok lets hear your ideas on how you think you want to reinforce this and why.

Not a bad looking bumper.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

If the bumper was only secured with the 4 factory mounting bolt/holes then that is why stuff bent and busted when you tried to winch on it. Reinforce/plate the area and bolt it on then weld it on in select spots you can grind off if you ever need to remove it.

:wabbit2:

Inferno451

Thanks guys! I guess to be a little more clear, my question is how you all would recommend reinforcing the upper tabs now that they're already bent. Hammer them back as far as possible and add some gussets? Cut them off and weld angle iron in their place? Front range reinforcement kit in addition to upper tabs or by itself? I don't want the bumper bent forward (looks funny) and i want it to be on there securely. Has ANYBODY on here had those bend and fixed them? Maybe i'm the only one...

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

I've fixed several exactly like you are talking about that have bent. You can either bend them back or cut them off and fix. I've even cut off crap ones and welded on new ones from another frame. Then I'd get the reinforcement plate and weld it on. Then bolt on your bumper and tack weld it on in numerous spots easily accessible if you ever need to remove it.

:wabbit2:

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

The way I do mine is from what comes from doing and building this stuff a long time.

I have access to a whole Fab Shop so bending 1/4" plate is not a major problem.

I bend a piece so it goes across the bottom making my own custom front cross member . This allows me to put bolts in the (4) 12mm holes the tow hooks were bolted to.

As the plate is bent @ 90 degrees depending which operator is doing the bending now you can also catch the 4 bumper mounting holes I also have tabs that attach to the front cab mounting bolts.

Now your bumper mounts can be mounted to the existing bolts or you can add weld in nuts at any spot you want .

Not every one can bend things like this so one does what one can starting with a piece of 4x4 x1/4" L or 3/8" L what ever one has or can scrounge

When some one has got to have there new bumper that they ordered wrong put on there vehicle on Sunday and is having a fit.

Once those bottom holes are tied into the winch bumper mounting you should be good to go.

To fix your bent brackets . Did the base pull front they are attached to??

I would say figure out just what moved .

Cut the brackets off using a zip disc reweld to be perpendicular to the ground. You might want to make a piece to bolt in the lower hole to get it at the correct spot.

Inferno451

K, thanks guys! I appreciate the help, i'll probably try hammering them back in place, and if that doesnt work, i'll cut them off and reweld them.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

Well how did you make out???

while I do find enjoyment in using a BFH it is the last resort .

Good luck and happy winching