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From: Steve <wsteve@primenet.com> Subject: Re: Custom Bumper Pictures To: ironpigs@lists.best.com Date: Sun, 21 Jun 1998 08:13:06 -0700
55er's
The rear bumper has been in use for 4 years, it doesn't rattle has seen
mild wheeling. The bumper will hold a +33" spare, a Hi-Lift jack, two 5 gal
gas cans, and a cooler, it also has a receiver for a trailer hitch (I don't
have a rating for the hitch but it will pull a utility trailer loaded with
camping gear). It has a swing out arm mounted on two tapered bearings that
hold all the accessories. The bumper part is made from 2x6 inch steel tube
and 1/4" steel diamond plate. If interested let me know and I'll send the
scans. wsteve@primenet.com
HTH
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View of bumper shows three receiver tubes made of 2 1/2"x 2 1/2" x 1/4" wall tubing. The center tube is drilled for a hitch and was mounted at the top of the bumper to avoid rocks and provide better departure clearance. The tube on the passenger side (above the license plate) is for a dual gas can holder made of 2" tube. (see picture 10) The receiver tube, of the gas can mount is drilled vertically through the tube the support arm and the top wall of the bumper, a half inch bar drops into this hole and provides the means to secure the gas can holder and lock the Hi-lift and arm in place. (see picture 6, 9& 10). The receiver on the left is to mount a tow point, (as yet undrilled) this is probably the strongest point of the bumper as it is supported in back for the extra weight of the arm when it swings out, I had problems with the bumper flexing when the arm was fully loaded and had to provide more support from the frame to the bumper. The license lights are the ones off of the 73 tailgate, since the license plate can't be seen with the tire in place I decided to remove the license plate recess for a cleaner look. (not require) The pivot for the arm is a made of three pieces of round tubing and/or pipe that fit inside each other, all three pieces are available as either plumbing pipe or tubing. The smallest diameter piece provides a spacer for the bearing when the bolt is tightened down on to the bearings, the middle size tube provides a spacer for the bearing race and the largest tube encloses the whole bearing assy. I cut a hole in the rear of the 2" x 6" bumper tube directly below the pivot and welded a 2" long nut to the rear of the front face of the bumper and drilled and taped holes for an access plate. The nut is same thread size as the bolt. The bolt is a grade 5, and its been too long ago for me to remember what size, but the bolt fit perfect in the bearings. It has also been too long to remember the bearing size but I believe they are two inch OD ???
The arm is made of 2" x 3" 1/4" walled tubing, receivers are 2 1/2" square x 1/4" wall tubing, the inserts are 2" square x 1/4 " tubing , the bumper is 2" x 6" x the length you need. When buying the tubing I found there are two different types of tubing (applicable to this bumper) some of the 2 1/2 " square tubing has a seam inside the tube and will not work, as the 2" square tubing will not slide into it. The 2x6 has diamond plate welded to the top and ends, for support, making the bumper 6" x 6" x desired length. When time permits I am planning on making the top of the bumper, between the frame rails, hingable (a word?) to cover a box to hold stuff that is not harmed by water and weather and secured by the arm.
This bumper can be made with the following tools (I hope I remember correctly) Lincoln A/C welder (since making this bumper the Lincoln A/C only welder suffered terminal breakage, bought it used in 1977 so no complaints, so I bought a Lincoln A/C D/C arc welder works much better than just A/C and well worth the extra money IMHO) a chop saw, 4" handheld grinder, 1/2" capacity (large) drill,
A close-up of the pivot. The top of the bearing is covered with a washer and the bottom of the arm is raised with the same washer as a shim to provide the arm clearance above the bumper.
Shows the arm 90 degrees to the bumper, also shows and the back side of the tire mount where the wing nut holds the Hi-Lift in place. the wing nut is drilled for a small lock. The bar that holds the jack in place is some bar stock and a piece of 1 3/4" OD pipe cut length way and welded to the bar stock to hold the handle. The threaded portion is welded to the upright for the tire mount. The best part about this is the jack doesn't rattle and has never come loose and I have not had to use a lock to keep it tight.
Close up of the drop hitch. The hitch tube is recessed onto the bumper at the top to provide better clearance. When cutting the recess I got the 2x6 too hot and bowed it so when mounted it has a slight curve with the low point in the center, about 3/16".
Close up of the pivot. I installed a grease nipple in the pivot housing. The hole goes through to the middle and fills the whole pivot assy with grease.
The latch on the end did not work out real well for holding the arm in place. However the latch does work real well to put the arm in the holder and allow easy insertion of the locking bar. The Hi-Lift mount is a piece of 2"x3" tube cut to about 1 1/2" long and welded to the back of the gas can tube. The lip on the jaw of the jack goes up against the inside edge of the 2x3 and once the handle is secured the jack is held in place at this end by the lip. (see picture 8) You can just see the lip of the locking bar on the Hi-Lift. (see picture 9)
Tire mount the arm and the tire mount are both made of 2x3 tubing. On top of the vertical arm is another piece of 2 1/4" receiver tubing. The receiver tubing holds a 2x2 tube welded to a flat plate with wheel studs welded to it for the spare to mount to. The cooler rack mount was an after thought, originally a tee bar went through the receiver tube and the spare tube and locked in place. The cooler rack mounts to the Tee bar. I welded a piece of the 2 1/4" tube to the top of the tee bar, between the tire and the back side of the cooler receiver is a piece of bar stock welded to the spare receiver that the cooler receiver mounts flush against, both the bar stock and the cooler receiver are drilled and tapped a bolt is threaded through both and tightened against the 2" cooler rack tube. I think this area could be cleaner if made at the same time as the rest of the rack. But since putting the bolt through the two tubes I have carried 50-75 pounds on the rack and not had any trouble.
Close up of the Hi-Lift jaw mount.
Close up of the arm holder and the locking bar. There is a corresponding piece of bar stock welded to the arm that the hole in the locking bar mates with to put a lock through.
Gas can holder. Made of 2" square tubing with a 90 degree into the receiver. The bottom mount is two pieces of bar stock staggered to provide a lip for the lip of the gas can to fit into and welded to the upright 2x2. The clamp mech. for the cans is still in the experimental stage (need a better one) but basically the handle of the can goes over a lip and another bar stock clamps down on top of the handle,. secured with a bolt threaded through a nut welded to the inside of the upright tube. This may not be the best design but it is secure and I have not had the cans come loose over both hiway and dirt/desert roads.
DISCLAIMER!!!!
I am sure I have forgotten a lot so if you can't figure out what I did E-mail me, hopefully I can.
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Last modified: Mon Jun 22 21:15:31 PDT 1998