Bumper Construction Materials

[Flifisher]

I have decided to fab my own bumper based the pics on the site. I am looking for advice as to the metal thickness/type of tubing. I am going to go with plate and square tubing. I will probably bolt to the frame rather than weld directly...So, thoughts on plate thickness and angle/tubing type would be great!!!!

Thanks to all!!!

 

[brian2sun]

Front or back? My rear CBI is all 3/16" plate. Heavy as hell but I've bashed that thing hard many times and it will not bend. All the weight of my truck coming down on it against a boulder just scrapes paint. I'd say the rear bumper weighs 175-200 lbs (250-275 w/ the swing-out).

My ARB looks like it's 10 gauge (a little thicker than 1/8") and it only weighs about 80 lbs or so. I would build the front with lighter steel than the rear just because the rear can take more weight and has bigger lift options than the front does so when it sags, you can add more lift easily. You can do that for the front too, but you need adjustable shocks, or you'll have to add spacers, or get coils rated for more weight and then re-align.

 

[Flifisher]

Thanks...

I was thinking about 3/16 too. I need to do both front and rear. The front will be as you say, lighter...I'll probably use 1/8 and some 2x2 tubing. The rear will have to be heavier....like yours...Thanks for the input!!!! Gonna start with cardboard soon.
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