Custom winch bumper

[Truck4]

So I know I'm not the first person to do this, but I like the idea and I think it's going to turn out great. I want/need a heavy winch bumper to help weigh down my suspension in front as well as, you know, winch. I want to be able to keep my chrome bumper on my 98 because I love how it looks, so I am only removing the lower valence and utilizing the space for the new bumper. I'm going to try to integrate it as best as I can. I've done about four different CAD drawings of different styles and this is my favorite. I even mocked up a front frame end to see how it would fit with the chrome bumper. Everything is 1/4" plate and 1/4" thick wall tubing so it'll be plenty heavy to weigh down that suspension. Anyways, here are some pics. I made a mock up of the front end so that's what the other colored part is. Not actually part of the bumper

 

[Truck4]

Oh and I forgot to mention that the winch that fits in there is the Smittybilt XRC 9500... In case anyone was wondering :jump:

 

[Brilliant]

Never heard of someone wanting to add weight for a better ride. I'd make it as light as possible since the load cap on these 4runners isnt that much.

I like the idea. There are some cruisers out there that have done what you're doing and a few 4runners.

 

[Truck4]

Never heard of someone wanting to add weight for a better ride. I'd make it as light as possible since the load cap on these 4runners isnt that much.

I like the idea. There are some cruisers out there that have done what you're doing and a few 4runners.

Yeah, my suspension in front is a bit firm so this should help out a bit... Here is a finished picture

 

[JayRolla]

Yeah, my suspension in front is a bit firm so this should help out a bit... Here is a finished picture

Just the weight of the winch will be enough to soften up the front. Try to go light on the bumper, not heavy.

 

[Truck4]

Just the weight of the winch will be enough to soften up the front. Try to go light on the bumper, not heavy.

Thanks for the tip! Right now it's lighter than a shrockworks by about 30 lb, but I can definitely make some parts even lighter that aren't load bearing (ex. all the round tube has 1/4" walls and I could knock that down to 1/8).

 

[csp]

There's nothing to gain from 0.25" thick walls in that tubing. Going to 0.125 or 0.1875 would be a good idea.

Are you going to have mitered joints in the tube over the winch or is that just a limitation of the software? One piece of bent tubing would be better.

 

[Truck4]

There's nothing to gain from 0.25" thick walls in that tubing. Going to 0.125 or 0.1875 would be a good idea.

Are you going to have mitered joints in the tube over the winch or is that just a limitation of the software? One piece of bent tubing would be better.

I hadn't quite decided yet about mitered joints or a single bent tube. What about a one piece tubing makes it better? And are you talking about the thinner walls in the square tubing or round tubing?

 

[csp]

I'm talking about the round tubing. One piece of tubing looks better for starters. Anytime you can avoid a welded joint is good for strength.

Personally, I would mock that up on a 4Runner somehow. You might not like how it looks on the vehicle.

 

[Truck4]

I came up with a few more designs and I think I have narrowed down on this one:

Only weighs 70 lb compared to the original which weighed 110, and it sticks a little more true to the prerunner style that I like. Hardest part will be cutting the pipes to specs so they will fit together.

 

[A.Wilson013]

Seems cool in concept, but isn't this going to kill your approach angle...? Not many folks desire to lower and extend their front bumpers...

 

[Truck4]

Seems cool in concept, but isn't this going to kill your approach angle...? Not many folks desire to lower and extend their front bumpers...

Not very much, the shack hangars are only 2-3 incles further out from the frame than the old bumper was. It also doesn't hang quite as low so i'm hoping they cancel eachother out. I don't do much rock crawling either so approach angle isn't as much of a factor. Mostly need the winch for when it gets snowy (just had a snowstorm last week with a foot of snow). I will take measurements once I get this guy put together. I'm picking up the metal this afternoon and will start cutting and shaping next week. I'm thinking I'll probably paint it with truck bed liner when it's time so that if it does hit the dirt it won't need a repaint.

Cheers!

 

[D Farms]

my full plate bumper right now is only 73 pounds, and it is butted up directly to the frame rails.

 

[Truck4]

my full plate bumper right now is only 73 pounds, and it is butted up directly to the frame rails.

Very nice! That's pretty light for a full plate bumper. I wanted to keep my chrome bumper so that's why I'm not doing a full plate bumper. What kind of mount did you use to the frame rails? (eg. sleeve, side plates, top plates etc)

I've been modifying my bumper every day to make it lighter and I'm at around 65 lb right now.

 

[JayRolla]

Very nice! That's pretty light for a full plate bumper. I wanted to keep my chrome bumper so that's why I'm not doing a full plate bumper. What kind of mount did you use to the frame rails? (eg. sleeve, side plates, top plates etc)

I've been modifying my bumper every day to make it lighter and I'm at around 65 lb right now.

Most bumpers come around 75-85lb even the arb full plate. Most extra weight is from winch.

In all my years living in CO Springs, I never had to use a winch in the snow unless you mean when offroading, in the mountains where there are rocks. We only have rock crawling here. And I dont remember a foot of snow here. LOL, just some slush.

 

[csp]

x2 on not needing the winch for snow on the roads, except when trying to get stuck after a blizzard or snowbashing in the mountains. There wasn't a foot of snow anywhere along the front range last week. lol

IIRC my bumper/winch combo comes it at around 160lbs. The street tires are long gone.

 

[Truck4]

Most bumpers come around 75-85lb even the arb full plate. Most extra weight is from winch.

In all my years living in CO Springs, I never had to use a winch in the snow unless you mean when offroading, in the mountains where there are rocks. We only have rock crawling here. And I dont remember a foot of snow here. LOL, just some slush.

I live around a 1000 feet higher in the foothills so that could have made the difference... I was clearing 8" of heavy wet snow from my 4Runner on Friday the 17th and it sucked. And yeah I mean snow offroad. :smow: Winter camping is fun unless you get stuck!

I was going to use 2" tubing for the main rails and then 1.5 for the supporting ones, but when I was buying my steel today I opted for 1.5" for the main rails and 1" for the supporting. Didn't realize how huge 2" looked on a bumper! :bounce: That should cut some more weight. It'll be interesting to see if this ends up how I imagined it will!

 

[D Farms]

yeah the thing is though the arb bumpers are verh thin sheet metal, espescially the tube. theh are designed to crumple. all other plate bumpers are designed to turn smart cars into crumple zones. anyways, i had 1.5" tube up front, I have redone it now in 2" .120 wall square tube, it looks mean, and its what a lot of companies use for sliders.

make your self a set of goals.

my goals are:
sideways strength, front strength, bull bar strength to prevent from crushing hood, tubes on bottom too to act as a slider.
eventually a hitch reciever, no winch inside although after measuring i could fit one.
excellent approach angle, make it right against the frame, even chop the frame if nessescary
provide protection for my lights.
easy to take on and off for modification
spot to use a highlift on and recovery shackle points.

 

[JayRolla]

I live around a 1000 feet higher in the foothills so that could have made the difference... I was clearing 8" of heavy wet snow from my 4Runner on Friday the 17th and it sucked. And yeah I mean snow offroad. :smow: Winter camping is fun unless you get stuck!

I was going to use 2" tubing for the main rails and then 1.5 for the supporting ones, but when I was buying my steel today I opted for 1.5" for the main rails and 1" for the supporting. Didn't realize how huge 2" looked on a bumper! :bounce: That should cut some more weight. It'll be interesting to see if this ends up how I imagined it will!

Sounds good on the bumper and yes winter camping requires winch!! LOL.

 

[Truck4]

That's a good idea. My initial goals were pretty short:
-retain the front chrome part of the bumper
-be strong enough for heavy winching
-not look like shit
-Not weigh too much

Things I've added:
-Reasonable approach angle
-Be easy to build (45 degree angles instead of 38 degrees lol)
-Able to be used as a high-lift jack support
-have mounting points to replace stock skid plate

Might need to also make mounting points for my fogs, but that'll be further down the road.