Fabricating my first off road bumper for my 05 v8

[Topher88]

Well I had some time today to make my winch plate.







I thought maybe I should keep it like this for a a while. It would be the best road rage tool









Now I think it's time to start building the tubular part!!

 

[robaroni]

Keep the updates coming. I'm hooked!

 

[Topher88]

Finally picked up a winch so I can finish my bumper! Ended up picking up 3 warn winches. 1 m8000 and 2 vr8000 that needed parts. First up was mounting the winch.



I go to a school that has a very nice digital pipe bender so figured out what angles I needed and boom



Then came making everything look right. This is my first time ever doing this so I was winging it big time. Tacked it up to where it looked rightish.



Im very happy with the outcome. Still have lots to go. I'll get better pics tomorrow.

 

[MN4RNR]

Looks great. I appreciate the thought and effort that goes into customizing a piece for your application and being willing/able to do the heavy lifting to get it done. As a noob I have a question. What is the purpose of the big hoop in the center?

 

[KidVermicious]

Sweet build! So did you just pick up welding for the hell of it, DIY, home use, etc.?

I've been wanting to learn how to weld for a while but don't have any time right now, or extra "scratch" for a rig. I though about (GASP) the Harbor Freight flux core unit just for something to start with. I have the raw material to make myself a better rip fence for my table saw (biesemeyer clone). Just need to do a little welding. Maybe I can make an ORV bumper someday...

I know it's a HF tool and they are what they are, but that unit gets decent reviews so long as it's used accordingly. A welder friend recommends Hobart since it's basically a Miller in a different box.

Do yourself a favor and don't do it. Spend the little bit of extra cash on a decent used machine. The HF machines really do suck.

What is the purpose of the big hoop in the center?

Compensation.

KIDDING. It's there to protect the radiator in the event of a rollover.

 

[Topher88]

Looks great. I appreciate the thought and effort that goes into customizing a piece for your application and being willing/able to do the heavy lifting to get it done. As a noob I have a question. What is the purpose of the big hoop in the center?

I just saw them on jeeps and thought they looked cool lol. I always though they were for pushing thru shrubs and what not but protecting the radiator makes more sense lol. It looks better in person imo it is huge but this pic makes it look larger.

 

[bob3dsf]

Do yourself a favor and don't do it. Spend the little bit of extra cash on a decent used machine. The HF machines really do suck.

Yea, I hear ya. I'll just hold off and go for something better later. Even if I sprung for the HF rig to get something now, I won't have time to use it now anyway so....

 

[Topher88]

Mounted the solenoid box and cut out some stuff that wasn't needed and added some gussets and supports where needed i think. Next up will be the fairlead, light bars and pods and turn signals. With all the additional weight I now need some coilovers. Been wanting them for a while but now I actually need them so now I'm motivated.

 

[Topher88]

Also might cut that hoop down a little.... I'm playing with the idea.

 

[zonarunner]

My front bumper, I went with a much smaller hoop and painted it black. I love being able to tell people I made it. I have the toytec boss coil overs and I'm sure happy I can adjust them for the added weight

 

[Topher88]

My front bumper, I went with a much smaller hoop and painted it black. I love being able to tell people I made it. I have the toytec boss coil overs and I'm sure happy I can adjust them for the added weight

Nice man that looks nice. Ya its the first time I have ever attempted to do something like this so I'm stoked I can call it my own. Still got lots to do. It's a great felling hu?

 

[TiN]

Also might cut that hoop down a little.... I'm playing with the idea.

Bumper looks great! While the big hoop is something I think is pretty cool, I think it would also look really nice if it were cut down to be a little taller than the top of the grille.

 

[zonarunner]

I had never welded before and now I'm hooked, already did my sliders and starting rear bumper this weekend. Keep going! It's addictive

 

[Buckles]

I like the stinger. Don't think I've ever seen a 4Runner with one.

 

[Topher88]

I had never welded before and now I'm hooked, already did my sliders and starting rear bumper this weekend. Keep going! It's addictive

Dude I know! Rock sliders are my next project then onto a rear bumper and maybe a low profile roof rack. As soon as I put my roof rack on my mpg went to shit.... Any suggestions on a good beginner tubing bender?

 

[Troymclure]

Dude I know! Rock sliders are my next project then onto a rear bumper and maybe a low profile roof rack. As soon as I put my roof rack on my mpg went to shit.... Any suggestions on a good beginner tubing bender?

Id go with the woodward fab bender. Capable of doing any bending you could do for fabbing truck parts. It is a bit pricey though. Pipe Notcher - Fulfill Your Notching Requirements By Woodward Fab

(Scroll down to the bottom)

If your more on a budget, Id go with this one:

Affordable Tube Benders, tube notchers, metal fabrication welding

This one wont do DOM .120 wall bends though, so youll be a little more limited on what you can do.

 

[zonarunner]

I have a rogue tube bender www.roguefab.com I had to weld it together and get a harbor freight jack but as you can tell on my from bumper it can bend past a 180. Plus for the money I didn't think there was a better deal to be found.

 

[Topher88]

Pretty much finished my bumper. All I really need to do is run some LED turn signal's and then it will be 100% done. I made up my own brackets and welded them on for both the fog lights and the main light bar. Also welded on a plate that holds the fairlead event is covered by a license plate plate that clips to the fairlead.

 

[Topher88]

So yesterday I was bored and decided I would motivate myself to build a rear bumper by removing my stock one. I'm a little lost in this build.... I want to retain my current heavy duty tow hitch but it seems like That will be a chalenge all in itself.... Should be fun. Dose anyone have some DIY rear bumper builds out there?