Fuel Tank Relocation (and new Rear Bumper design)

[jkeith.w]

Do you have a full rear picture of your bumper?

I don't - that's as far as I needed to assemble to know what needed adjustment. Let me see if I have a screen grab of the version 10 file though.

 

[jkeith.w]

so this the previous version:

(sorry about the image quality)

 

[phattyduck]

The safety chain holes on each side of the hitch need a way for a hook to work. I know you won't be rating this hitch... but the receiver is there and should be usable.

How about access to the hitch pin? (helpful as a hookup point for recovery ropes...)

Looks like a hole for a 7-pin trailer plug there too?

Keep up the good work.

-Charlie

 

[rickashay]

Thanks man, I appreciate that.
And thanks for that! (you mean taillight, right?)

Annndd I'm an idiot. lol

I did my best to carry the arc from the hatch (side view) into the bumper so that it wouldn't have a "block under the back of the truck" look. The rest of the angles are swiped from @%1;'s rear bumper (which was the inspiration for this one)

Yah exactly! Seriously looks great.

Nope. I'm increasing those gaps significantly - they were unexpectedly tight when the prototypes were bent up.

Of course you are... that's why the shit you make is so good.

I haven't thought a lot about swing outs (I'm going to mount my spare vertically inside), so I'll happily take advice & ideas from you guys there! I'll design the pivot and let the end user build what they specifically need. Being able to pull the assembly easily sounds like a good idea - appreciated!

No problem. It would be cool to be able to have the swing out pivot/hinge that can be bolted to the rear bumper. I'd stand for 4 holes with welded nuts on the backside of my rear bumper if I could drop the swingout for grocery duty! Hell, you could even have a "plate" that is the same shape as the swingout mount that you could bolt in with the same hardware when the swingout isn't in use.

 

[Dezerts10]

Any updates on the rear bumper / fuel tank mounts?



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[fourfive]

Rear bumper looks great. Nice work!

 

[jkeith.w]

Any updates on the rear bumper / fuel tank mounts?



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Working on the swingout mounts at the moment:

 

[JWaldz]

Working on the swingout mounts at the moment:

I would think to better protect the swingout spindle, wouldn't it be best to recess it away from the surface of the bumper? If you back into something, drop off a ledge, or hit it going up a steep angle you could risk damaging it and messing up the alignment of the swing arm.

Bumper looks great btw!

 

[Dezerts10]

Awesome, I took my truck out this past weekend and been driving it to work so all the things I want to do are popping back into my head.

Rear bumper with f150 tank mounts and removable swing gate are still in my dreams. For the majority of the type of off roading I would do removable would be best so I don't have that extra 100 lbs or so hanging off the back end going through whoops and desert terrain.

 

[jkeith.w]

Bumper looks great btw!

Thanks!

I would think to better protect the swingout spindle, wouldn't it be best to recess it away from the surface of the bumper? If you back into something, drop off a ledge, or hit it going up a steep angle you could risk damaging it and messing up the alignment of the swing arm.

Thanks for bringing that up - the swingarm hinge arrangement is still a work in progress, so nothing about it is finalized; I'm open to any good suggestions! However, since this bumper is made to be high-clearance with crawling in mind, there's no real room behind it to recess anything in below the taillight - anything added to the basic structure has to go outward. And while I agree that recessing-in would definitely look much better, creating the space for that would probably mean having a big blocky bumper back there, and I didn't want that - keeping it as high and angled as possible was an important design objective for me.

Accordingly, the swing-out hinge assemblies are going to be a bolt-on (removable) addition, but they'll have gusseted plate mounts and won't stick out beyond the angled lower plane, so it should be easy enough to ramp the mount so that ledge drops aren't as risky - and should take a good hit or two.. and in their current sketched position, they'd allow simple, straight swingouts to lay directly atop the shackle mounts so as to reduce the load on the hinges in travel position. (Those shackle mounts are 1" thick and tie into the frame rail & rear crossmember.)

It might be possible to find a heavy duty bearing-style hinge that is smaller in diameter (this one is 2.25"), but I haven't run across one yet. (I'm trying to design to a readily available hinge assembly)

(Oh - and also, they are below and do not block the taillights; another important consideration for me, personally.)

 

[jkeith.w]

It would be cool to be able to have the swing out pivot/hinge that can be bolted to the rear bumper. I'd stand for 4 holes with welded nuts on the backside of my rear bumper if I could drop the swingout for grocery duty!

Your wish is my command.

 

[jkeith.w]

The safety chain holes on each side of the hitch need a way for a hook to work. I know you won't be rating this hitch... but the receiver is there and should be usable.

Hey Charlie, missed this one before - the hooks will work; I'll show you a back-side detail when I have the file pulled up next time.

How about access to the hitch pin? (helpful as a hookup point for recovery ropes...)

Check. Access is from the top side, under the step cover.

Looks like a hole for a 7-pin trailer plug there too?

Yeah, my personal bumper will have that, production bumpers will have a 1/4" pilot hole there, in case other folks want to add a plug.

 

[JWaldz]

Thanks for bringing that up - the swingarm hinge arrangement is still a work in progress, so nothing about it is finalized; I'm open to any good suggestions! However, since this bumper is made to be high-clearance with crawling in mind, there's no real room behind it to recess anything in below the taillight - anything added to the basic structure has to go outward. And while I agree that recessing-in would definitely look much better, creating the space for that would probably mean having a big blocky bumper back there, and I didn't want that - keeping it as high and angled as possible was an important design objective for me.

Accordingly, the swing-out hinge assemblies are going to be a bolt-on (removable) addition, but they'll have gusseted plate mounts and won't stick out beyond the angled lower plane, so it should be easy enough to ramp the mount so that ledge drops aren't as risky - and should take a good hit or two.. and in their current sketched position, they'd allow simple, straight swingouts to lay directly atop the shackle mounts so as to reduce the load on the hinges in travel position. (Those shackle mounts are 1" thick and tie into the frame rail & rear crossmember.)

It might be possible to find a heavy duty bearing-style hinge that is smaller in diameter (this one is 2.25"), but I haven't run across one yet. (I'm trying to design to a readily available hinge assembly)

(Oh - and also, they are below and do not block the taillights; another important consideration for me, personally.)

I'm sure you have seen this, but this is CBI's design to recessing the spindle. Not necessarily removable as far as the spindle goes.

As for the spindle assembly, this looks like their old design with the large brass spindle bushing that pressed into the swing arm end and slipped over the spindle itself (not the best design). They've since changed it to use 3 bearings that slightly press into the swing arm and over the spindle.

Obviously you know more about your product than I do, you're the one working on it after all haha. So, I'm sure you've waded all your options.

Additionally, If you'd like any close up pics of the CBI design to get some ideas I can do so for you.

 

[jkeith.w]

I'm sure you have seen this, but this is CBI's design to recessing the spindle. Not necessarily removable as far as the spindle goes.

As for the spindle assembly, this looks like their old design with the large brass spindle bushing that pressed into the swing arm end and slipped over the spindle itself (not the best design). They've since changed it to use 3 bearings that slightly press into the swing arm and over the spindle.

Yeah, that's a great approach, and I like how they've put it in double shear with the bolt-on bracket.

I've given myself more difficulty by making a svelte bumper, but I'll pull it off, lol.

It would be helpful to know if the swingout could be limited to 90 degrees rotation, or if it needs to go further than that for any reason? IF I can limit to 90, I can build a pretty stout boxed mount..

 

[jkeith.w]

The safety chain holes on each side of the hitch need a way for a hook to work.

Ok Charlie, backside view (don't share with anyone, top secret):

 

[Dezerts10]

Ok Charlie, backside view (don't share with anyone, top secret):

Sooo how close do you think you are to finalizing?

I also think more than 90 degree swing out is best but I feel like I could live with 90 degrees no problem.

Really looking forward to seeing what you come up with and being able to incorporate the f150 mounts and what not into the bumper design.

Any thought in skid plate mounts or offering a skid plate from bumper to front f150 tank mount bracket?


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[jkeith.w]

Any thought in skid plate mounts or offering a skid plate from bumper to front f150 tank mount bracket?

absolutely. in the works, but I'd like to have a production bumper on the truck to double-check everything before I start making the skids.

- I've accidentally made an entire system for the rear of the frame, it seems (looking into swaybars also) :spy:

 

[JWaldz]

It would be helpful to know if the swingout could be limited to 90 degrees rotation, or if it needs to go further than that for any reason? IF I can limit to 90, I can build a pretty stout boxed mount..

On my CBI I have to extend it past 90* due to the hatch hitting. I don't know what the contributing factor is to the reason for it. It's likely just due to where the spindle sits. You would probably have to have the spindle further out (width wise) to get the 90* angle. Too close towards the inside of the truck and the swing arm will be in the way of the hatch.

 

[jkeith.w]

On my CBI I have to extend it past 90* due to the hatch hitting. I don't know what the contributing factor is to the reason for it. It's likely just due to where the spindle sits. You would probably have to have the spindle further out (width wise) to get the 90* angle. Too close towards the inside of the truck and the swing arm will be in the way of the hatch.

ok, cool - thanks!

 

[fourfive]

Accordingly, the swing-out hinge assemblies are going to be a bolt-on (removable) addition

Your rear bumper design is getting even better, very cool! A removable swing out on a good looking low profile bumper would be amazing. I've been needing an armored rear bumper, mostly for the swing out so I can carry a spare 35, but wanted the option to not have to carry it around all the time. That's pretty much the only reason why I haven't purchased a rear bumper yet. Keep working your magic and let's see this thing through.