misc. questions for a somewhat handy college kid

JohnBill53

JohnBill53

New member
I'm looking to do two things, however I haven't been able to put a price on either one.

1. I'd like to build my own tube bumper, a buddy of mine told me he'd weld it, just dont know how much, what size, or the price...help please....

2. I'd also like to put a body lift on on the rig however I don't make enough money to sustain myself to begin with however, I'm thinking theres a budget way to accomplish this WITHOUT doing it the wrong way, again...please help?
 
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1. Call some steel yards and price tube. Most use 1.5-2", 120 wall. DOM or HREW doesn't really matter, though people will tell you DOM is better.

It would be wise to mock the bumper up with some either cardboard tube, or styrofoam. That way you know how much you need. Don't forget about the 1/4" steel you're going to need for braces and to make the brackets to weld the tube to.

2. There isn't. Best bet is to do it right the first time. Look into 4Crawler. He has a 1-2" body lift for around 170. Obviously, price goes up with height.
 
JPB said:
I'm looking to do two things, however I haven't been able to put a price on either one.

1. I'd like to build my own tube bumper, a buddy of mine told me he'd weld it, just dont know how much, what size, or the price...help please....

2. I'd also like to put a body lift on on the rig however I don't make enough money to sustain myself to begin with however, I'm thinking theres a budget way to accomplish this WITHOUT doing it the wrong way, again...please help?
Click to expand...

first, i have a question for you... are you going to offroad your runner a lot?

but all you need is a tube bender and welder to make a tube bumper. but the thickness of tube depends on the question i asked

aslo, depending if your ever going to see dirt, i would not put a body lift on. they are kinda dangerous and you will have a rough suspension ride
 
It sees dirt, the red kind in Oklahoma mostly, I know I need to post pictures. I already have the toytec 3" lift and am planning on going to the junk yards to try and get some taco front coilovers. but back to buisness...

The bumper I plan on fabricating Is strictly the tube with no hoops or a pre-runner hoop. I'd like to do the back and front and naturally being strapped for cash I plan on doing the cheapest first but naturally the right way, any info is much appreciate...really:thanks:
 
JPB said:
It sees dirt, the red kind in Oklahoma mostly, I know I need to post pictures. I already have the toytec 3" lift and am planning on going to the junk yards to try and get some taco front coilovers. but back to buisness...

The bumper I plan on fabricating Is strictly the tube with no hoops or a pre-runner hoop. I'd like to do the back and front and naturally being strapped for cash I plan on doing the cheapest first but naturally the right way, any info is much appreciate...really:thanks:
Click to expand...

front coilovers? do you mean stock coil/spring assembly? coilovers are adjustable coil/spring assemblies where you can adjust the height of the spring e.g. toytec, SAW, fox, king, icon. these are $800-$1,600. i doubt they would be laying around a junk yard.

sorry if that sounds mean. not trying to be a ****

EDIT: forgot you cant curse on here... not trying to be a penis
 
white toy taco said:
front coilovers? do you mean stock coil/spring assembly? coilovers are adjustable coil/spring assemblies where you can adjust the height of the spring e.g. toytec, SAW, fox, king, icon. these are $800-$1,600. i doubt they would be laying around a junk yard.

sorry if that sounds mean. not trying to be a ****

EDIT: forgot you cant curse on here... not trying to be a penis
Click to expand...
Lol, I laughed at that.
 
Only thing that makes them dangerous is that it raises the center of gravity making it easier to tip/roll over in precarious off roading situations and high speed turns.

Idk how it would cause a rough ride and frankly don't think it does....but I could be wrong. Wouldn't be the first time. :rolleyes:
 
Body lifts aren't dangerous, as long as they're done right.

Yes, they raise the COG, but, lets face it, these things aren't race cars. You do something stupid on a stock suspension, you'll roll it just as easily.

The problem comes in when people try to redneck their own body lifts. Like using hockey pucks, tubing, or anything else. Then, you run a risk of putting a hole through the body where the tube or pucks sit.

If you're wanting a body lift, look into 4Crawler. He's been doing this for a while.

As far as tube, most places use 120 wall. DOM or HREW doesn't matter. When I can get on a computer, I'll find the post about the two. But they are basically the same strength, as long as you get USA STEEL. China and all those other places don't have the regulations we do.

A lot of tube bumpers are made out of either 1.5" or 2", 120 wall( I know. I said that already.) BUT, the choice is yours. Try something different. If it doesn't work, you know where the weakness is.

Again, DO NOT FORGET that you need some 1/4" to make the brackets out of. Don't really want to go with anything smaller than 1/4" for those.
 
they themselves dont cause a bumpy ride but when people put BL's they usually get bigger tires and dont upgrade the suspension properly which causes a bumpy ride. we have a 3" BL on our old toyota pickup that we bought and its ****ty.

as for it being kinda dangerous, ive seen pics where a guy with a BL gets in a car crash and the whole body comes off of the frame because it sheared the long bolts that were holding the body to the frame. there is stress being put on the long bolts when you have a BL.


but BL's are like politics, you are never going to have people agree on the subject
 
first of all, many props for having a DIY bone or two in your body.

secondly, tube is a mother f#$cker lol, and will make you feel dumb real quick. if you want it to have nice lines and "flow" its going to be tricky without a decent bender and an angle finder. also, notches are important. ALSO, it would really need to be welded up/built on the truck; fit, tack, remove, weld, repeat. welding the joints will pull the metal in different directions and if you build it all on the floor or bench theres no telling how wonky it'll be once fully welded. i pulled my bumper on and off probably 15 times before it was all said and done. I, and many many others, used 1-3/4" .120 wall HERW, its plenty strong, especially in a supportive design.
 
mikebontoft said:
well, that one is simple physics... the increased bolt length results in increased torque if it's ever put in shear.
Click to expand...

yep, thats exactly right. the longer the bolt, the longer the moment arm (basically the length where the force is being applied relative to where the bolt is bolted down).

and the formulaic definition of torque is T=RxF where R is the length of the moment arm and F is the amount of force being applied.

therefore, the longer the bolt, the bigger potential R and bigger potential for torque shearing the bolt
 
white toy taco said:
i would not put a body lift on. they are kinda dangerous and you will have a rough suspension ride
Click to expand...

thats kind of a stupid comment,,, lifting a vehicle is dangerous, driving on a public streets/highways is dangerous, smoking is dangerous, etc etc...
and as far as a bodylift giving it a "rough" ride, really ???? Ive had two rigs with a bodylift, and did not, notice either being a "rougher" ride
 
white toy taco said:
yep, thats exactly right. the longer the bolt, the longer the moment arm (basically the length where the force is being applied relative to where the bolt is bolted down).

and the formulaic definition of torque is T=RxF where R is the length of the moment arm and F is the amount of force being applied.

therefore, the longer the bolt, the bigger potential R and bigger potential for torque shearing the bolt
Click to expand...

hence the reason for higher shear bolts:)

Good info on the tube bumper.
 
My dad's 89 Pickup has been body lifted since brand new, 3". Not a single problem because it was done right and paired with the suspension necessary to handle larger tires.

Body lifts don't kill people, improper installs do.
 
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