shrockworks and end cap mod

[MadCityRich]

Well, my Shrockworks bumper finally arrived last week. Now I'm itching to get it installed. I'm currently debating whether or not to do the end cap mod. The bumper will attach in other locations, but those beefy end caps sure look tempting. I'm generally in favor of the mod, but the welder I work with is busy for a while. Once winter sets in, I'm not going to be able to be able to complete the job. But in reality, I'm just itching to get the thing on.

I will eventually be installing a winch. I'm not a hardcore wheeler, but do want to be able to get myself out of sticky situations. It's more of an insurance policy than anything else.

I suppose I can always do the endcaps in the future, but I'm concerned about getting bolts aligned to reinstall the bumper. Does anyone have any experience or thoughts on how important welding up the end caps is? Is it a major safety or reliability concern? Is the stock endcap really that weak? What's the risk here?

Thanks much,
MadCityRich
2002 Ltd
255/75/17 SA
Tundra/OME lift
Sliders
Flashlight mod
199mm Tundra brakes

 

[AlpineCoder]

I think if you're planning on using the bumper for winching or recovery (yanking on with a tow strap), then welding in the end caps is probably a good idea. I don't necessarily think the bumper attachment will fail catastrophically without the end caps, but I could see having problems with the bolt holes elongating and the bumper moving around / rotating under heavy loads.

 

[MadCityRich]

I guess I'll go with the old adage: if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right.

Thanks,
MadCityRich

 

[maclean216]

You are going to have to cut off the stock end caps to mount the new bumper brackets. The end cap mod just helps with the forces on the frame and has nothing to do with the bumper shifting during winching.

The bumper bolts to the brackets and I would drill all the holes or it will shift during winching or hard impacts.

 

[shinyblackdeer]

Do it! Call around. We had our friend at the muffler shop do it. It will take less than 15 minutes for an experienced welder.

 

[AlpineCoder]

The end cap mod just helps with the forces on the frame and has nothing to do with the bumper shifting during winching.

I'm not an expert on these things by any means, but the builder of the bumper (ShrockWorks) recommends welding in the end caps if the bumper will be used with a winch. I'm not sure if you're referencing a different type of bumper, but on the ShrockWorks the bumper brackets bolt into the welded frame end caps with big fat 1/2" bolts, which allows the bumper to distribute loading to the frame without loading the other mounting bolts with shear tension (the weakest way to load bolts).

The bumper bolts to the brackets and I would drill all the holes or it will shift during winching or hard impacts.

The end caps in question are separate from the bumper brackets (the brackets bolt into the end caps if installed). The bumper can be installed without welding in the end caps, but the brackets will not be as strong while placed under tension loading without the end caps.

 

[maclean216]

Alpine,

I am talking about the shrockworks, I am a happy owner.

Yes. Both your statements are correct.

I was just stating that the end cap mod has nothing to do with the bumper physically moving during winching or impacts. My bumper has shifted during winching and impacts off rocks, but its because I only used the 4 large bolts to attach the bumper to the bracket. Brackets are solid, frame is weak.

This is just my experience with this bumper.

 

[a_young240]

Interesting. I may have to scoop this idea for my bumper mount I'm fabricating at the moment.

 

[AlpineCoder]

I was just stating that the end cap mod has nothing to do with the bumper physically moving during winching or impacts.

And I'm trying to understand why you've concluded that, since it seems counter to the opinions of not only other owners of the bumper, but the people who built it.

My bumper has shifted during winching and impacts off rocks, but its because I only used the 4 large bolts to attach the bumper to the bracket. Brackets are solid, frame is weak.

So what you're saying here (correct me if I'm wrong), is that you don't believe the end cap mod helps prevent the bumper from moving under heavy loads because your improperly installed bumper has moved around on the brackets, and thus you believe that's the "weak point" of the design?

If the bumper is properly installed, it will not move or rotate on the brackets unless you pull / hit it hard enough to shear four 3/8" grade 8 bolts (those would be the ones you apparently didn't install), thus the strength of the bracket to frame connection becomes the weak point in heavy tension loading. The end cap mod makes the bracket to frame connection much stronger for tension loading.

Is there some reason that you didn't install the bumper completely?

 

[maclean216]

I said the 4runner frame is the weak point.

I didn't drill and install the 4 additional bolts because I did the install plus winch in a day and was wheeling the next. Then I was planning on adding a body lift later...which I did.

 

[hrt4me]

If the bumper is properly installed, it will not move or rotate on the brackets unless you pull / hit it hard enough to shear four 3/8" grade 8 bolts (those would be the ones you apparently didn't install), thus the strength of the bracket to frame connection becomes the weak point in heavy tension loading. The end cap mod makes the bracket to frame connection much stronger for tension loading.

I installed my Shrockworks front bumper and Warn M8000 winch yesterday using only the four (4) 1/2" bolts so far, but it got dark and I wasn't able to locate the exact spots to drill the four (4) additional 3/8" holes for the two 3/8" grade 8 bolts per bracket to prevent the bumper from moving and/or rotating... do you happen to have any photos? The Shrockworks instructions were a bit unclear to me, but I need to get back under there later today to check it out again with daylight...

 

[MadCityRich]

I decided to do the endcap mod. I definitely feel it makes for a stronger frame and bumper connection. It was "interesting" sorting through the little details to get the endcaps in place, but it got done and I feel better for it.

I'm currently battling an overly tight fit between the bumper and the bracket. The brackets are pushed out as far as they will go. With the endcap mod, they are pretty much locked in. But the brackets are flush with the frame, so there's nowhere else to really go. I'm finding I'm need to grind off bits of the bumper and bracket in order to get things to slide together. And by slide, I mean with some dead-blow convincing. I'm almost there, but it's still a very tight fit. I could probably force it to fit with a bit more percussive maintenance, but since I'm going to need to be able to remove the bumper to mount a winch or drill the final holes to mount the four remaining 3/8 bolts, I'm continuing to grind and fit and grind and fit. We're talking minor amounts being removed. I don't want to make it sound like I'm taking a 1/4 inch piece down to 1/8 inch. It ain't gonna go on easy even when I'm done removing material.

And for those final four bolts, I noticed my bumper only appears to have two holes - one on each mount. Not sure if this is a manufacturing issue or if I'm missing something obvious (like I'm supposed to drill the third and fourth holes). Might be something I finish in the spring once I remove it to mount a winch.

Anyone else have similar experience fitting the Shrockworks bumper?

MadCityRich

 

[hrt4me]

I decided to do the endcap mod. I definitely feel it makes for a stronger frame and bumper connection. It was "interesting" sorting through the little details to get the endcaps in place, but it got done and I feel better for it.

I'm currently battling an overly tight fit between the bumper and the bracket. The brackets are pushed out as far as they will go. With the endcap mod, they are pretty much locked in. But the brackets are flush with the frame, so there's nowhere else to really go. I'm finding I'm need to grind off bits of the bumper and bracket in order to get things to slide together. And by slide, I mean with some dead-blow convincing. I'm almost there, but it's still a very tight fit. I could probably force it to fit with a bit more percussive maintenance, but since I'm going to need to be able to remove the bumper to mount a winch or drill the final holes to mount the four remaining 3/8 bolts, I'm continuing to grind and fit and grind and fit. We're talking minor amounts being removed. I don't want to make it sound like I'm taking a 1/4 inch piece down to 1/8 inch. It ain't gonna go on easy even when I'm done removing material.

And for those final four bolts, I noticed my bumper only appears to have two holes - one on each mount. Not sure if this is a manufacturing issue or if I'm missing something obvious (like I'm supposed to drill the third and fourth holes). Might be something I finish in the Spring once I remove it to mount a winch.

Anyone else have similar experience fitting the Shrockworks bumper?

MadCityRich

I had read similar stories about the tight-fitting Shrockworks front bumpers, but I just installed mine yesterday (with the end cap mod) and had absolutely no fitting issues whatsoever; I got my bumper last week and was told Shrockworks had just finished a run of front bumpers and was going to make some minor changes from now on to prevent this in the future, so I guess I got lucky...

On another note (see my above post/reply to AlpineCoder), I also thought I might be missing something obvious because it wasn't quite apparent to me either where I should drill those additional 3/8" holes...?