To weld or not to weld?

[Triumphdog]

I'm looking to get my front plate bumper better secured to the front of my 4runner. Right now it's not secured enough. So...I was wondering if it would be better to have it welded or have a bolt on application fabricated. Any thoughts, and why?
thanks

 

[the great him]

bolt on, do not weld it on, you will be looking at a large headache if you weld. if that thing ever gets hit or you have to do something that would require you to take that bumper off, say like put a winch in behind there... your screwed. bolts are just as strong if you use the right bolts and bolt it on properly. ive welded on a bumper before, and i regret it now big time, and i have no need or desire to take it off at this point, but just now thinking about the future ect. FML:ybrick:

 

[Big John]

What kind of plate bumper do you have that it's not secured enough?

If there's a problem with the bumper itself, simply replacing bolts with weld will not work. I'd personally opt to have a bolt on application welded in but that needs to be done properly as well.

Got any pics of the problem?

 

[yota runner]

def bolt we just built one for my friends tacoma and he got in a rush and welded it on and now he cant put a winch in it or any lights or adjust it, its strong but it came at a price..

 

[Triumphdog]

It's a custom bumper the previous owner had built. It's currently bolted to the truck, but not to the frame. A local fab company needs to weld some new gusets into it, and ad either a bolt on bracket, or a welded bracket. It doesn't have enough space between the two most inner gusets to put a winch in without some real chop and weld work. It does have a reciever spot in the center of the bumper. It's a nice looking bumper, but just poor desing behind the skin.

 

[cj80cruiser]

Lets see what you have. Gotta pic?

 

[Riggity]

Lets see what you have. Gotta pic?

Agreed.

 

[RunninInGA]

What kind of plate bumper do you have that it's not secured enough?

If there's a problem with the bumper itself, simply replacing bolts with weld will not work. I'd personally opt to have a bolt on application welded in but that needs to be done properly as well.

Got any pics of the problem?

Off topic, but I like your sig!

 

[Triumphdog]

There is a gusset about 2 inches to the inside of both turn signals. What the guy needed to do was put the gusset about 5 inches wider making them level with the frame. Which would put them right in the middle of the turn signals. Besides that big OOPS. The design is great. I might have the turn signal holes filled, and make the factory side lights my turn signals. I just bought a Rigid Industries light bar to mount between the Hella driving lights. If I ever want to put a winch in I might as well get a whole new bumper.

 

[RunninInGA]

There is a gusset about 2 inches to the inside of both turn signals. What the guy needed to do was put the gusset about 5 inches wider making them level with the frame. Which would put them right in the middle of the turn signals. Besides that big OOPS. The design is great. I might have the turn signal holes filled, and make the factory side lights my turn signals. I just bought a Rigid Industries light bar to mount between the Hella driving lights. If I ever want to put a winch in I might as well get a whole new bumper.

What size light bar did you get?

 

[cj80cruiser]

There is a gusset about 2 inches to the inside of both turn signals. What the guy needed to do was put the gusset about 5 inches wider making them level with the frame. Which would put them right in the middle of the turn signals. Besides that big OOPS. The design is great. I might have the turn signal holes filled, and make the factory side lights my turn signals. I just bought a Rigid Industries light bar to mount between the Hella driving lights. If I ever want to put a winch in I might as well get a whole new bumper.

I'm going to build mine with more of a gap and you may won't to move it out a little when you fab up the mounts....that bumper fits tight to the body, maybe too tight for the body flex.

 

[Big John]

It's a custom bumper the previous owner had built. It's currently bolted to the truck, but not to the frame. A local fab company needs to weld some new gusets into it, and ad either a bolt on bracket, or a welded bracket. It doesn't have enough space between the two most inner gusets to put a winch in without some real chop and weld work. It does have a reciever spot in the center of the bumper. It's a nice looking bumper, but just poor desing behind the skin.

So what exactly does it currently bolt to???

I'm betting that this is going to be more work to fix than you want.

 

[Triumphdog]

here is the attachment point. It's the same on the passangers side.

 

[Triumphdog]

the rear bumper and sliders are great. Their solid as a rock! The front is less than desired.