Author Topic: Tube Front Bumper (Read 20019 times)

TheBandit · « **Reply #30 on:** Jun 07, 2006, 03:38:40 PM »

Thanks guys!

UPDATE

I fitted a few more pieces and started welding things out. I think the whole thing would look better if the upper hoop were slighly below or at the front hoodline. But at this height it will offer some radiator protection.

There's a lot more to do on this. It seems like I work really really slow compared to the others.

gabriul · « **Reply #31 on:** Jun 07, 2006, 04:22:34 PM »

I love that auto bender...how much you want for it?

JP. Are you planning on marketing the design or marketting them yourself?
So far that bumper looks freekin awsome. Can you still open your hood?

TheBandit · « **Reply #32 on:** Jun 07, 2006, 04:30:09 PM »

I don't plan to market my bender at this point, but it has always been a thought. You can buy a similar production machine for about $6k with a more crude mechanical autostop and more expensive dies.

Thanks for the complements on the bumper! I am open to honest feedback; I don't think this design is for everyone. In fact, my first reaction was that the top looked goofy. But now that I've looked at it some more I really like it.

With my friend holding it up, I checked to make sure the hood would open. It will be a tight fit, but it does clear. I have to pass it up to myself using one hand under the bar and the other hand over the bar, if that makes sense. It's a minor hassle I can live with.

toyo487 · « **Reply #33 on:** Jun 07, 2006, 08:04:04 PM »

that is a sweet bender. I like your front bumper also. Keep on keeping on.

yodaboy4life · « **Reply #34 on:** Jun 08, 2006, 01:42:25 PM »

that is a sweet bumper i like the desine

Rockdiver · « **Reply #35 on:** Jun 08, 2006, 06:34:11 PM »

Are you Planning to fit a winch in it ?

TheBandit · « **Reply #36 on:** Jun 08, 2006, 07:48:05 PM »

Quote from: toyo487 on Jun 07, 2006, 08:04:04 PM

that is a sweet bender. I like your front bumper also. Keep on keeping on.

Thank you!

Quote from: yodaboy4life on Jun 08, 2006, 01:42:25 PM

that is a sweet bumper i like the desine

Really? Cool. I was trying to do something a little different from the norm, but it's hard to be unique. I'm sure some people wont like it at all, and I completely respect that. I wanted to do something without a stinger that would complement the lines of the hood. I think that hood buldge is a Toyota signature that should be highlighted.

Quote from: Rockdiver on Jun 08, 2006, 06:34:11 PM

Are you Planning to fit a winch in it ?

Eventually. I built it with enough room to accomodate a standard Warn. I am not going to build the winch plate or anything right now, but eventually it will have a fairlead in the middle space above the lower hoop and some plate tying it back to the crossmember.

TheBandit · « **Reply #37 on:** Jun 09, 2006, 08:41:52 PM »

dhondagod · « **Reply #38 on:** Jun 09, 2006, 11:06:14 PM »

i love reading your posts...... are you planning on any trips to the sierras above fresno this summer? would love to wheel with you

chris 8)

TheBandit · « **Reply #39 on:** Jun 10, 2006, 08:21:38 PM »

Quote from: dhondagod on Jun 09, 2006, 11:06:14 PM

i love reading your posts...... are you planning on any trips to the sierras above fresno this summer? would love to wheel with you

Thanks!

I would love to go up there and wheel, but probably wont for a long time. I'm in school and still working off the cost of the tube bender, so I don't get to do long trips very often. I will be up at Bass Lake for 4th of July, but I'm not bringing the Toyota

UPDATE

Yesterday I made a plate for the front of the crossmember out of 2-1/2" flat bar (3/16). I drilled two holes where the stock bumper bolts used to go and bolted it into place. Then I tacked the main bumper onto that plate. This made it removeable (temporarily) so I could do some more welding and paint.

Here it is welded on. I used some degreaser and sprayed everything down with a hose.

Yesterday I ground a lot of the welds smooth. It took quite a bit of time. I think it was worth it. Most of my welds looked okay, but I being new to tube welding, there were a lot of starts & stops.

I hung it from the rafters and primered/painted. This took a really long time, a can of primer, and two cans of paint. I did my best to be systematic, painting all the way around short sections of tube to make sure I didn't miss anything. The finish is Rustoleum Hammer Silver.

After spraying the core support black and stripping the front crossmember, I bolted the bumper up and adjusted the position. Then I welded the plate to the crossmember on all sides near the tubes. Between the tubes, I spaced out some two inch long welds to finish attaching the plate to the crossmember.

(below) Yes the hood clears, although I have to use one hand under and one hand over to pass the hood up to myself when openning. It's a minor hassle I can live with. You can see where the radiator is with respect to the bumper upper hoop: they are pretty much level with eachother.

Another picture from further away.

(below) Here you can see where experience would have helped. If I had it to do over I would have moved the corner bend apexes inward so the tube would hug closer to the marker light areas. There is some ugly space in there that makes the bumper look a too big/wide.

Here is a shot from behind. Yup - too much gap.

(below) A view of the bar from above. Where the hood buldges in the center you can't see it from the driver's seat. But on the two ends you can see it.

(below) More pictures because bandwidth is cheap. Still have to paint the crossmember/plate black - the silver is drying.

That's where I'm going to "finish" for now. I'm moving for the summer, but when school starts in the fall I will start adding support tube. I know it really needs it.

TheBandit · « **Reply #40 on:** Jun 14, 2006, 07:58:30 PM »

No opinions?

I painted the front of the crossmember yesterday so it doesn't rust while the truck is sitting over summer. It is covered with 2" x 3/16 flat bar. I wasn't sure how much to weld on this. I ended up welding all the way around near the tubing to about three inches in, then added a few stitches along the length in the middle.

I also put together a second bottom half for a local guy. He wants to trade me tube work for a solid front axle. I bent/cut all the pieces and marked them for coping. Hopefully he'll be putting this half together this weekend. He wants a little different upper half with a stinger that I'll make when I get back to school in the Fall.

Hyena · « **Reply #41 on:** Jun 14, 2006, 08:33:41 PM »

looks pretty good for the first time bending up a bumper. pretty cool that you are already getting some business.

robinhood4x4 · « **Reply #42 on:** Jun 14, 2006, 08:47:28 PM »

Quote from: TheBandit on Jun 14, 2006, 07:58:30 PM

I wasn't sure how much to weld on this. I ended up welding all the way around near the tubing to about three inches in, then added a few stitches along the length in the middle.

Thats exactly how I did mine. I even added the same captured nut in the middle.

TheBandit · « **Reply #43 on:** Oct 15, 2006, 11:18:27 PM »

Quote from: Hyena on Jun 14, 2006, 08:33:41 PM

looks pretty good for the first time bending up a bumper. pretty cool that you are already getting some business.

Thanks! The deal went through and we swapped a bumper for an axle. I think we were both pleased with the trade.

I've been really busy since school started back up, but I managed to bend this piece last week.

BUDDERS · « **Reply #44 on:** Oct 16, 2006, 07:27:20 AM »

All that space between your bumper and fender looks right now cause that tube over the fender hugs it pretty close.

Hottrod81 · « **Reply #45 on:** Oct 16, 2006, 12:08:58 PM »

Looks good. If you got into the Poly Goats, you wouldn't have any time to finish your rig. I am sure they would put that Bender to use for sure.

TheBandit · « **Reply #46 on:** Oct 16, 2006, 01:58:23 PM »

Quote from: Hottrod81 on Oct 16, 2006, 12:08:58 PM

Looks good. If you got into the Poly Goats, you wouldn't have any time to finish your rig. I am sure they would put that Bender to use for sure.

You're tellin' me! I don't even have time for my own projects, let alone other people's. Well, I say that with reservation because I did help my friend make this when I could have been bending my own stuff:

Quote from: BUDDERS on Oct 16, 2006, 07:27:20 AM

All that space between your bumper and fender looks right now cause that tube over the fender hugs it pretty close.

Never thought of it that way, but you're right.

Hottrod81 · « **Reply #47 on:** Oct 16, 2006, 02:48:54 PM »

In college, everybody wants things for free because they are all poor. Most people don't have money in college. I know that I didn't. What part of SLO do you live in where you can do all of the fabbing and making tons of noise. I used to live in the apartments next to Stenner Glen and weren't allowed to even change oil in the parking lot.

robinhood4x4 · « **Reply #48 on:** Oct 18, 2006, 09:46:13 PM »

I stayed in stenner glen and mustang village, even met my wife in stenner. Graduated in Dec 2000. What major were you, hot rod?

Gittinit · « **Reply #49 on:** Oct 19, 2006, 06:51:39 AM »

:cool:I like it. Your bender and desighn are verry nice.

Hottrod81 · « **Reply #50 on:** Oct 19, 2006, 09:39:43 AM »

I was done in March 2001 lived at the old Woodside. My major was Ag. Business.

TheBandit · « **Reply #51 on:** Oct 22, 2006, 07:23:31 PM »

Quote from: Hottrod81 on Oct 16, 2006, 02:48:54 PM

What part of SLO do you live in where you can do all of the fabbing and making tons of noise.

I have lived in a few different houses in SLO without any problems fabbing. I've only had a couple instances where I had someone come over and usually they were more interested to see what I was doing than upset about the noise. I don't do much work after 9 or 10 and if I do I do it inside.

Quote from: gittinit on Oct 19, 2006, 06:51:39 AM

:cool:I like it. Your bender and desighn are verry nice.

Thank you!

---

I worked on the driver's side bar this weekend. Mirror image of the other side.

topar · « **Reply #52 on:** Oct 22, 2006, 08:28:43 PM »

Sweet! I am liking this front end!

jimbo74 · « **Reply #53 on:** Oct 22, 2006, 08:31:11 PM »

do you know where i could get a grill like yours? hehe, yeah its bling, but i like it

topar · « **Reply #54 on:** Oct 22, 2006, 09:17:53 PM »

I might have one of those grills in my garage. One of my trucks had one when I bought it. Where you at? If I have it still you can have mine no cost just take it and get it out of my garage.

TheBandit · « **Reply #55 on:** Oct 22, 2006, 10:31:24 PM »

Quote from: topar on Oct 22, 2006, 08:28:43 PM

Sweet! I am liking this front end!

Thanks!

Quote from: jimbo74 on Oct 22, 2006, 08:31:11 PM

do you know where i could get a grill like yours? hehe, yeah its bling, but i like it

I got it through JC Whitney. All my experiences with them have sucked and usually the parts suck too, but the grill is decent.

toyotatuner · « **Reply #56 on:** Oct 24, 2006, 03:14:26 PM »

Very nice job man! That looks like a seasoned pro built it.

I really like it, a lot. I agree too, the gap is not bad at all, it fits perfectly along the edge of the fenders.

I love the bender too, thats an amazing tool. Necessity is the mother of creation.
Good Job!

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