Jeep wrangler Bumper build

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Ok I haven't started this yet and it will certainly be my biggest undertaking yet aside from my table.Anyway, I am looking to build a rear bumper for my wrangler and had a few questions im sure you folks can answer as always.1. What is the best material to use for templating? Do people just use cardboard from cutting up boxes or should I go out and buy sheets of foamcore or something?2. It will be made of 3/16" plate, and that thickness is the limits of my machine. Should it be welded inside and out or is just outside acceptable being non-structural? (I will probably put a tow hitch inside it, but that will definitely be welded on all sides and will pretty much be tied to the frame somehow)3. Being that the welds will span the length of the outside edges which could be a few 4-6' welds, is warping going to be a huge concern? I haven't seen it brought up at all in any of the bumper builds I have seen but I figured it would be wise to ask.I will most likely be copying a mass-produced model for my build. Heres an idea for reference
Reply:My 2 cents.1. Any cardboard is good for making templates.  I would not buy anything special.2.  Weld the outside solid.  Stitch weld the inside if you desire.  Be sure to add a couple gussets.  If your machine is only rated for 3/16,  I would not do ANY welding on a hitch.  3. One way to avoid or greatly reduce warping is to weld a few (4-6") inches in one area and move another area to weld.  Repeatt until welding is complete.Others will have some additional comments I am sure...Good Luck!  Post pics!ECAVE Still learnin'Lincoln AC225Lincoln 135SPHF ChopsawVictor O/ANumerous other items
Reply:Originally Posted by ECAVEMy 2 cents.1. Any cardboard is good for making templates.  I would not buy anything special.2.  Weld the outside solid.  Stitch weld the inside if you desire.  Be sure to add a couple gussets.  If your machine is only rated for 3/16,  I would not do ANY welding on a hitch.  3. One way to avoid or greatly reduce warping is to weld a few (4-6") inches in one area and move another area to weld.  Repeatt until welding is complete.Others will have some additional comments I am sure...Good Luck!  Post pics!
Reply:Do not attempt such a project with your little Auto Arc 130! You're asking way to much of the unit. I own a Handler 125 EZ, which is basically the same power supply as the Auto arc 130. I guarantee you I would never attempt a bumper build with  my 125 EZ.ESAB Migmaster 250 Hobart Ironman 230Multimatic 215TWECO Fabricator 181i & 211iHH125EZ - nice little fluxcore only unitMaxstar 150 STH - very nice
Reply:Bigger does equal better in this case.ECAVE Still learnin'Lincoln AC225Lincoln 135SPHF ChopsawVictor O/ANumerous other items
Reply:Consider buying a trailer hitch and designing the bumper skin to attach to the hitch you buy so the tow point is not dependent on your welds.  It kind of looks like the bumper in your picture is made this way anyhow.
Reply:Ok, lets eliminate my womens mig welder I can use a millermatic 211 for the entire build, I will just cut all the pieces at home and tack it up with the autoarc and then bring it to the mechanic shop to finish it up.I like the idea of buying a hitch and working around it. I would also be putting D rings on it as attachment hooks.
Reply:That sounds good BB.When you do your d rings, weld the ring to a plate then the plate to the bumper to spread the surface area you will be pulling against even if they are for decoration only.ECAVE Still learnin'Lincoln AC225Lincoln 135SPHF ChopsawVictor O/ANumerous other items
Reply:Curious why you chose 3/16 for the whole bumper.  10, 11, or 12 ga is plenty strong.  the thing I learned years ago about bumpers the hard way was you do not want an indestructible bumper.  you want a tough bumper that will bend before your frame does.  It all depends upon what you are planning on doing with your bumper.  if you want an indestructible bumper then the deflection and bending will be moved to your frame.  I would much rather rebuild a bumper than try and straighten out my frame.
Reply:Originally Posted by Scott YoungCurious why you chose 3/16 for the whole bumper.  10, 11, or 12 ga is plenty strong.  the thing I learned years ago about bumpers the hard way was you do not want an indestructible bumper.  you want a tough bumper that will bend before your frame does.  It all depends upon what you are planning on doing with your bumper.  if you want an indestructible bumper then the deflection and bending will be moved to your frame.  I would much rather rebuild a bumper than try and straighten out my frame.
Reply:The thickness to use for a bumper build is something I have been thinking about lately too. I'd like to build something for my Land Cruiser but 3/16 or even 1/8 seems like overkill for the way I use my truck.Interested to see what you do with this.
Reply:Not sure if this is for your model Jeep, but this kit you can buy and weld yourself:http://www.swagoffroad.com/BIG-HIT-T...-V20_p_91.html
Reply:Jeep bumper build with a mig welder:Bumper build with an AC buzzbox:
Reply:I have built several bumpers and several things I have learned.  the only areas that need heavy metal is the winching areas.  The rest is simply cosmetics and the less weight the better.  12ga material is stronger than expected especially when you have several angles such as the bumper in the OP.  If it is a bumper just for show and street then I would use 12 ga.  if it is for real application then 10 ga.If the bumper is a simple design like the one in the video, then I would most likely go with a 3/16 metal.Last edited by Scott Young; 01-30-2014 at 04:58 PM.
Reply:I have a 2011 JK so that kit is out but thank you.My front bumper has a winch jeep bumpers mount directly to the frame a least on the front. there is no crush space if you will so all force in a colission transmits directly into the frame. I've rear ended a coupleThings, I always win. I may be mistaken but I think my front bumper is 3/16. It has been pretty indestructible as I would need it to be. But it may be 1/8 and if it is I will probably use that. My other issue is I don't think I'm skilled enough to run an outside corner of that length on thin 1/8" material. Then again 1/8" is cheap enough to I could have plenty of scrap material to practice on.
Reply:Yea front bumper is 3/16.  So I would assume all factory made models are 3/16. Should I still go with 1/8?
Reply:3/16 is common material that I have seen Jeep bumpers built from. Frame tie in brackets are sold on Web for Jeeps.. I am sure that you can copy design, if you are building a bumper. Will this bumper include a tire swing? Will it be used as a recovery point? Also, as far as towing goes, a Jeep TJ only has a 2,500lbs tow rating. Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkQualified & experienced at welding scrap metal
Reply:Originally Posted by little Jeep3/16 is common material that I have seen Jeep bumpers built from. Frame tie in brackets are sold on Web for Jeeps.. I am sure that you can copy design, if you are building a bumper. Will this bumper include a tire swing? Will it be used as a recovery point? Also, as far as towing goes, a Jeep TJ only has a 2,500lbs tow rating. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply:If your D rings will not be strong enough to be actual recovery points, don't add them to your bumper. It would amount to building a trailer hitch that is for show only... Sooner or later, it will be used, and someone could get seriously jacked up because they didn't know it was for show only.Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkQualified & experienced at welding scrap metal
Reply:Originally Posted by little JeepIf your D rings will not be strong enough to be actual recovery points, don't add them to your bumper. It would amount to building a trailer hitch that is for show only... Sooner or later, it will be used, and someone could get seriously jacked up because they didn't know it was for show only.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply:Originally Posted by BrooklynBravestMy other issue is I don't think I'm skilled enough to run an outside corner of that length on thin 1/8" material. Then again 1/8" is cheap enough to I could have plenty of scrap material to practice on.
Reply:Originally Posted by MinnesotaDaveBumper builds I don't really worry about. But I wonder about you listing your skills as limited and still wanting to weld recovery points.The two concepts are in conflict.
Reply:Heres my morning practice attempt at a 3/16" outside corner. Brutal honesty would be appreciated. I did it with the autoarc 130 so I know it wasnt strong enough for full penetration but I won't use that for the real build.At the end of the weld where it gets pretty inconsistent my stupid sleeve got caught while sliding across the table.Third picture is where I just decided to run a bead over the inside for the heck of it. I was too lazy to clean the millscale off for practice sake.Attachment 604611Attachment 604621Attachment 604631Attachment 604641Attachment 604651Last edited by BrooklynBravest; 01-31-2014 at 02:59 PM.
Reply:Last bumper we built, 8" Channel boxed, 2" schd 80 pipe for grill guard, bought shch 80 weldable elbows to make bends, 3/4" flat for uprights to attach 2" for horizontal runs. 15 years has not once failed a bump test. Pulled off to work on radiator supports found out it weighed over 350#, is this called over engineering?
Reply:Originally Posted by BrooklynBravestI know I can make the welds on the recovery points and the outside corners. I just don't think I have the "endurance" if you will, to make a perfect 4' long weld the length of the bumper.Its not so much making the weld as it is the duration of non-stop welding for those corners.Originally Posted by MinnesotaDaveAh, I see what you meant - my misunderstanding.
Reply:Just practice until you need almost no flap disk smoothing at all - you'll be happier in the long run Just my opinion of course.Plus areas where you want it flapped down smooth, it will take almost no time at all.Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:Alright I decided its warm out time to give it a go...Will by far be my most intricate project yet. I have the steel, I'm gonna have to cut it all with an angle grinder which is going to suck im sure but its all I have at the moment.Will weld it with an MVP 211.Any tips for the outside corner welding? I have only a little practice doing them. Heres what I have so far. I haven't come up with a plan for attaching the clevis rings yet, I am going to search around for a jeep with a factory made steel bumper and see how the rings are tied in and if its worth it or not. Attachment 652961Attachment 652971Attachment 652981Attachment 652991
Reply:Cutting with an angle grinder isn't THAT bad... I had to cut 6 2ft x 2ft squares out of a 5x10 of 5/16 thick plate, and used about 2 discs per cut being gentle. It is VERY time consuming, yes, but I feel I can cut a nicer straighter cut with that than a torch, and since I don't have a plasma the grinder was my option.IMO. I would look towards a factory receiver hitch for your recovery points. Not because I don't trust your ability, but for sheer simplicity.Keep showing progress pics!
Reply:Dont forget a couple HI Led lights and how about the hi lift jack
Reply:Originally Posted by TSCGG13Cutting with an angle grinder isn't THAT bad... I had to cut 6 2ft x 2ft squares out of a 5x10 of 5/16 thick plate, and used about 2 discs per cut being gentle. It is VERY time consuming, yes, but I feel I can cut a nicer straighter cut with that than a torch, and since I don't have a plasma the grinder was my option.IMO. I would look towards a factory receiver hitch for your recovery points. Not because I don't trust your ability, but for sheer simplicity.Keep showing progress pics!
Reply:Originally Posted by BrooklynBravestI enjoy having actual D rings like my front bumper has. But im not quite certain how other bumpers have them tied to the frame.
Reply:Originally Posted by BrooklynBravestI know I can make the welds on the recovery points and the outside corners. I just don't think I have the "endurance" if you will, to make a perfect 4' long weld the length of the bumper.Its not so much making the weld as it is the duration of non-stop welding for those corners.I also might just get bolt on recovery hooks that use 1/2" bolts.Jeep forum guys said the tow hitches are always further attached to the frame even if theyre inset in the bumper, as you guys stated so thats an easy one, I have to buy a pre-made one like someone said and incorporate it.
Reply:Hey Brooklyn,Just PM me and pic a day.  You can make all your cuts with my pm45.  Just take a ride.TA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:Originally Posted by BrooklynBravestActual tow hitches are $60 for the jeep and they mount directly below the bumper to the frame. I am definitely going that route tow-wise. It would require a half-square cutout on the bottom edge of the bumper to allow the hitch to fit. I can add that any time.I enjoy having actual D rings like my front bumper has. But im not quite certain how other bumpers have them tied to the frame. It may not be worth the hassle.I'd love to put some high power LEDs in it, but those alone will cost more than the bumper build. I think the ones my buddy has as fog lights in his raptor ran him $100 each...
Reply:Ended up free hand cutting with a grinder and diablo stainless cutting wheelsWasn't nearly as bad as I expected. Just took time and patience. I made sure to use factory edges for where there won't be welds to cover up imperfections. I was able to cut the 4 main pieces in an hour with one wheel per cut.
Reply:Got a lot done today.I think I will probably end up grinding all the welds smooth. I'm not skilled enough yet to pull off perfect welds that I would be proud of leaving as is. I made it as far as I could on that weld shown in the pic, but I couldnt survive dragging the weld the entire length to the end I had to stop and restart. I'm not really sure the best way to restart a weld so I just started about 1/4" ahead of the previous one and backwashed it before moving forward, but it still shows enough that I want to grind it Attachment 655531Attachment 655541Attachment 655551Attachment 655561Attachment 655571
Reply:Hey that looks really good so far! And your welds don't look bad at all. They could use a little work but comparatively speaking they look good!
Reply:So heres where I stand now.I grinded down all the welds, I still need to put the two side/inside pieces in where the tire/step is. After that its just about mounting it, haven't decided on that yet.I'm not really happy that I had to grind it all down, but I wouldn't have been happy leaving it as is either. I wish I was at that level with my welds but I'm definitely not. I am happy that my fitup for the most part, save for a couple 1/4" too wide measurements on the bottom that I goofed on, went much better than I expected, especially considering I free handed it with an angle grinder.Couple questions regarding the welds though. Parts where the seams come together flat or at a slight angle like the end pieces where it bends in/up, what is the best way to weld it? I just ran a straight bead and grinded it down but is there really a way to make that joint that it would look acceptable with only the weld and no grind? Also the entire bottom section is at a 45* angle and I saw no other way to make that not require grinding either.Realistically the only types of joints that seem to be possible to not require a grinder are 90* joints?Also, I seem to get better welds comfort wise pulling the gun for outside/inside corners. My issue is, the gun blocks your view of progress and I never really know when I need to stop or how much further until I reach the end. Any tips for this?Attachment 657851Attachment 657861Attachment 657871Attachment 657881
Reply:I've run into a dilemma.I made the mistake of making my first weld attempts with my new welder on my bumper build. So the welds came out less than desirable.  Problem is it's on the inside corner that forms the tire cutout/step.What's my best bet to fix this? I was thinking I may need to invest in a die grinder?
Reply:Looks good man!
Reply:Originally Posted by BrooklynBravestI've run into a dilemma.I made the mistake of making my first weld attempts with my new welder on my bumper build. So the welds came out less than desirable.  Problem is it's on the inside corner that forms the tire cutout/step.What's my best bet to fix this? I was thinking I may need to invest in a die grinder?
Reply:Got some weld on Tow hook mounts and some 3/8" plate to makeMounting brackets. I'm going to cut the tow hooks into the bumper and weld them directly to the frame mount.Attachment 676201
Reply:So I haven't done much on this project but im ready to get back to it.Is it worth making the bumper brackets out of 3/8" plate shown above or is it just a waste? I looked at some aftermarket units around town and they seem to be a 3/16" construction with 3/16" brackets. The frame rail it holds on to are only 1/8" square tube, so is there really any point to a beast of a bracket? A structure is only as strong as its weakest link right? The actual ring mounts will be off set about 2" to the side of the bracket. Unfortunately with my measurement this is just where they had to end up. I may put a small piece of 3/16" behind that gap to beef up that spot.
Reply:Anyone?
Reply:That bumper should be plenty song enough out of 3/16 plate. I have built over 20 bumpers and overhalf of them were out of 10 gauge. One thing i have learned is that adding a few properly placed gussets will make a world of difference in strength.
Reply:I wouldn't use templates on a bumper. I think running a 5' bead will make you a steel banana break it up. preheat to avoid distortion. Don't weld inside, Too much distortion. Build around a factory hitch.
Reply:The bumper is already built.I'm not asking for the thickness of the bumper. I'm asking how thick the mounting brackets should be.
Reply:I'd use 3/8 on the part you plan to weld those tow hooks too.  Could get away with less in other areas if needed.  Just an FYI, the strongest tow hooks I've seen are fabricated a bit different than I envision yours.  Usually, the tabs are elongated and a slot is cut in the frame mount bracket to accept them.  They are slid through the mounts an welded from the backside of the mount and then the front.  Penetration on both sides of the mount.
Reply:So this is probably my best welding to date. Still probably garbage compared to you guys but I think I'm getting better slowly.I did it with the Hobart 210 on 220v max amps. It's cut into the bumper and welded on both sides.Attachment 718791