Yet another front bumper (Ram 1500)

admin

About a month ago I bought a (very) used Dodge Ram 1500. This is the first time I've ever owned a truck of my own, I've been driving hand-me-down cars from relatives since high school.A week after I bought it Murphy's Law reared it ugly head and I managed to get into a wreck:(click all images for larger versions)When I bought the truck, I put "build new bumper" on my things-I-might-get-around-to-doing-eventually list. But after the wreck it was put on my do-now list.But Murphy wasn't done with me yet, to add injury to insult, later that week I took a runaway grinder to the knee (see this thread: http://www.weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=19830 ) and had to do this entire build without being able to bend my right knee more than a few degrees.Anyway, Because of the damage I had to plasma gouge the heads off the bolts holding the bumper on because there was no way to get a wrench to the bolt and I didn't feel like annoying the neighbors by grinding them all off.Here's the truck with the bumper all removed, it's like a blank canvas:I thought this was interesting; the bumper mounting hole on the frame is now a funny shape where it took the brunt of the impact of the wreck:I started by tacking some scrap square tubing together to hold things up until I figured out how to really mount the thing. The new brackets bolted to the frame were cut out of half-inch plate using the old brackets as a pattern for the bolt holes:The whole thing will be made out of 1/8" plate (formerly my welding table). Here's the first piece tacked to the temporary skeleton, it has a piece of 2" X 2" X 3/8" angle welded to the back that will eventually be connected to the mounting brackets:After that I just kept making pieces that looked right, making a copy for the other side and tacking them on:More pieces added:Still adding pieces:And here it is, all tacked up and ready to be welded out:All I had to weld with were some really old, crappy E6011 rods that one of my grandmother's friends gave me when he heard I was a welder... I didn't take any pictures of the welds because they were nothing special or exciting to look at. Besides they were all going to get ground down anyway.Finished pictures in next post.Visit Tensaiteki.com
Reply:And what you've all been waiting for, pictures of the finished bumper, welds all ground down and the whole thing sprayed with aerosol bed-liner:Before anyone asks:No, I do not plan on adding a grill guard.Yes, I will add a license plate mount.No, I do not plan on adding any fog light mounts at this time.No, it's not fully my own design, it's based off these: http://www.roadarmor.com/ra3/dodge_trucks.htmlNo, no one was seriously hurt in the wreck.Yes, the knee still hurts.Yes, I realize the registration on the truck is expired.Yes, that is a 1960 Studebaker Champ parked next to my truck.No, the Studebaker is not mine.Visit Tensaiteki.com
Reply:Very Impressive! How much time and money do you have in that?BrettUSAF SSgt - Explosives ExpertHobart Handler 187Hobart Airforce 4001989 Lincoln SA-200 Classic I
Reply:Originally Posted by AMMO22Very Impressive! How much time and money do you have in that?
Reply:Any idea how much that thing weighs?  That 1/8" plate has to make that sucker heavy, upgraded front springs or at least good aftermarket (possibly adjustable) shocks may be in order.  When I was a kid, my folks had a chevy van, that thing ate shocks like you wouldn't believe because of all the extra weight on the front shocks, and it was a 3/4 ton chasis!  Finally I convinced the old man to upgrade to some aftermarket shocks and they lasted years.Contact me for any metal polishing needs you may have, my avatar is a pic of a standard, painted fire axe that I ground, sanded polished and buffed to a mirror finish.
Reply:Very nice work! I was expecting the usual C-channel bumper. I was thinking 1/8" plate seemed light! I guess after owning 70's Mopars with jacking bumpers and heavy work trucks with c-channel bunpers and plow frames, my  view might be a little skewed. Hey, I drive around with almost 500 lb of plow frame on the front of mine year round as a Bambi guard!
Reply:Nice clean work there.  Looks great!I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:Originally Posted by TensaitekiThe whole thing will be made out of 1/8" plate (formerly my welding table).
Reply:Interesting bumper design. I like it! Looks like a stealth bomber.Patriot Performance AutoLincoln Power Mig 255CLincoln AC-225 StickVictor Journeyman O/AQuincy QT-5 Compressor
Reply:It does have a stealthish look to it.   Nice work!MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Looks great!  A+ jobDewayneDixieland WeldingMM350PLincoln 100Some torchesOther misc. tools
Reply:Nice work indeed! You did a grade A job on that, I like it better than the original.Miller Thunderbolt 225Millermatic 130 XPLincoln HD 100 Forney C-5bt Arc welderPlasma Cutter Gianteach Cut40ACent Machinery Bandsaw Cent Machinery 16Speed Drill PressChicago Electric 130amp tig/90 ArcHobart 190 Mig spoolgun ready
Reply:nice! you have a good eye for following all those shapes. I bet it doesn't weigh as much as it looks like it might. now it's time for a new welding table. "Every choice you make will effect at least one other person"
Reply:What did you use to cut out all the individual pieces?Plasma?Shear?ThanksRoy BDartmouth, Mahttp://www.rvbprecision.comMM 185 MIGDiversion 165Purox W200 O/AGrizzly 9957 MillGrizzly 4030 Metal Band SawGrizzly 1050 Knife Belt SanderJet 1236 Metal LatheCM 14" Metal Band SawTP Blast Cabinet
Reply:Very nice work! I noticed that it appears that your accident mashed the air conditioning radiator. Is that so? You would have to replace that where I live...it gets pretty hot sometimes. I managed to run into a post one day with my Dodge Dakota. The front bumper wasn't damaged but the right side fog light got a broken crystal. The list price was $115.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Parts aren't cheap for any vehicle anymore, I guess. Anyway, you built a nice bumper!
Reply:Very nice and kudos for recycling your table, hard to build another one without  a table though....Airco 300 squarewaveMig welding center...Powcon sm300/LN 25Powcon sm200/PD lHypertherm PM 1100Miller AEAD 200LE W/LN25 FCand now another sm200 pd l combo.
Reply:Originally Posted by Tensaiteki;171125Before anyone asks:No, I do not plan on adding a grill guard.Yes, I will add a license plate mount.No, I do not plan on adding any fog light mounts at this time.No, it's not fully my own design, it's based off these: [urlhttp://www.roadarmor.com/ra3/dodge_trucks.html[/url]No, no one was seriously hurt in the wreck.Yes, the knee still hurts.Yes, I realize the registration on the truck is expired.Yes, that is a 1960 Studebaker Champ parked next to my truck.No, the Studebaker is not mine.
Reply:Very nice!  That's one thing I don't miss at a previous job; building bumpers.  They got old after the first 100 or so!
Reply:Turned out nice and you won't be meeting another like it. I wouldn't worry about what it weighs. If that Dodge won't handle the weight you can always trade for a Chevy. LOL
Reply:Originally Posted by OldtimerTurned out nice and you won't be meeting another like it. I wouldn't worry about what it weighs. If that Dodge won't handle the weight you can always trade for a Chevy. LOL
Reply:Originally Posted by OldtimerTurned out nice and you won't be meeting another like it. I wouldn't worry about what it weighs. If that Dodge won't handle the weight you can always trade for a Chevy. LOL
Reply:I like the way it matches the lines of the truck.  Great job.David Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by OldtimerTurned out nice and you won't be meeting another like it. I wouldn't worry about what it weighs. If that Dodge won't handle the weight you can always trade for a Chevy. LOL
Reply:Originally Posted by OldtimerTurned out nice and you won't be meeting another like it. I wouldn't worry about what it weighs. If that Dodge won't handle the weight you can always trade for a Chevy. LOL
Reply:NICEs..... now to hav e truck version in my ride... I really need a new bumper for my radio truck... Thanks for the inspiration... Unit in my fab shop dept:my good hand and team that trust me...A lone welder make art... a village full of welder make Miracles...