Bumpers + Radiators

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided>]

Funny... Thursday I picked up the "starter" materials for my new front 
bumper, and Friday we start talking about bumpers!

I shelled out $50 for this first batch.. which included.. 

6"x2"x64" 3/16" thick tube - $25.65
1/4"x2" flat - 34" @ $3
2' of 3x3/16" square - $6.80
64" of 3"x2.5"x1/4" angle - $9

Along with some smaller angle and a few other items (redi-rod for pulling 
my 727 pump, etc)

This is only "round one" :-)

My plan is to follow Bill Thebert's bumper-design article in the 
Bulletin.. I believe Bill said a bunch of BinderBunch members run a 
similar bumper.  Bill used 5x2 box, but my steel supplier couldn't get me 
5x2x3/16, and I felt 1/4" was too thick.. so I went for 6x2 (since I'm 
researching a 1" body lift at the moment anyhow)

Basic start for the bumper is to take the two 3"x2.5" 1/4" thick angle (I 
was aiming for at least one of those to be 3x2, but they didn't have the 
3x2 handy) and use it above and below the frame, making a "C" channel or 
nearly so.  That'll then get welded to the 6x2 box tube that's the main 
portion of the bumper.

The 6" tube should stick up about 1" or a little more, with just a little 
under-hang.

Put a receiver hitch in the center undeath with some gussets.  Cut the 
3x3 box tube into triangles to weld to the backside of the 6x2 box for 
tow-hook mounts.  Cut some of the 2" strap and weld 'em to the front of 
the box tube and drill for tow-bar mounting points, add in the two bolts 
on either side on the bottom for "Hi-Lift Jack Points" as Bill 
described.. 

That's the start of the design.  I'll be adding a single 1/4" NPT tap to 
the back side of the bumper.. which'll go to a T.. top of the T will 
have a quick connect, and the straight-through of the T will run under 
the grille area and up to the on-board compressor.

Bill "radiused" his ends and then capped 'em.. I lack the tools, so 
instead I'm opting to "triangle" the ends.. I'll leave the top of the 
bumper the full 64" wide, and then cut down and in at ~ 45 deg angle and 
then cap the ends with the 2" strap.  The corner will be rounded as well.

This should yield *slightly* better clearance for the front tires.. we'll 
see when I get the "rough copy" mounted to the front of the racer (my 
test platform.. since it lacks a bumper at the moment)

I'll need to add a license plate bracket to the front.. since Montana 
requires that sorta thing.

The next step is to determine how I want to run some "uprights".. I'm 
thinking some 1x1 or 1.5x1.5 square tube will be welded to the front and 
rear of the 6x2 square tube.. just outside of the frame rails.  This will 
run up to roughly the top of the hood.  I'll weld some cross-pieces of 
1.5x1.5 tube between the two uprights to tie 'em together.  The front 
"uprights" will be ground at an angle at the bottom.. again, shave a 
little off for a little better approach angle.

I'm not sure what I want to use to connect the two uprights together.. my 
goal is mounts for a few lights, and maybe some expanded steel behind it 
to keep branches from the radiator.

I also want the uprights to be strong enough to be used to push 
cars/trucks around.. or survive an accident or an impact with 
soon-to-be-road-kill without making matters worse.

I'm also thinking I need some under-bumper mounted foglights.. foglights 
need to be at a certain height to be effective.. and I think at this 
point, even mounting 'em under the bumper is pushing that limit.. :-)

So.. where the lights are mounted (probably to some more of that 3x3 tube 
cut into triangles and behind the bumper proper) will be some angle-stock 
cut and welded to form a box around the lights.. with expanded steel over 
the front, and the back side open.  I've already munched one set of 
lights when I blew through a snow-bank...

I'll probably remember to put a drain-valve in the buttom of the bumper 
to relieve condensation from it's use as an on-board air tank for the 
compressor.  I'll weld another "guard" around the pet-cock to keep it 
safe from being ripped off - again, when blasting snow banks. :-)

I also want to incorporate some additional "stringers" running rearward 
from the bumper to pick up the first large circular hole in the frame as 
an additional mounting point.

I'm sure more ideas will come to mind once I get the basic bumper tacked 
together and mounted for a look-see... but feel free to send me any comments.

-Tom Mandera, Helena MT
http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout