Check out my "altercation" - ZJ brushguard on XJ - Page 2

**ChewyXJ** · 03-09-2009, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrankZ

You are calling me an idiot. What a tard......

Apparently he thinks that is a strong mounting system. I'd compare it to bolting a 2x4 to a piece of drywall.

Muddeprived · 03-09-2009, 04:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BunnyHunterOG

I was hoping someone would catch onto the "altercation" thing.

As far as for the trail.

I used 1/4 inch thick angle iron. The size they are, theres no way theyre bending so I think you should be ok.

Its on there pretty good, its not going anywhere.

Im going to eventually extend two l brackets through the bumper to make it a little more secure, but the way it is, id feel comfortable side swiping a car. its not going anywhere.

The angle iron is pretty thick and strong, surprisingly easy to drill though with a good bit and fairly simple to hacksaw through.

It looks more like 1/8" thick than 1/4" thick. Could be the picture fooling me. What looks will happen is the bottom section of that angled steel attached to the front crossmember will bend backwards if the brush guard happens to hit a somewhat thick brush or tree. I don't see it doing too much damage to the crossmember unless it's bent back more than it can handle. What he needs is a horizontal mount, not vertical. With a horizontal mount, the force goes through the bracket into the frame. With the vertical, the force is all in the bracket and it'll bend easily. Alot of brush guards bolt to the factory bumper which uses "horizontal mounts", attached to the frame direction, not to a vertical bracket hanging below the frame.

Maybe fabbing additional mounts further up, like he mentioned, will strengthen it a bit more. You could get one on the top portion of the bumper. It'll be better mounting point than the one below. Not the best but better than how it is currently.

MuckShifter · 03-09-2009, 06:43 AM

This is my effort, without knowing where the stock guards mounted, I figured the recovery points, were as good a place as any?

MuckShifter · 03-09-2009, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrankZ

It's not the strength of the angle iron, it's what you bolted to....Please, just stop.

I'm with you on this one

Mine's more of a sturdy light bar than a brushguard

chainerx · 03-09-2009, 07:32 AM

I've never seen a brush guard hold up to any kind of collision with a solid object without crumpling. I was trying to point out that you can build the best damn mounting bracket ever and bolt a 2x4 to it, and it will still get broken.

If you think he's going to be playing bumpercars and just slam stuff out of the way with a brush guard, it won't matter how well you mount it. It's just not meant to hit stuff hard, it is made, as the name implys, for brush. Brush is only "a dense growth of bushes, shrubs, etc.; scrub; thicket." not trees, rocks, deer and cars.

Lynch_6913 · 03-09-2009, 11:13 AM

so you just have that tinng bolted to 2 pieces of angle iorn? and the angle iorn is only bolted to fart of the frame that is like 1/8 thick at tops? hope ya dont hit nuttin or you'll be bent up bad... but good luck with that

justanotherjpr · 03-09-2009, 11:30 AM

Anything thicker than brush will probably mess up the OP's mount, but it doesn't look like it was intended for anything else other than that. It doesn't look like the OP does much hard core wheeling, given that his Jeep is stock, so he probably won't notice the loss of ground clearance. Still looks better that the full size chevy setup...

MuckShifter · 03-09-2009, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chainerx

If you think he's going to be playing bumpercars and just slam stuff out of the way with a brush guard, it won't matter how well you mount it. It's just not meant to hit stuff hard, it is made, as the name implys, for brush. Brush is only "a dense growth of bushes, shrubs, etc.; scrub; thicket." not trees, rocks, deer and cars.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BunnyHunterOG

Im going to eventually extend two l brackets through the bumper to make it a little more secure, but the way it is, id feel comfortable side swiping a car. its not going anywhere.

The angle iron is pretty thick and strong, surprisingly easy to drill though with a good bit and fairly simple to hacksaw through.

Hmm! "Say no more"

Lynch_6913 · 03-09-2009, 01:10 PM

well let me say if i was as obnoxious as you were on my bumper post i'd be sittin here for a while, all i'm gonna say is that while it looks good it probably wont stay on very long at all less your jsut mall crawlin then your in good shape... and sideswipein a car would most certianly turn that thing into a frisbee... but jsut keep us posted on how it works for ya!

MuckShifter · 03-09-2009, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lynch_6913

well let me say if i was as obnoxious as you were on my bumper post i'd be sittin here for a while, all i'm gonna say is that while it looks good it probably wont stay on very long at all less your jsut mall crawlin then your in good shape... and sideswipein a car would most certianly turn that thing into a frisbee... but jsut keep us posted on how it works for ya!

Well put that man...pot calling kettle, I'd say?

**WhiteOut** · 03-09-2009, 01:29 PM

If you do hit something, the guard WILL crumple back a ton. It is designed to bolt into the tow hook mounting locations on the ZJ, which are much stronger that this system. FrankZ is right that mounting this as is is kind flaky.

OP, you said this will hold up well against a car? It will not! I have seen these mounted correctly on ZJ's that hit a car or a stationary object and they bend. Sideswiping a car will probably rip the "mounts" off and it will most likely end up on the road.

YJSXJ · 06-12-2009, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BunnyHunterOG

its bolted to the car you idiot.

look at the pictures.

I highly doubt you're read of any of FrankZ's articles or seen any of his builds. But in this case, just give an apology where one is due and bite the bullet. On TOP of bolting to the sheetmetal of a unibody, those brushguards aren't that thick in material at all. Not in the tubing anyway.

Dont be so stubborn to take criticism. You put it here for the world to see.

later.

mspies1 · 06-12-2009, 07:43 PM

I don't love it, but nicer than stock

For $50, can't beat it

LilRedDakota · 06-12-2009, 07:55 PM

Think OP will post pics after he hits somethin'?

Will be waiting.

P.S. MuckShifter, love the color

ajxj9197 · 06-12-2009, 11:19 PM

i have a simlilar if not same brush guard and it seems to hold up fine..i have hit plenty of stuff with it so idk i mean if youre talking like a full on crash no, or ramming straight into a tree no..but i mean if beating on it plenty. By no means is it practical though its soley cosmetic im just saying it isnt as weak as it would seem.