[Dacaur]

So finally I got some extra money to buy some steel for my new rear bumper.. So here it is, with a brief write up....
First, the price...
Total Cost: $81.39 and a few welding rods.

One 65" 4"x4"x3/16" Square steel tube, $28.13 plus $5 for cut.
Eight 3 and 3/4" long 2"x3"x3/16" angle iron pieces, $3.26 plus $5 for cut.
Misc Hardware (grade 5 bolts, washers, lockwashers) $6
Spare Tire carrier from JC whitney $30 plus $10 shipping.

First I used cardboard to mock up a bracket, to decide on the size, I ended up going with 2 pieces of 2"x3" 3/16" thick angle iron for each bracket, welded into an s shape then welded to the bumper.

First I drilled 2 holes in each bracket, using the old bracket and my cardboard model to measure...


I drilled a smaller pilot hole then the larger main hole so after 4 hours of drilling with dull drill bits, and having decided next time im going to buy new sharp drill bits, I ended up with this.


Then I mocked up the bumper to where I wanted it....


And tacked the brackets in place...


So then, after finishing off the welds, and a little uhhhhh, persuasion, with a sledge hammer, to get the brackets to fit after they warped during welding..... and adding the JC whitney tire carrier....



It folds down for access to the hatch.



Total time was about 8-10 hour's.... I was able to make it with normal tools, all I used were some a socket wrench to remove the old bumper, and to install the new one, a drill, and a large and small sledge hammer for final fitment. Of course I still have a bit to do... After seeing it on the jeep I want to cut about 2 inches off each side to make the ends even with the tail lights, then I will cap the ends, with the caps extending forward to within about an inch of the body, then I might weld a plate on top to fill the gap between the bumper and the hatch so I quit dropping things down there then I will paint it with some sort of either truck bed liner or rubber undercoating... and figure out what to do with the licence plate, But overall im Quite happy with how it turned out... I had originally planned to make it into an air tank, and might in the future.. but not for a while... need to do some more research on that first. Once I get some more money I can spare on it, I think im going to build on a swing out tire carrier using some sqare tubing, but time will tell how well the JC whitney carrier holds up.... But it does hang down lower than Id like....

[MSHarnett]

looks great. so home many are you gonna make to sell to us, haha

[XJBill]

looks cool, a little bit of a departure angle killer with the tire but it looks nice and beefy. now all you need is a licence plate relocator

[ecrab3]

I think it will look awesome after you do the 2" cut and coat it. How about making a angled/beveled cut at the corners instead of a square 2" chop?

And definitely rubbercoat it then paint hammered on top of it, will look great!

I need to learn to weld.........

[RedJeepXJ]

good job, what kinda welder are you using?

I should finish mine one of these days, building mine out of 3/4" square tubing and various other scrap from a retail store so it only costing me for the welding rods

[xcmbike]

Ill buy one from you. All my other options are $800+

[Dacaur]

I dont have my own welder (yet)I used my buddys, I cant remember what brand it is if thats what you wanted, but its just a regualar arc (stick) welder, set at 115 amps....

I got some spray on truck bed liner and coated it, so well see how that lasts... I thought about doing a 45 on the ends, but my new plan is to make the endcaps removable, so I can store misc things in the bumper.... once I get it finnished and everything figured out, I wouldnt mind fabing up a few extras if someone wanted one.... so long as they were willing to pay me some for my time and effort, and then shipping would probably add about $50-$60 UPS ground... and as long as they understood that being home made of course its not going to look as good as a profesionaly made bumper....