First project complete! Rear bumper/carrier

**Fropleyqk** · 12-17-2010, 05:44 AM

OK guys, here it is. I posted all of this in my build thread over the course of 2 weeks. Here it is all condensed. Couple notes: I know my welds need improvement. Im working on that. And if it looks remarkably like Besrk's, that because I used his write up as a template.

. The whole thing is 3/16" thick, my little HH140 cant handle 1/4". Shackle tabs are 1" and bumper mounts are 1/4." The bumper mounts, shackle tabs, receiver and spindle are all from A-Z. The whole thing was built with a grinder, chop saw and my HH140. What I wouldnt give for a plasma cutter!

**Fropleyqk** · 12-17-2010, 05:45 AM

**Fropleyqk** · 12-17-2010, 05:46 AM

**Fropleyqk** · 12-17-2010, 05:47 AM

**Fropleyqk** · 12-17-2010, 05:47 AM

grandboost98 · 12-17-2010, 06:19 AM

beautiful work. i wish i had the time, skills, tools and shop to do that lol

BPJOOP93 · 12-17-2010, 06:32 AM

Looks really nice. I would like to be the first to say, please keep the spray paint bombs away from where you are welding. they like to go BOOM, just sayin.

**Fropleyqk** · 12-17-2010, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BPJOOP93

Looks really nice. I would like to be the first to say, please keep the spray paint bombs away from where you are welding. they like to go BOOM, just sayin.

Noted! You know I never even though about that. Thanks for the heads up. My only casualty from this project is my left eye. I was finishing up 2 days ago and a hot piece of slag or flux or whatever managed to bounce inside of my welding mask and bounce right into my eye. 2 days later it still hurts like a SOB.

**jatepper** · 12-17-2010, 06:53 AM

Fropley,

Is this your first tire carrier build? If so, you did an OUTSTANDING job. I have built a couple dozen of them and there is definitely a learning curve. Took me about 10 bumpers in to start really figuring things out and becoming efficient. I'm at the point where I can build a tire carrier in about 4 hours.

That sucks about the slag landing in your eye! I always wear safety glasses at all times when I'm cutting and welding. I even wear them under my welding helmet. But I did once manage to still catch a hot piece on my eyelid and it actually left a little freckle sized scar. I'm lucky it didn't go in my eye as it is literally probably a millimeter above my eyelashes.

But again, kudos to you. The bumper looks awesome! Nothing like having something on your Jeep that is YOURS!

**BESRK** · 12-17-2010, 07:00 AM

Bumper looks great!!

It always amazes me how far the tubing ends will spring open when you slice them like that.

**Fropleyqk** · 12-17-2010, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jatepper

Fropley,

Is this your first tire carrier build? If so, you did an OUTSTANDING job. I have built a couple dozen of them and there is definitely a learning curve. Took me about 10 bumpers in to start really figuring things out and becoming efficient. I'm at the point where I can build a tire carrier in about 4 hours.

That sucks about the slag landing in your eye! I always wear safety glasses at all times when I'm cutting and welding. I even wear them under my welding helmet. But I did once manage to still catch a hot piece on my eyelid and it actually left a little freckle sized scar. I'm lucky it didn't go in my eye as it is literally probably a millimeter above my eyelashes.

But again, kudos to you. The bumper looks awesome! Nothing like having something on your Jeep that is YOURS!

Thanks! I really appreciate that. Not only was it my first bumper/carrier it was my first anything with the welder. Im really happy with the way it turned out. But as with all things, there is some stuff Ill change on the next one I make. It definitely wasnt as easy to build in real life as it was to build in my head

but I really enjoyed building it. I cant wait to start on the next one.

Im not really looking to do this as an income source, I just really like building stuff and if someone wants to pay me a few bucks for it, thatll work for me. Right now I need to figure out how to lower the actual material cost. Buying all that stuff pre-fabbed from A-Z was really convenient but Im sure it dramatically contributes to cost.

Here's some lessons learned for anyone else looking to build one:

-Cut the "A" pieces of the carrier first so that you can make both ends at 45*. I cut the vertical support first and realized that the horizontal arm wouldnt be long enough to cut the A pieces at 45*. I ended up doing one side at 52* and the other at 38.* That made it a PITA trying to get the angles just right to line up.
-Clamp the horizontal piece of the carrier to something flat as you weld on the A frame. Itll minimize warping on the horizontal piece
-Plasma cutter would have made cutting the holes for the clevis mounts and receiver sooooo much easier. Cutting the gussets by hand wasnt any fun either.
-The Hi-Lift carrier doesnt need to be so far off the frame. Mount your rear tire first to see how much room you'll have to play with before adding in the hi-lift mount.
-While I like the A-Z mounts and keeping the bumper so close to the frame, they leave very little room to build a latch assembly if you want it to pull down and in. Also makes it trickier to keep the hi-lift from hitting the tub or tail light when you open the carrier
-I accidently welded the spindle up too high. I should have assembled it first to see where it would actually leave the horizontal support in relation to the bumper.

Other than that, it wasnt too bad. I really enjoyed making it.

jatepper, I normally do wear my safety glasses but I also wear a face mask to keep grinding dust and flux gas out of my lungs. Face mask and goggle dont work together too well. They just fog over. I need to get a pair that keeps fog out. My eye is definitely paying for my procrastination though.

**Fropleyqk** · 12-17-2010, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BESRK

Bumper looks great!!

It always amazes me how far the tubing ends will spring open when you slice them like that.

You know, I didnt expect it to do that. Scared the crap outta me.

Dentedvw · 12-17-2010, 08:14 AM

Nice work!

jrodum · 12-17-2010, 09:41 AM

very nice

**jatepper** · 12-17-2010, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fropleyquark

Right now I need to figure out how to lower the actual material cost. Buying all that stuff pre-fabbed from A-Z was really convenient but Im sure it dramatically contributes to cost.

jatepper, I normally do wear my safety glasses but I also wear a face mask to keep grinding dust and flux gas out of my lungs. Face mask and goggle dont work together too well. They just fog over. I need to get a pair that keeps fog out. My eye is definitely paying for my procrastination though.

Eddie (BESRK) I think also sells DIY bumper parts. A to Z has nice stuff too.

BTW, I wasent trying to give you a "safety lesson"

Just saying that no matter what you think you are doing as safe as possible, something is bound to happen to you anyway.