# Fabricating a bumper for a truck



## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

As some of you know, I work in a metal fabrication shop where I do the design work for all kinds of stuff. Some of the tools in my shop are CNC cutting machines (Laser, Plasma, Oxy), some are CNC forming machines (Breaks) and some are good old-fashioned metal-working machines (saws, iron-workers, shears, etc).

I have designed and built many bumpers for vehicles, doing the process from start-to-finish ... design in AutoCAD to doing the cutting myself, forming it all myself, welding it all in my home garage, painting and then installing.

I was looking at ARB's website today looking to see if they make a snorkle for my Chevy truck (they don't  ) and noticed that they put a video on of one of their bumpers being made from flat sheet-metal all the way to final install.

Much of what you will see in this video is all equipment that I use very regularly ... and love doing so!

Enjoy the next 10 minutes!






:wave: :wave: :wave:


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## Tweto (Nov 26, 2011)

The place looks like the factory I spent 30 years in. Good looking bumper!

Thanks for the video!


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

If I ever made a front bumper, it would most likely be made from pipe, and *definitely* would incorporate an air storage tank.

Now that you suggested it, it would be easy to add a snorkel to it as well.


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

LincTex said:


> If I ever made a front bumper, it would most likely be made from pipe, and *definitely* would incorporate an air storage tank.
> 
> Now that you suggested it, it would be easy to add a snorkel to it as well.


I have seen that before and people putting quick-connect air-chucks onto them as well. The problem with them is that if you are in an accident (bump into a rock or tree or wall or something else) and the airtank-bumper is pressured up, it can cause significantly more damage than an airtank-bumper that is at atmosphere-pressure and it gets ruptured.

One thing that I did for a customer was talk them out of the airtank-bumper and go with a custom fitted DOM 3-gallon airtank that was mounted to their frame and then run softline hoses to the quick-connects at the front bumper, rear bumper and then also mounted a quick-connect in the firewall of the truck on the passenger footwell so that there would be quick (and clean) access to the airline in the middle of the vehicle. A couple years later the customer came in for a visit for some other stuff and told me that the bumper connections never ever got used - only the one inside the cab of the pickup got used. Mud / salt / water / grime / etc made the bumper connections horrible to use.

Another customer had one of those cheap "framer's compressor" that had a bad compressor on it. I took the vertical twin-tank, mounted it to the drivers-rear of a Jeep Cherokee (where the spare-tire is normally mounted). The airline came from the engine-mounted compressor, down the frame-rail, into the wheel-well and then to the tanks inside. One side of the threaded-fitting was on one side of the tin, other side was inside the Jeep - soft-line to the tank and then a three-port manifold for quick-connects inside.

Here is a picture is of the same style of tanks that I used on his Jeep.


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## cnsper (Sep 20, 2012)

I have seen 3 basic designs....

1. Not nearly strong enough to handle an impact with a deer.
2. On 4x4 pickups they are designed to push the deer under the vehicle when struck.
3. Semi trucks, These bumpers are more designed to carry the poor critter and are VERY strong.


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

Like to have onea them on my suburban, bit outa my price range though. Nice stuff they make.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

NaeKid said:


> The problem with them is that if you are in an accident (bump into a rock or tree or wall or something else) and the airtank-bumper is pressured up, it can cause significantly more damage than an airtank-bumper that is at atmosphere-pressure and it gets ruptured.


Not likely.

these aren't made from thin chinese sheetmetal, all the ones I see and have built are all SCH40 or SCH80 and all are at least .200 wall thickness. You will NEVER, EVER "burst" one. I'll bet you might make a crack that leaks the air out, but not burst it.


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## dixiemama (Nov 28, 2012)

E and his buddies fabbed up one for a work truck when he worked in the oil field. I'm not sure the metal but they poured concrete in it before they attached it to the truck. 

Sent from my MB886 using Survival Forum mobile app


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

dixiemama said:


> I'm not sure the metal but they poured concrete in it before they attached it to the truck.


I am always battling excess weight ... 
it is my enemy on multiple fronts (not just over the belt, LOL!)

Why one EARTH would anyone fill it with concrete?

I can think of no good reason at all.


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## oldasrocks (Jun 30, 2012)

Just weld 12" channel brackets 12 inches out from the truck and you have room to put in a winch. Curve the ends. Install a Ford AC compressor. Put an oil filter in the intake. Outtake is 100psi live air.


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## dixiemama (Nov 28, 2012)

He worked in the oil filled drilling and maintaining gas wells (official answer). The real reason is they were bored and had extra concrete from a job at the shop and they wanted to see if they cld do it and it not overload the front end. Its a daily driver for the manager! 

p.s.: they were really, 15 overgrown kids who played when they had down time. They posted videos on YouTube that you might be able to find. Jet-X Wireline Services. 

Sent from my MB886 using Survival Forum mobile app


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

NEAT!

I have a square tubing back bummer on my $400.00 truck.
I will make hinged end plates to carry tools in the hollow, maybe a walking stick (or sword).


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## zombieresponder (Aug 20, 2012)

oldasrocks said:


> Just weld 12" channel brackets 12 inches out from the truck and you have room to put in a winch. Curve the ends. Install a Ford AC compressor. Put an oil filter in the intake. Outtake is 100psi live air.


Not all winches would fit that setup.

On the compressor: lots of offroad people use the York A/C compressors as air compressors. I picked up a couple a while back to do just that. Just about any a/c compressor can be used. Output can be up to 300psi, and flow rate with the York 210 is around 10cfm. Most of the others won't put out that much.


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

Not sure where to post this, but it not enough for a thread of its own.
My company give us classes every year, it dose not matter if we know most or all the class covers.
We just had one on tig welding.
I used a foot petal for the arc for the first time in over 35 year of welding.
It took some time to get the control of the foot feed, but it is sweet when you need free hand.
I am sure most of you are laughing now, have been doing this for ever.


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## Tweto (Nov 26, 2011)

crabapple said:


> Not sure where to post this, but it not enough for a thread of its own.
> My company give us classes every year, it dose not matter if we know most or all the class covers.
> We just had one on tig welding.
> I used a foot petal for the arc for the first time in over 35 year of welding.
> ...


I love the control I get from the foot pedal on my TIG machine so much that this has become my primary welder for all metals including low carbon steel.

The best word for it is SWEET.


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## offgridcooker (Mar 5, 2012)

If the bumper is too ridgid it will not asorb the energy from a bump.


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