Backyard rear bumper

[Peterb]

This is on a D1, I just wanted to post a couple of pics, I will e-mail out more if you desire, It is built with 2x3x1/4 tubing, along with sone 1/8 diamond plate, It is nearly done, I am hoping that it will provide the quarter panel protection that i need!!!
Peter.

 

[Peterb]

pics

 

[Peterb]

More pics.

 

[bri]

I will give you some protection, but I certainly would not jack from it. For that you need something like this.

http://www.discoweb.org/briandickens/rockware_rear.jpg

Looks like kindof sharp edges there too.

Better than I could do though.

Brian

 

[rovercanus]

Looks good. Here's my D2 bumper.

 

[Peterb]

Thank you! The bumper is not quite finished, I will be attaching the rear quarter guards to the frame, But first goes on a gas tank skid plate, Will keep you posted,
It does however offer protection to the spare, so that a tap on a tree wont ruin the rear door, and the area btwn the lights will be boxed in smooth, Ran out of 3"x1/8th steel, Will continue next week!
And also, Great bumper on the D2!!!

 

[DeanBrown3D]

It will give you some protection, but I certainly would not jack from it. For that you need something like this.
Brian

And what on earth do you base that statement on? The flimsy 1/8" diamond plate? You know, the one thats welded on top of the 2x3x1/4 steel box section?

 

[bri]

What am I supposed to say here Dean? Don't know if you are being sarcastic or not. It might give some protection a stock bumper would not. As long as he just scrapes it, it might hold up. It ain't no Rockware though.

I happen to think the Rockware is extremely strong and durable. I can jack from nearly any place on my bumper as well as allow the entire weight of the vehicle to rest on the bumper if coming off or approaching something nasty. Doesn' t appear to matter where, as long as it is controlled. It shows absolutely no sign of giving. Just scratches.

I know that Peters bumper as is, would not deal with that kind of abuse very well.

 

[DeanBrown3D]

I'm just wondering how you can "state" all these things about a bumper of which you (literally) know nothing structurally. And what's with the "my bumper is better than yours" crap, in someone else's thread?

I already told you its made of a 2x3" welded vertical box section in 1/4" steel, in addition to two 1/8" plates (top and bottom) that you can see.

 

[rovercanus]

It is built with 2x3x1/4 tubing

Which is a bit stronger then the 3/16 plate most after market bumpers are made of.
No doubt the Rock ware bumper is a quality unit as is the Greg Davis for the D2.
But there is a lot to be said for the back yard fabricator. If you do your studying, see what else is out there and can get a decent weld on there, you'll have a bumper that will rival the after market at much less then the 700-1100 dollar range you will most likely pay for one.
My choice was easy, I couldn't afford the available D2 bumpers of which there is not many and except for the GD bumper, the rest of them were bump proof at best. It's funny that the D2 bumper is much simpler in design yet fewer people are selling them. The D2 has been out 5 years now.
The bumper on my truck is made out of 3x4x1/4 inch on the main beam and 2x3x1/4 on the sliders. It's the only place on the truck I would jack from.
The signal lights are water-proof trailer units and the reverse lights are 55 watt Hella work lights. They are wired to the rear fog light circuit. Yes, I made sure the wiring can handle them, It's the same gauge as the front fogs, just replace the 7.5 amp fuses with a 10.
Keep making stuff, it's a great way to learn and the satisfaction it gives you will make you smile.

 

[Peterb]

I think that when the bumper is tied to the frame, via rockwear, with 2, But most likely4 supports to the quarter protectors, and the gas skid plate is installed, It will not onlk hold up the rockingwear, But will be stronger! It is well made, and is stronger than most front bumpers allready! But my objective is to build the armegadon rear bumper!
Time for a latte!
Will pull out the high lift just for the fun!
Peter

 

[bri]

Peter,

I did not mean anything personal as Dean implies.

Obviously I would not put a lift on that until the quarter panel supports are mounted to the frame.

If it is as strong as a Rockware, you're done.

;-)

Brian

 

[bri]

First of all Peter no offense, your bumper looks OK. Better than what I could build and if it ends up as strong as a Rockware, then you are set.

I'm just wondering how you can "state" all these things about a bumper of which you (literally) know nothing structurally. And what's with the "my bumper is better than yours" crap, in someone else's thread?.

Give me a break Dean, even Peter didn't take the comments that way. I looked at every picture and could see things that were much different than a bumper that I know really, really well. The very first picture clearly shows that there are no frame mounts. Other pictures look like the diamond plate has some edges that I would not want in the back where I lean on every day. The 1/8" diamond plate to make the light recesses could very easily get munched if you are in a situation where you have to drag it or worse if you come back down on something.

Without the frame mounts those quarter panel protectors would not offer much protection and would not be jackable, at least for any amount of time. Afterall he mentioned he needed Q panel protections so I though he might be interested. It was not until later that he mentioned that he was adding the mounts.

I showed a picture of mine so he could get an idea for how the Rockware is mounted.

I already told you its made of a 2x3" welded vertical box section in 1/4" steel, in addition to two 1/8" plates (top and bottom) that you can see.

Actually Peter said it first. But who gives a rats ass and I do not care what you say, 1/8 ' diamond plate would not be be a material I make a conscious decision to build a bumper from, but to each her own.

Brian

 

[Peterb]

The bumper is made from a skelaton of 2x3x1/4 steel, with the diamond plate serving as a traction surface on the top, and to protect the lights on the bottom, The rear area btwn the rear lights will be boxed in, so the "sharp edges" will only exist at the light area, I dont think that the DP steel will bend once the skigplate is installed,
I jacked up the truck from the side till the truck started to scrub sideways, The bumper did deflect about 1/8", It is quite strong! stronger that some of the name brand front bumpers that i've seen flexing while just using the winch, I am into this project for about 100$ in steel, Mabey another 50. to make skidplate and out rigger supports for the side protectors, I am quite happy with the design! Here's a pic of jacking from the side!
Have you any other pics of your bumper, Just the mounts!
Thank you!
Peter.

 

[bri]

OK, so I was wrong about being jackable, I guess the mounts to the frame are adequate for holding up to the torque on the q panels protectors. Well done then.

I would still be carefull without those frame mounts if you have to go any closer to the wheel well when jacking, it may deflect more.

The mounts to the frame should also keep the bumper from deflecting in or out too. I would still do them if I were you.

I'll get some snaps in a moment.

 

[bri]

Here are some pics, if you interested in something specific, let me know. Sorry about the dirt. I now wonder about the primary purpose of the frame mount on mine.

These are pics of the bumper from above. I believe the materials are the same as yours in some places and 2x4 in other.

 

[bri]

A couple more. Notice the nice way that the bumper is mounted to the frame on the end at the proper angle. Beads are excellent. Also shows rear skidplate mount.

 

[Peterb]

Brian, Thank you for the pics, I would like to see a pic of the mount that goes through the old sway bar mounts if poss. I mounted the bumper to the frame x member, not the little horns, I have 4 bolts that pass through the x member with 1/4 steel on top and bottom, So i think that overall strength is not an issue, I do intend to support the sides so that there will be no anxieties apon coming down a ledge, Just one step at a time when you have to drive and build at the same time, After i cut the frame horns off to fit and make the brackets to attach the bumper, There was no going back to stock!

 

[bri]

This one?

I believe that the slight twist in the mount to the skidplate was intentional.

The bolt to the skidplate is to the side and farther from the tank than it appears.

 

[koby]

Looks good. Here's my D2 bumper.

Great bumper on the D2!!!

I don't know what you guys see in either of those bumpers. They're hideous.

Why is it that everyone with the exception of Dave Lucas doesn't put half a second's thought into how the bumper will look?

It's cool that you guys can fabricate a bumper, but is it that hard to put some thought into the design?

I supposed you used the diamond plate on your bumper to match your armor plated storage bin and rear door, which are also abortions.

And I don't even know where to begin with this bumper. This bumper looks like whomever made it took whatever pieces of spare metal was laying around and welded it together. It's got all sorts of unnecessary bends. It looks like it was bent by trail use, and it looks like it bent at one of the unnecessary bends in the bumper blade. And what is the use of the rubber baby buggy bumpers?

Contrast that to

That rear bumper is home made, yet it is obvious that someone with an eye for detail took the effort to match the bumper with the rest of the body lines on that Disco 2. The result is an elegant looking bumper.

For contrast's sake, I will now post side-by-side pics.

Amazing, isn't it?