Front Bumper Idea?
- Thread starter discobeest
- Start date
I'm interested in a tough bumper that will hold lights and does not have to have winch provisions. I only do light off roading and dont need the extra 100+ lbs on the front end. i think there is a market but its much smaller than with winch provisions, and it really does not cost more to design a bumper to take a winch.
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Dallas said:
Honestly I was in the same boat originally but when push came to shove and I had been on the desiring end of harder trails the winch issue came up. I did decide to go with a winch bumper. Reading from all sorts of wheelers the ones who didn't get the winch type of bumpers they almost all regret that decision now and have either gone to the winch or are debating on that.
Discobeest;
Trust me since you are moving to CO you will want a winch for any thing you do except the "wagon passes" (thats what I call the trails that you will most likley see the older people in their stock ford exploders on)
CO has some phenominal trails but to access most of them you should be set up for worst case senarios... just my .02
So do you have any pics of your bumper yet??? I would love to see it (not to bash it) I am always interested in seing other peoples fabrication skills and design thoughts.
If I actually had a garage I would be doing a lot of it...
So many ideas for my truck are in my mind and on paper...
And when are you moving to CO?
If I actually had a garage I would be doing a lot of it...
So many ideas for my truck are in my mind and on paper...
And when are you moving to CO?
D
DiscoDino
Guest
Being in the middle of no where, I had to design/build my own bumpers - K.I.S.S. helps...check some pictures under my photo gallery on this site.
For anything north of 500$, it should have a winch basket incorporated...
Based on mcmaster, a 6 foot 1.750" x 0.120" Chromo 6' tube is under 80$, one cut, and two bends, and you have your main bumper...slap a stinger (same tube) with either two additional bends or one bend, and a "U" under slung to triangulate the mounting points (to elude rotational forces on teh bumper) and for a skid plate surface, again same tubing, and you have a main, non-winch bumper...you need some 1/4" plate to mount it to the frame, and some bolts...
rought numbers:
Chromo 6' tube: 78$ http://www.mcmaster.com/param/asp/P...5218172957&ScreenWidth=1280&McMMainWidth=1066
Chromo 24x24x0.250 sheet: 130$ http://www.mcmaster.com/param/asp/P...5218172957&ScreenWidth=1280&McMMainWidth=1066
6 grade 8 bolts with washers and nylock nuts (assumption): 40$
250$ in raw material...so by that math (and if you are producing to mass market/sell, that may drop by 20-30%), then you are adding 400$ for labor/tooling...may sound reasonable, but kinda pricey with a bender/welder/tooling can be sought for <1000$ for the average Joe who can save on the sliders, rear bumper, cage, etc...
Again, not saying that your idea isn't worthy, but playing devil's advocate on what 650$ means to a person seeking a non-winch bumper...
Also, aren't eh Scrapiron (Scorpion Racing) bumpers non-winch <500$ in the US? if so, I have one on my TD5 D90 and they are great...simple and do the job right...
Again, not bashing, just discussing, so take it as that...
Cheers,
Nadim
For anything north of 500$, it should have a winch basket incorporated...
Based on mcmaster, a 6 foot 1.750" x 0.120" Chromo 6' tube is under 80$, one cut, and two bends, and you have your main bumper...slap a stinger (same tube) with either two additional bends or one bend, and a "U" under slung to triangulate the mounting points (to elude rotational forces on teh bumper) and for a skid plate surface, again same tubing, and you have a main, non-winch bumper...you need some 1/4" plate to mount it to the frame, and some bolts...
rought numbers:
Chromo 6' tube: 78$ http://www.mcmaster.com/param/asp/P...5218172957&ScreenWidth=1280&McMMainWidth=1066
Chromo 24x24x0.250 sheet: 130$ http://www.mcmaster.com/param/asp/P...5218172957&ScreenWidth=1280&McMMainWidth=1066
6 grade 8 bolts with washers and nylock nuts (assumption): 40$
250$ in raw material...so by that math (and if you are producing to mass market/sell, that may drop by 20-30%), then you are adding 400$ for labor/tooling...may sound reasonable, but kinda pricey with a bender/welder/tooling can be sought for <1000$ for the average Joe who can save on the sliders, rear bumper, cage, etc...
Again, not saying that your idea isn't worthy, but playing devil's advocate on what 650$ means to a person seeking a non-winch bumper...
Also, aren't eh Scrapiron (Scorpion Racing) bumpers non-winch <500$ in the US? if so, I have one on my TD5 D90 and they are great...simple and do the job right...
Again, not bashing, just discussing, so take it as that...
Cheers,
Nadim
Nadim, it you're paying $40 for 6 grade 8 bolts and the associated hardware you need to find a new supplier. Same with buying tube from McMaster Carr, the 4130 they sell is more than double what I pay if I buy it in small quantities, on a bulk order they sell it for almost triple, plus they charge shipping, mine gets delivered for free.
I agree with Robertf, cromo is a waste of money for a Rover bumper. Same thing with CAD. Rover frames are stamped mild steel, they don't hold close to the same tolerances as a CNC plasma cutter, especially after a couple years on the road and some bumps and flexing offroad. A 4130 bumper is nice, but why spend extra when the frame will buckle long before a well build HREW bumper will fold, much less a bumper build out of DOM.
If I sat down and made a jig I could be kicking out DOM non-winch bumpers for $350 all day long, and make a decent profit, but custom fab work doesn't get mind numbingly boring and pays better, so I'm sticking with that.
I agree with Robertf, cromo is a waste of money for a Rover bumper. Same thing with CAD. Rover frames are stamped mild steel, they don't hold close to the same tolerances as a CNC plasma cutter, especially after a couple years on the road and some bumps and flexing offroad. A 4130 bumper is nice, but why spend extra when the frame will buckle long before a well build HREW bumper will fold, much less a bumper build out of DOM.
If I sat down and made a jig I could be kicking out DOM non-winch bumpers for $350 all day long, and make a decent profit, but custom fab work doesn't get mind numbingly boring and pays better, so I'm sticking with that.
D
DiscoDino
Guest
Guys - the quotes I was getting were just that...I have NEVER bought tube/bolts in the US...all my work/purchases are in the Middle East and am enjoying both the cheaper labor (crappier though) and the cheaper prices (for some weird reason)...
The reason I went with Chromo is to inflate the price even more...:bigok: ...the point wasn't the exact numbers/items, the point was that 650$ for a non winch was a bit too much...and yeah, both of you seem on the same page (English being my 3rd language I probably missed conveying my point thoroughly)
350$ sounds right...my last winch bumper cost me 280$ welded, painted and mounted...but that was back in 2004 (parts and labor)
Cheers,
Nadim
The reason I went with Chromo is to inflate the price even more...:bigok: ...the point wasn't the exact numbers/items, the point was that 650$ for a non winch was a bit too much...and yeah, both of you seem on the same page (English being my 3rd language I probably missed conveying my point thoroughly)
350$ sounds right...my last winch bumper cost me 280$ welded, painted and mounted...but that was back in 2004 (parts and labor)
Cheers,
Nadim
robertf said:CAD design is the shit. QS-9000 non conformists be damned
i know it's bringing up an old thread, but do you know who did this? i'd be interested in seeing his solidmodel. i'm working on something similar in SolidWorks for my DII.
robertf said:
what software did you create it in? whatever you can send would be awesome. i'll be happy to setup an ftp acct on one of my servers for you. PM me when you get back and we can work out the details!
thanks again!
-tommy
solidworks can read inventor part files (.ipt). i've never messed with inventor, but is everything contained within a part, or are there multiple parts which make up a larger assembly?
thanks...
thanks...