| Author | Message | ||
     michael burt (Mikeyb) Senior Member Username: Mikeyb Post Number: 631 Registered: 03-2002 |
the following photos are of the mod i made to my land rover gas tank skid to work better without the stock hitch and greg davis' rear bumper. i trimmed 3.5 inches off the lrna skid to start the process. if i had it to do over again...i would trim less so i could beef up the lower attachment stuff. the plate is 3/16 inch steel. lower attachment is a plate welded at the correct angle to match the skid plate. a section of 90 angle is also welded in to add a little more strength. that section is bolted to the skid with button allen heads. the upper section is attached to the stock hitch mounting points (and the one greg uses as well). the angle of the plate and the angle of the frame does not exactly match, so i added a shim on the front and back to correct for the angle. i had to obtain longer bolts for the upper mount. i can't say it is bullet proof, but if i was able to hack this together, then i am sure anyone can and i am sure some improvements can be made. so here are the photos...:  | ||
| michael burt (Mikeyb) Senior Member Username: Mikeyb Post Number: 632 Registered: 03-2002 |
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| michael burt (Mikeyb) Senior Member Username: Mikeyb Post Number: 633 Registered: 03-2002 |
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| Jamil Abbasy (Jamooche) Member Username: Jamooche Post Number: 227 Registered: 05-2003 |
Nice job Mike. Mine still only has the stock plate on it. What are those two wings sticking off the GD bumper in the rear? Did you add those afterwards? I've never seen a GD bumper like that. Jamil | ||
| Jamil Abbasy (Jamooche) Member Username: Jamooche Post Number: 228 Registered: 05-2003 |
Mike what did you do for your exhaust? I have it routed through the rear quarter panel as well. Works fine, but it bangs around on the body sometimes and makes these really loud annoying vibration and banging noises. Do you know any type of special rubber I could put around it? Jamil | ||
| michael burt (Mikeyb) Senior Member Username: Mikeyb Post Number: 634 Registered: 03-2002 |
thanks jamil... yeah, as far as i know this is a one off bumper. i felt like i needed a deeper shelf to load bikes, boats, boards, and whatever, so i asked him to add those extensions. i am very happy with how they turned out. i don't know if it will be in his regular product lineup, but i like the look as well as the function. mike | ||
| michael burt (Mikeyb) Senior Member Username: Mikeyb Post Number: 635 Registered: 03-2002 |
opps...missed the last question...i just ran it out the side right behind the rear tire, but below the sliders. i really don't expect to drop on anything that far forward, so i figure i will not crush the pipe. and if i do, a couple of big screw drivers will open it enough as a temp fix. no idea about the rubber...i wonder how hot it actually gets back there...? mike | ||
| Jim Reynolds (4x4xfar) Member Username: 4x4xfar Post Number: 201 Registered: 05-2003 |
Michael do those extensions effect your rear tire ... it looks like it is resting on it? The skid plate looks very cool from the rear, nice job!! | ||
| michael burt (Mikeyb) Senior Member Username: Mikeyb Post Number: 636 Registered: 03-2002 |
thanks jim... actually, the spare is resting on it. when i adapted the rear carrier, i did not just invert it...i made some brackets that moved it as far as possible (and still be able to open the rear door) to the passenger side and i lowered it to sit just on the stock bumper. i was trying to get better rearward vis around the spare. the davis bumper sits a little higher, so i need to modify the modifications and have the tire sit a bit higher as well. sitting on the bumper, i do not fear using the ladder, or the tire as a ladder. mike | ||
| Jim Reynolds (4x4xfar) Member Username: 4x4xfar Post Number: 202 Registered: 05-2003 |
What you doing for turn signals? Jamil who posted up a little has a GD bumper and fabbed in rear red lights and yellow turn signals. | ||
| Lewis Jones (Cutter) Member Username: Cutter Post Number: 236 Registered: 10-2003 |
well done! and I like the way you moved the tire over, good job. | ||
| Jim Reynolds (4x4xfar) Member Username: 4x4xfar Post Number: 203 Registered: 05-2003 |
Michael, I was looking at your profile and you swapped T-cases .. what did you put in ?? | ||
| Jamie (Rover_puppy) Senior Member Username: Rover_puppy Post Number: 505 Registered: 05-2003 |
Mike, Good work!! When there's a will there's a way! I can't believe the effort you put into customizing your bumper. I really like the idea of your wider shelf to stand on - it can get tricky getting stuff up top. The idea of your resting your tire on the rear bumper also sounds promising, I wonder if that would give the closed door hinges better support when a person is standing on the tire? (I think that's how I might have done my check strap in - I was standing on the tire while pulling something big up to roof with pulley). Awesome that you found a way to integrate the fuel tank skid. I saw a fuel tank today removed from Disco after it cracked when hitting something on the ground - that tank wasn't a pretty picture. Mike, can you pull the same load as the stock hitch does with the receiver that you have now? Thanks for sharing with us!!  Jamie | ||
| michael burt (Mikeyb) Senior Member Username: Mikeyb Post Number: 637 Registered: 03-2002 |
thanks lewis, i know it may just be in my mind, but i feel like i see much better than when i had inverted the carrier. it was trial and error, but worth it... jim, i had one of the 2001 disco's that had no cdl stud, so there was no way i could have just bought the linkage to make it work. i found a place that had (rovers down south) brand new transfer cases with the cdl stud, so i had my denuded case replaced with one i could attach linkage to... hey jamie...thanks for the sized pics! i was thinking that the hinges would have an easier life if they were not supporting all those pounds all the time. you never know, but it is worth a try...greg tells me that his hitch is rated a class III as is the stock one. mike | ||
| michael burt (Mikeyb) Senior Member Username: Mikeyb Post Number: 638 Registered: 03-2002 |
i forgot the lights question, jim... greg included instructions as to how to move the signals up the the pillars using a two in, one out trailer converter, so the brake lights now double as brake/signals. i will say that it was my intent to do what jamil did, but those wings on the back obstruct too much rearward visibility to do exactly jamil's solution. i will take the winter to make some other light setup. maybe a LED strip setup of some kind. mike | ||
| Greg Davis (Gregdavis) Senior Member Username: Gregdavis Post Number: 1090 Registered: 08-2002 |
Mike, very nice job. Looks very thought-out, and will work well for you. | ||
| michael burt (Mikeyb) Senior Member Username: Mikeyb Post Number: 639 Registered: 03-2002 |
thank you sir... your bumper has been getting rave reviews around town! i have not put the skid up to much of a test yet...time will tell! mike | ||
| Frank Rafka (Mongosd2) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Mongosd2 Post Number: 219 Registered: 02-2003 |
Hey Mike, I like what you did...I'm starting from scratch...I really like the sliders on Greg's bumper, I was bouncing them off some rocks Saturday at Paragon in north east PA, I'm pretty sure you can lift the truck with them... Frank | ||
| michael burt (Mikeyb) Senior Member Username: Mikeyb Post Number: 641 Registered: 03-2002 |
let us know what you come up with, frank! i am never satisfied with the first thing i make, so i would love to see your project! after removing the stock bumper, i am amazed i was able to stand on it at all... after installing greg's bumper, i am feeling awfully invincible. now if i can just get my driving skills to match the trucks abilities...;) |
