CJ7 Bumper Build

RacerX

RacerX

Professional Knucklehead; aka Jeffncs / RacerX
2A Bourbon Hound OG
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Reserving this spot for a bumper / tire carrier build for my CJ7 build...

https://www.carolinafirearmsforum.com/index.php?threads/1982-cj7-build-thread-update-5-17.45720/

Materials list:
10’ 2”x4” rectangular steel 3/16” wall
8’ 2”x2” square steel 3/16” wall
8’ 1”x1” square steel
6”x6” steel plate 3/16”
1”x2”x6” solid steel stock (4pieces)
Spare tire hinge kit
T-handle spring loaded pin
Straight latch

I’ll add pics as I go, but here’s the plan...

Front:
54” bumper with matching clevis mounts through welded

Rear:
~50” bumper with swing out tire carrier, receiver hitch and 2 clevis mounts

More to come...
 
2 suggestions.

1. Use large/heavy enough material for one of the bumpers (maybe 6" x . 250) to be used as a compressed air reservoir in the event of off road flats or source for compressed air cleaning.

2. Do Not make clevis' permanent. Well on tabs for when you destroy clevis' in recovery situations.

Been there, got a few T shirts.
 
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Ever think about a Reese hitch on the front also? You can the fab a mount to the Reese for a winch and use it front or back as well as keep it inside the Jeep for weather and weight distribution. Also you can put a trailer hitch in front and use reverse to pull a trailer stuck in mud or sand easier sometimes.
 
@Ben Jefferson
Good suggestion for the air, but I’m not too concerned with that as I have a small compressor that uses the 12v outlet for an emergency. Unlikely I’ll ever run that hard or that far out to worry about it.

My design will include clevis mounts from that 1”x2” bar stock. I’ll round off the front and drill a 1” eye hole for a removable clevis. The bar stock itself will be welded front and rear through the bumper.

@NCFubar
I ,ay have to consider that. I’m installing one in the rear... see what makes sense as I start the build...
 
Long day but the front bumper is 94% complete. Still have to cap the ends and paint it.

I cut everything to ensure right gaps and solid welded all around with multiple passes using .035 flux core through a 110v Hobart 140. I beveled all the joints to ensure deep penetration.

Here are some pics.

2DC61C74-2575-438E-AF90-87C9AD9AB782.jpeg

3D262AB9-590C-4F87-90E7-45E129728C84.jpeg

8E245E97-B99F-4905-8CC2-C91ACBF8E36A.jpeg

AF6CE3F0-4087-4523-950B-2E6E613FC7DE.jpeg
 
Having made the front bumper, in now have a template for the rear with the addition of a swing out tire carrier.

I’m going to hold off on the rear bumper as I really need to get the axle housings back under the Jeep... balance of parts should be here this week to do that)
 
@Jeffncs Your post of your work makes me want to get back out to the rust bucket in my garage to continue breaking it down. I am enjoying the bumper build.
 
Where'd you get all the steel?
 
Brian K said:
Where'd you get all the steel?
Click to expand...

Funny you should ask... I looked and looked for steel suppliers around Wake Forest and came up empty! I made the 45 minute trek to The Metal Supermarket (located off of 401 below Raleigh). I’m glad that I did... great people, excellent selection, ...

Place is large enough to do what they do, but not huge. They allowed me to wander around and look through the cast off racks (butt ends of steel that’s too small for most of their sales). I found a lot of the miscellaneous steel pieces that I’m using for brackets and gussets there.

Looked like a fun place to work for a week... I’d love to own the place though!
 
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Jeffncs said:
Funny you should ask... I looked and looked for steel suppliers around Wake Forest and came up empty! I made the 45 minute trek to The Metal Supermarket (located off of 401 below Raleigh). I’m glad that I did... great people, excellent selection, ...

Place is large enough to do what they do, but not huge. They allowed me to wander around and look through the cast off racks (butt ends of steel that’s too small for most of their sales). I found a lot of the miscellaneous steel pieces that I’m using for brackets and gussets there.

Looked like a fun place to work for a week... I’d love to own the place though!
Click to expand...


How do they price? Alro's scrap store in GSO is a $1/lb for carbon steel.
 
I didn’t check the price per pound, but I’m into the original materials list for $160. The scraps and the solid stock were bought separately.
 
I just realized that I fell behind posting... although I haven’t made much progress!

Cleaned up the welds with an 80 grit flapper wheel then shot the front bumper with grey primer and satin black rustoleum. I already regret not welding on the light tabs.... I’ll fix that regret tomorrow.

I also started the rear bumper today. Got the basic bumper design measured and cut to length. Also installed the spare tire hinge pin. That was a major PIA!! My step drill bit stopped working about 1/8” diameter too small. Had to finish opening the hole up using a hand file... call be Ironman! Filed 3/16” thick steel full inner circumference to fit. I reveled in my success by squaring it up and welding that thing in place!!


Pics tomorrow when it’s light.
 
LeeMajors said:
For the win when that stuff happens View attachment 221743
Click to expand...

Good call! I started using the set of round files I have and the steel won after the teeth on the bits dulled. Usually they’re the key... not so this time!

Rear bumper is fabbed up with the mounting brackets, 2” hitch and the recovery points. Also welded closed the ends and did a heavy plug weld where the spare tire pin comes down (using a cut off wheel, I trim,Ed the protruding pin ,arterial to be flush with the angle of the bumper). The solid perimeter weld and the plug will keep the pin exactly where it belongs!

As a surprise, I found that I left a chunk of cut steel inside the sealed bumper! Reality is that I’ll never hear it, but I know... and that means I’m going to open it back up to remove the chunk and reseal the bumper...again.

If weather and time cooperate, I’ll start the lay out the actual tire carrier this week. Maybe even start racking things together for a mock-up.


1DA5D864-5BB0-4068-8932-C375A48CCF97.jpeg
 
That bumper looks like crap. Just box it up and send it to me, and then build yourself a new one. :)
 
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I’ve been slacking on rear bumper pics...just slacking all around these days. If I’m not working, I’m hanging with the family. When I have an hour, I’ll tinker on the bumper. At this point, I’m about done with a few details to iron out. Pics...


1FD8FB52-CC89-44B6-BDD5-F6229A82531A.jpeg

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43B9E32F-C5B9-475C-A53D-977C4BCE3AF0.jpeg
 
Now you have to figure out how to weld the bumpers to the frame, to the tire carrier, to the roll cage, to the rock sliders...

...and add one of those big hoops on the front to keep you from flipping over. :D
 
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