Home built bumper help

[Carolinatlc]

Ok, I bought a Jeep CJ5 before Christmas for my son and I to play around with. I have the old suspension torn out now and keep finding things to do before reassembly. Gas gauge didn't work and dropped the tank for a new sending unit. Found the vent line was cracked so dropped the tank off to be cleaned and the vent line welded. Doing a little rewiring also while it's easy to access. I'm waiting on a few parts before putting everything back together. 

One thing on on the list to fix involves the home built bumpers that the PO built for it. They look nice and he built a receiver hitch into the front and back. Issue is, he didn't cut the main bumper when welding the receiver and a hitch won't go in all the way. He cut the receiver to fit around the bumper.  See pictures for my issue. Any ideas on how to remove material so a 2" hitch will fit?

 

[Windini]

Do you have access from the back side? i.e. if you knew where to cut, could you cut from the inside to open up the receiver channel?

If so, I would try using a long drill bit to mark the corners from the outside, then mark the material that needed removin' on the inside and have at it with whatever tool you have/ can get to it with -- grinder, torch, etc.

 

[Burt Gummer]

Find someone near you with a plasma cutter and it can be fixed in about 30 seconds. I'm sure there's a member here close to you that has one

 

[Mirac]

Cut the back of the hitch to fit the length, you can cut all the way to with in 1" of the pin hole.

Edit: wait a Cott0n pick in' minute... I dont even see a hitch pin hole !?!?

 

[Ghost1]

don't use that hitch... it looks like its cracked on both sides of it already....

cut it off and get a proper hitch for it

I agree. What's going on there?

 

[Carolinatlc]

Do you have access from the back side? i.e. if you knew where to cut, could you cut from the inside to open up the receiver channel?

If so, I would try using a long drill bit to mark the corners from the outside, then mark the material that needed removin' on the inside and have at it with whatever tool you have/ can get to it with -- grinder, torch, etc.

Good idea, Might be able to do that with the front. Back is enclosed so have to do something different.

 

[Carolinatlc]

Find someone near you with a plasma cutter and it can be fixed in about 30 seconds. I'm sure there's a member here close to you that has one

That would probably be the easiest thing to do.

 

[Carolinatlc]

don't use that hitch... it looks like its cracked on both sides of it already....

cut it off and get a proper hitch for it

Where do you see cracks? There are a couple horizontal lines on the bumper above the actual hitch. It is a crappy roll on paint the PO used. It is flaking in areas. I think the hitch and bumper are solid. I don't ever plan on towing any real weight with this thing anyway, maybe a utility trailer at some point.

 

[Carolinatlc]

This is the back bumper. It is enclosed so a plasma cutter might be the best bet.

 

[trcubed]

Why can't you just cut length off the end of the hitch bar (opposite the ball) to make the pins align?

The weld to the bumper looks solid. I'd hate to cut that receiver off and start over.

 

[Carolinatlc]

Why can't you just cut length off the end of the hitch bar (opposite the ball) to make the pins align?

The weld to the bumper looks solid. I'd hate to cut that receiver off and start over.

I'm probably overthinking this thing. I think that will work fine for the rear hitch. I don't even think I will use the front one for anything.

 

[Jp8819]

How much does your reciver lack from going back ? If its close might be easier to just drill a new hole in the reciever with it slid in all the way if your never pulling much weight and not ruin factory bumper under it.

 

[Burt Gummer]

Never mind. Plasma cutter isn't gonna help you there. I didn't see in your original pic that he had notched the receiver tube to fit the bumper. That's gonna be harder to fix

 

[chrishf12]

Your best bet is going to be to cut that one off. I wouldn't trust it with much more than a hitch carrier with the top cut out of the receiver. Even with the bumper notched.

Once cut off, notch the bumper tube and install a new weld on receiver.

 

[Scsmith42]

If it were me, I would notch the insert slightly so that it will fit inside instead of messing with the hitch. Keeping the insert long will provide more strength as opposed to redrilling the hole in it; it's the easiest solution and you won't lose any strength in the hitch.