Home made winch bumper

[GeorgeG]

Hello all,
finaly I've desided to build my own bumper for the 80! Before I start here's a little info: it's a '97GX 1HZ (lhd) manual transmission and the back barn doors.No front and back diff locks. It has over 350 000km on and still performs as new. I've got it about tree years ago and it had 285 000km on. No modiffications were done till then. Since I've got it I've done some changes. How it has TJM +3"shocks and struts, OME streering dempfer,OME castor corection, OME poliurethane bushings all around, Safari(replica) snorkel. I made an exact copy of an ARB roof rack without the side bars so I can put my Autohome Columbus tent on. Of course when I got it did the usual stuff ( rear and front axel revision, new CV joints, brakes, lubricants etc...)
So, soon after I got the truck I changed the front bumper with an ARB deluxe. I hated it the very next moment I sat behind the wheel and did a little offroad.I felt like I'm carrying a huge concrete block on the front. It drastically changes the attack angle of the front for the worse! Any ways, now I've got some free time and took off the ARB...and started building my own .... This is my first one ever to build, so don't criticize me alot There are and will be mistakes....

 

[GeorgeG]

The chassis extension is 17cm and is made of 6mm steel .The winch plate is 10mm.the rest will be made out of 3mm.
Fist made the winch box, cut the sides at an angle I thought is ok, got some metal for under and cut some holes for the hi jack...welding, grinding....After I do the whole structure I'll pay more attention supporting the hi jack points...

 

[Mblinko]

This looks good . I look forward to seeing how it develops. Won't you be swapping one concrete block for another though? Or are you doing something different to save weight?

 

[GeorgeG]

The weight doesnt bother me as much as the depth of the ARB both down and upfront. The one I'm making is about 10cm closer do the body and aproxx 12cm higher compared to the ARB. It has alot to do with the fact I put the winch plate above the chassis instead of lewel it with the lower edge like it was before.I even started doing it with a lower winch and changed plans very fast Heres a pic. from day one.

 

[GeorgeG]

The side panels are on...and it start raining I work outside the garage as the Yota wont get in through the gate.Here's how far I'm so far...Hope it wont rain tomorrow.

 

[stumog]

Looks just like my bumper. Good work

 

[Dave2000]

FWIW I seem to remember there is a kit to relocate the A/C dryer, this is one of the first things to get busted when getting serious off road. It might have been Slee but it was awhile back.

regards

Dave

 

[GeorgeG]

Thanks Dave! I gave it a thought and then I just passed on the idea of relocating it. I'll just make a couple of ribs in the bumper to ensure litte more security to the unit. I dont really use the cruiser for a hard offroad. However we all know how can a soft go at some point

 

[GeorgeG]

The rain turned into snow and could not do much till it stopped at some poin today.Took the opportunity and grabbed a metal sheet.Did most of the lower part ot the left panel. Still needs some adjustments, some trimming and little bending of the lower edge. Tomorrow is another day...

 

[GeorgeG]

Yesterday was a good day for the project.Did most of the metal work

 

[Edward Moyse]

That's amazingly neat! Beautiful work!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GeorgeG]

I did not realise how much time consuming procedure is to make the bar until I made one. Used 8mm metal (there's no need to be thicker than 6mm) covered by 40x3. And the pipe is 60mm diameter x3mm.
P.S. Sorry for the poor quality of pics

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 

[Geert]

Really nice work!