If I'm puttin this in the wrong section Mods feel free to move...but it's kind of modified. Well my fiance wants a new bumper but after seeing bluewaterrider's stubby last weekend she's decided she can stand the factory made into a stubby. I'm cool with the cutting and measurements and all that jazz, the thing that really scares the sh**** out of me is welding the end caps so give it that fit and finished look. I have my factory bumper that I will be experimenting on first, but I want atleast some idea of what I'm doing first. I've think I've read every possible thread on how people are making their bumpers and weldin them and am still clueless. I would like to do this for christmas for her (I know big spender right)? Since I bought her the house this year and helped her out with HER JK we're just doing small things for christmas so any and every bit of help would be greatly appreciated.

 

well...I'm right where you are - ready to go but freaked by the welding part! But, I got someone's advice in a PM who did a great weld on a stubby. Basically, he cut the bumper plastic with a dremel tool and the rotary saw blade, then cut the metal bumper with a 4" cut-off wheel with a grinder. He used masking tape to mark his cut lines. Then, from the spare plastic - he cut 1/16" and 1/8" strips of plastic for the welding rods. Pretty much, tape the end to the bumper (really just tacking it into place)...then, with a dremel tool and a sanding bit...sand out a "V" wedge where the 2 parts of the bumper meet (the seam). Now, the patience part...use a soldering iron and heat the platic rods you made earlier from your scrap "into" the V-wedge groove. keep doing this and try to level off the plastic your melting on...rest can be sanded down. With some time, you'll be all set. Last optional step is to rough up the whole bumper with a wire wheel or course sand paper - then shoot the stubby with Spray Bed Liner...the Duplicolor stuff. That will hide your welds and looks great. Good luck to you AND me!

 

Thanks appreciate the info. Anybody else?? OOOO akonius who pm'd you if I may ask??

 

Cutting a ridge as mentioned above is a good tip. Also I used the point of the soldering iron to cut a small groove in the back(inside) of the fold, and heated it with a torch to make it bend/fold easier. The easier it folds the better before you start "welding". The bumper repair epoxy I used on the inside of the welds really helped strengthen the joints also. Just go slowly and try not to worry about what the visible part of the seams look like until you have a good solid joint melted together. It's easier to go back and shape the joints by melting strips of excess plastic after the joint is made.
Good Luck

 

Now that's a nice looking stubbified stock bumper! Great Job.

i know Woods also did a similar one (which he recently gave away). He used the 'Plastic Welder' from Harbor Freight Tools. Still he said it took a long time to get right.

 

...one more thing I was told, a good tip for making matching cut lines so your end mates up as close as possible to the body of the bumper for the weld, is to use making tape...edge to edge. I made a quick Illustration below to show you what I'm talking about. If you think about it - if you don't get the cut edges spot on, it's going to make the job that much harder...simple but smart tip!

 

pretty cool sketch, I will say that here with in the next few months My Bumper will be up for grabs. As I will be getting the bumper I really want. yeah the pricey road armor. but hey it's what we want that we get.... Good luck on your stubby mod.