Here's the quandry

Just picked up a 5 foot section of 6x2 channel iron to make my front bumper - easy enough UNTIL I try to decide what size to cut it to...

36" - Maximum stubby basically frame to frame - factory hook to factory hook

48" - protects the grill from inside of fender to inside of fender

60" - covers about 1" of the inside of the tires.

As I am generally impatient when it comes to mods, (I just drove six hours round trip to pickup the steel) - - I'm going to drill and mount as a 60" and see how it looks. I can always cut more off later.

Thanks - Time to make a bumper.

 

sounds like what I built before I put on the ARB. I welded a piece of 1/4" plate on top to close it in a little more and then fabbed side pieces for a clean look.



It was stout as hell and I really like the look of it, but I couldn't pass up the deal I got on the ARB and winch.

Good luck with your build and I look forward to seeing the end product.

 

I'm not real crazy about how the factory tow hooks look(no offense) but the bumper looks great. I've been trying to come up with some ideas for a diy bumper for the jk and I like the way yours looks.

 

Well, here is the 60" primed up. Already pretty much decided I'm going to cut it down, but by how much

I'm going to rattle can it bedliner black and see, but further metal work is virtually guaranteed.

Oh, and plastic piece in front of the grill is gonna go too.


CAUTION: When building channel bumper - do not let go of channel unsecured on the frame...

...37 pound of steel (that's over 17 kilograms for you in the great white north) on top of the foot is not pleasureable

 

I agree with you about the factory tow hooks. If I would have kept that bumper longer, I would have eventually put some D-ring mounts on it, but I built if pretty quick and kind of on the fly. I didn't want to have no front tow points especially since I had it on there when I went to Moab...didn't end up needing any towing, but just in case.

I've now got an ARB, so it's a moot point anyways.

To the OP...definitely cut that down, and if you're going to remove the plastic piece on top, then I'd recommend putting in something to fill that void like I did...it really cleaned up the look of it. I powder coated mine, but that's just because we have a powder coating booth at my work as well as a full sheet metal shop

 

The plan is to powder coat once I complete the project. I have a buddy who said, "drop it in the back of my truck and I'll call you when it's ready."

Rattle can just gets me the idea of how it looks blacked out and will hold me over until I make up my mind.

 

Can you tell me about the end caps you have on there?

 

The end caps were made of 1/4" plate steel. I first mocked them up with cardboard and then cut out the plate and welded them up. This kind of shows how it all went together prior to powder coating.

 

One more question. I like the idea of making one of these, but would want to add a winch. Could I just drill and bolt a universal winch mount directly to the top of the bumper, or is there more involved than that?