Matt7231

Hey everyone, I'm going to install a Hanson front skid plate along with their stubby stinger bumper. This plate bolts to the 2 lower outside mounting hole locations that the factory bumper used and then also uses the 2 holes on the left and right side of the crash bar. The problem is that my crash bar is bent inwards a bit. I noticed this when I did the sway bar motor flip but I didn't know that it was going to be this far off. I don't have a torch and I'd rather not re attach the bumper just so I can drive it to a body shop and pay to have them put it on the frame machine to bend the bar out about an inch. Any ideas? I've read about people using a small sledge hammer but I know that can weaken things. Also, there isn't exactly a lot of room to get a hammer at that location.

stevevb

I would probably leave the crash bar as is, and redrill a new hole in crash bar to match skid, and bolt it through new hole. I would assemble everything else and do the hole last, so that the skid doesn't tweek the rest of the assembly. You may need to have some spacers, washers, some plate to make spacers, and maybe a longer bolt.

Another idea is a small bottle jack, some blocks of various sizes and push the bar back into position, if there is enough room, but that probably wont be very effective.

hooper

Try bending the tab at the bumper to get it further back.

Matt7231

Thanks everyone, good ideas to try. I'm going to work on it again tomorrow. I'll post again after I get it bent into shape to say how everything went.

stevevb

One other idea, if you have access to welder. Cut off the crash bar and reattach a new one, or fab a new one. Or take off the existimg and work it then reattach it. Check frame dimensions before you remove the crash bar, weld a temp spacer in place to keep frame intact before you remove crash bar.

Matt7231

Thanks stevevb. I managed to move the crash bar forward enough without too much trouble. I took my come along winch and attached it a large tree in my front yard via tree strap. Using a 5/8 x 8" grade 8 bolt, I stuck the bolt up through the last hole in the crash bar (started with the hole on the right side of the bar since it was bent back further on this side) and straight upwards until it hit the bottom of the frame rail. I then attached the winch hook to the bolt, using the head of the bolt and a large grade 8 washer as a catch so the hook wouldn't slide off under force and winched the whole bar forward. I did this on both sides. It worked very well and took about 15 minutes. The Jeep's front wheels were chocked with the parking brake on. Also, this was on a perfectly level surface. Again, the bar didn't need to be brought forward too much to line up with the holes in the skid plate. Only about 1/2" - 1".

Thanks again to everyone for the different ideas, definitely all worth noting. Especially if someone's crash bar was bent further back than mine or really mangled like I've seen in some pictures.