So I got the idea from a link in the FAQs section to design a new bumper for my truck. This is what I have so far that I drew up in Solidworks...

Bumper1.jpg?t=1237261375

Bumper2.jpg?t=1237261394

Bumper3.jpg?t=1237260830

It's not a completed design, I still need to come up with mounts and I also want to incorporate a built in trailer hitch. The structural parts of the bumper are going to be made of 1/4 inch plate steel except for the spare tire mount which will be 1 inch diameter, 1/4 inch walled tube steel. The cosmetic parts (basically the bottom part that is angled in) is going to be 3/16 inch plate steel.

I also want to design a similar front bumper that will incorporate a skid plate, brush guard and winch.

I'm going to start this weekend by building a mock up of the rear bumper out of plywood for test fitting purposes (and to design the mounts and take measurments for the trailer hitch).

What do ya'll think?

 

Looks Sweet! One day I will do custom bumpers. If you wanted I could post up custom bumpers built on 1st gens. The other forum I'm on had a few. Maybe for others?

 

Yeah go for it!

 

Here are a few! All custom made!

 

A few more! The first one is my favorite!

The last one is for the street trucks! I'm not sure who makes this one, But I'm sure we have it listed under the parts links! I've seen several of these ones on trucks pics online. Also for more custom bumpers and more tons more pics on www.cardomain.com

 

i really like that! i need a place to put a spare, if i put one in the box, its half full. is it made wide enough to get the tailgate down?

nice fab work Crazy

 

I know! I like the look of it mounted up in the bed like some people have it, but it makes the bed useless. When I get this design done my truck will be too long to fit in the garage, but oh well. And yes, it will be wide enough to get the tailgate down, which is why I designed it to swing out.

 

i couldnt tell if the pivot point was wide enough by the pics. just a suggestion, maybe make it a little beefier on the pivot side. i would extend the shaft all the way down to the bottom on the pivot side instead of just having it attached to the top of the bumper, and maybe extend it up a bit...ill do a crude drawing to explain it better. we dont want it twisting and bending every time you swing it out to put the tailgate down.
i might have to copy something like that... only mount it to the frame somehow to avoid making the whole bumper.

 

 

You should go ahead and copy it, lol, thats what I did :P

Here is the picture of the truck I got the design from (my design is not much different, but there will be a noticable difference when I'm done)

The way he designed his spare tire mount tells me it should work without more reinforcement, but it will be something I'll keep in mind.