I have been looking on pavement suck's (new member) I cant find anything that I want to build. I like the look of this. I was also thinking of just taking off the factory one and put a BIG skid plate on. Or just putting a pice of steel out there a put 2 shackles on there. With that skid plate.
http://www.dodgetrucks.org/gallery/d...r_Layout_1.jpg
and this
http://www.expeditionportal.com/foru...6&d=1233278209

Dose anyone have any other good ideas??? Will I be able to use my stock brackets? Any idea about how much this will weight were talking or cost? I'm looking at .25 steel diamond plate and a coat of rhino liner.

 

back to the top.

 

ever looked into building something like a set of ranch hands?

 

I've always wanted the top link...you figure it out to do it let me know...you can do mine next!

 

First off, you might reconsider your options for what you want to build it out of. Take it from someone that's already built one, 10ga black steel is plenty thick. 1/4in plate is heavey as crap!!! Strength does not come from the metal used, it comes from how you build it and reinforce it. You can use your stock bumper brackets, just use the holes already drilled in the middle of them. Another thing, remember with treadplate you cant use a shear to cut the metal. I built mine with a sawzaw, grinder and welder, but I dont recomend it. I dont have measurements for mine b/c Im in Iraq but in about a year Im going to build another one just like your second pic. The best way I have found is to build your brackets, then the center working from the middle of the bumper up tack welding everything. Then work out to the sides building each piece to the truck. Your truck is not even close to being sqare, so build everything off the truck. Take your time and once you get everything tack welded and setting the way you want it, take it off and weld it up solid using stich welds. Dont weld more than 4in at a time. If you run one big long bead, you will prolly warp the **** out of your bumber and it wont fit. Dont worry about what the welds look like, a grinder will take care of that. If you are wanting to put shackles on it, get some heavy plate, cut holes in your bumber, bolt the plate to your actualy brackets and weld the holes shut on the face of the bumber. If you have any questions just PM. Good luck!

 

#1 looks like too many pieces to me.
#2 looks like a buckstop, but then, they all sort of look alike.
here's a lot of pictures from Geno's.
http://dodgeram.org/ki4cy/bumper/other_bumpers.htm

1/4 is way too thick and heavy.
1/8 ~ 10 gauge
1/10 ~ 12

http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/sc...heetmetal.html
ga. Standard Steel Thickness (inches)
3 0.2391
4 0.2242
5 0.2092
6 0.1943
7 0.1793
8 0.1644
9 0.1495
10 0.1345
11 0.1196
12 0.1046

 

I dont think I will lol to many pices If I do no fog light holes.

 

But you gotta admit that is one nice front bumper! If I had a welder and those skills that be awesome....

A neighbor of mine got a sweet front bumper..I want to know if he made it or bought it or what...unfortunately it is a neighbor I do not really care to talk too!

He has the dodge ram cutout in the front looks sweet.

 

i just went and bought some schedual ( cant spell) 40 steel tubing i was going to builds my own front bumper, but now that i look, i think i may just build the same bumper as your first choice, not to copy but when i went bumper hunting, i looked at the same sight, and then forgot about it, you just reminded me of it and i have some 1/10 diomand plate, so i think i will make this bumper and the renforce the back with some rebar and angle iron but i dont now, i may just build that genos, jonny west bumper, just more functional...

 

After putting on my bumpers, I'd advise to really consider the weight you are going to put on. It's on the ends of your truck and it will make a difference. I think you'd want your brackets and winch tray out of 1/4 but everything built around it shouldn't be any more than 3/8, if that.