This is my first time to post any thing on Dodge Forum, so here it goes....

I am trying to make my own brush guard. I have a general idea of how to make it, but i dont have any good ideas to mount it to my truck. If you have one, i would appreciate it if ya could post any pictures of the brush guard, especially pictures of the mount brackets, or give me some good idas of how to mount it.

Thanks.

 

Are you skilled in welding and tube bending? If not, I can't see this ending well.

 

I fabricated my own brush gaurd for my 06 Dakota. While retaining the factory tow-hooks, I fabricated brackets to mount behind the bumper, using the two "inner" bolt locations for a mounting foundation. The entire goal was to create a bumper that did NOT delete the factory tow hooks.

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m...l/DSC03113.jpg

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m...l/DSC03114.jpg

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m...l/DSC03112.jpg

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m...l/DSC03109.jpg

 

I had custom full bumper made for my truck a couple years ago by Kennesaw Mountain Accessories in Atlanta. They were looking for a truck to build a prototype around and I volunteered.

It was a full bumper with a brush guard though. I don't know if it would have interfered with the tow hooks - it had it's own D-rings.

http://www.kenmtnac.com/WiDak05.html (That's my truck in the pics).

I got tired of the bumper though. I never was satisfied with the way the brush guard needed to be shaped to let the hood pass by it. I might cut the guard off though and put the bumper back on without it.

As for the mounts, here is a picture from the service manual that show how the bumper is mounted:


I can probably get you some measurements off of the bumper mounts in a week or so. I have to wait until I use some more firewood before I can get to the bumper:

(At least it's getting used for something.

 

Here's more info than you asked for, but here's my $0.02 on fabricating with tube -

Choose tube that looks proportionate. I'd start with at least 2 or 3" coming up from the frame, and maybe reduce to 1.5" going sideways. No offense to Donkey's hard work, but IMO that guard is way undersized, and basically functionless.

Start with a tape measure and a sketch pad. Look at the frame for mounting points, you want at least 2 bolts on each side of the guard, well spaced, to prevent rotation.

Mock up with threaded or smooth steel rod...3" and 2" tube is expensive once you start fcking up piece lengths and bends. Rod is cheap, bendable by hand, and can be tack welded, or even wired, together. At least you can get an idea for proportions and piece lengths.

Definitely going to need a tube bender. I suppose you could get away with a radius template made of wood, a torch, and some sand to fill the tube, and do it that way. But there's a greater potential for mistakes and material damage.

I've built tube chassis before, and TIG is the only way to go. MIG is sloppy and very easy to burn right through tube. Not that it can't be done, but it's a biatch.

You can make fishmouth joints with a hand grinder, but it's also PITA. A lathe with an endmill is really the way to go. A good drill press with a hole saw can work too.

You're also going to need some plate steel for mounting flanges; don't skimp, I'd say 1/4" minimum. I would make 4 D shaped plates with holes in them for the two frame tubes of the guard. Weld those perpendicular to a 1/4" mounting plate that mates to the frame. Crappy Paint picture attached.

Granted the front frame rails aren't rectangular, but you might have to get creative.

Anyway that's how I'd do it.

 

None taken. The entire purpose of the brush gaurd is to mount four 6" lights, keep the factory tow hooks, make it removable, and not have to cut or delete anything. I wanted to go with bigger tubing, however I would have had to cut a few holes in the existing bumper cover...which may not have been a bad thing. The unit is constructed of chrome moly tubing, .068" wall thickness. Granted, I would'nt get away with pushing a few civics out of the way, but small trees and shrubbery are not an issue.

As far as the welding goes, I TIG'd all of mine up. If one is not experienced in welding, you can screw up TIG welds just as much as MIG welds...but with practice.......it will come out just fine.

 

Cool, if I picture a row of lights on the bar it makes more sense.

 

Hay yall, thanks for all of the help. I have a friend at work that is highly skilled with tig for steel and aluminum. He has also some ways to bend the tube, but i aint too sure of whether it will work good for this or not. He made a light bar for a ram 1500 that had 4 KC lights that looked like Donkeypunch's, but he used some 3/4 steel seamless gas pipe. If i get a picture of it ill post it on here. He is very resourceful. I have started mockup of the uprights, and i have decided to use some 1/4 steel and wrap the periphery with 1/8 X 1 strap steel, kind of like the deezee ones. I like the mounting idea that Cramerica had for mounting it to the frame.

Thanks yall, and keep sending me some ideas. They are all appreciated.

 

Here's a few pictures after it was powder coated...

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m...zill/brush.jpg

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m...ill/brush1.jpg

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m...ill/brush2.jpg