Nice work!!! I think I'd go back with a dremel and clean up the holes you cut in the valance alittle bit more but other than that great job.

 

I think they look really good! Gotta love those cheap mods!!

 

Great job!!! Welds look real good too, I got the gas kit with my MIG, but have yet to even unbox it or pick up a bottle, but I can't do anything looks that good with fluxcore or my stick welder.
I could probably braze with my gas kit about that good, but of course that ain't got the same tensile strength as a good weld.

I cheated, drilled a couple holes on my winch mount, got some stainless grade 8 U-Bolts and a couple shackles to hang from them.

 

It was a fluxcore. ha. And about the clearance... I dont really know, I dont have a strap to test with. If its a problem i will get some shackles to help connect the strap to them.
But like i said, theyre more for looks. Im afraid to use them because im not too sure about the welds...

 

pull em, grind em and reweld em. it's hard to see but did you get some pitting in the welds? if so then those are rust points and will eventually weaken the weld more. if you're unsure and if you think you will ever need them for something, i would reweld em. think i'll get some hooks for mine and see about borrowing a welder one of these days. i really need em though, my truck fell off a 4x4 road and i had to build a ramp to get back up. woulda been able to winch off for safety on the mountain and possibly out if i had the front hooks.

 

What size is that "Bar" you bolted between the frame ends. I want to do the same thing, but use the 2500/3500 "Mopar" Tow hooks that bolt on.......no welding! Hopefully I can make them work. I just need to make a bar across like you did. What are the dimensions? Looks good though.

wouldnt these just bolt onto the end of the frame where you bolted your bar? Looks like you could just drill holes and bolt them on.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2003-...Q5fAccessories

 

Nahh, usem till one breaks off!

 

You got me thinkin' I have access to an Omax water jet machine and a sweet ace Miller wire machine here at work. I might be able to make something like that for my truck,hmmmm...

 

SWEET!!!. Damn welds look good man. I can almost get my mig welds to look like that. But not quite as nice. I splatter alot. Well, thats with flux core. Little better with copper wire.

 

The bar was 1/2 inch thick, 4 inches wide, and about 41 inches long. I read that the 1500 needs the bar between the hooks because the frame isnt rigid enough where they bolt on. And those hooks are sweet, but they bumped their freakin head on the price! mine are pretty much the same thing, but they dont have the little stud in the middle... and mine were $8 a piece. It would probably cheaper to get some d-rings and have someone weld them on if you dont have access to a welder.
but those hooks would look sweet...

and thanks for the comments on the welds, it makes me feel a lot better... maybe i should look into a welding career... haha