i am a senior in high school and have to do a project in order to graduate, i have chosen to build a grille guard for my '86 bronco II, every design that i have looked at is WAY too big for my truck and i was hoping someone else might have some pics or ideas they could share, any pics or input will be greatly appreciated.

 

Hey man, I got a Ranch Hand on my truck and it's freakin' awesome.

If you want something that may be a bit easier (but lacking in strenght), you could build something like a Warn Transf4mer grille guard. You might even be able to mount a winch in yours, if you build it strong enough (I dunno what it takes).

They're relatively easy, and bolt into the tow hooks. Seems like a few uprights, and some bars bolting across.

If you know how to weld, I'd do that. My RH is fully welded and is damn strong.

-rockstate

 

The optional one from the factory that use to come on the B2 would be a good design start. Basically attached with four tabs tied into the bumper bolts, with two vertical members tied together by two horz. tubes.

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...&photoid=65744


https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...&photoid=64296

check these out

 

i hear that ford has the same front end for the ranger and bronco, ive been looking for a heavy duty design myself, but the good ones are an arm and a leg.

 

Mine came from a swapmeet. Not sure what brand it is but it's a pretty simple design. Bolts to the existing bumper bolts with small angle. I removed the guards that were for the head lights. I have a 3" body lift and the guards were covering the head lights.





There is a brand called Road Armor. They have some pretty cool stuff. Someday I plan on building something like what they have.


The first generation BII's are the same as the first generation Rangers. Mine came from a Ranger. Not sure about the rest.

 

yeah i have looked at road armor and i am looking into building mine like the grilles at www.bukstop.biz they hav esome nice stuff there, my dad has one but what i seem to be having trouble with is the frame mounts on my truck i am not sure how to do it.

 

I can't get that link to work but I will post pictures of my Warn Combo mount. The brackets are use up to 88. In 89 they changed the front frame horns and there is a different set of brackets. The 88 and older mounts in three places. One bracket in the top bumper bolt. One bracket in the second bumper bolt. And a bracket on the bottom that mounts into the frame. I have the brush (headlight protection) bars but have a body lift also so they are not on it. Hope this helps. Good luck.

 

i think that those pictures are going to help me out alot thx man

 

Jack? How thick is steel on the sides? 3/16?

 

all the mounts i seen are more like 3/8, but i could be wrong.

 

I don't know. I could measure tomorrow. I have another center section on order as I have found a source for it. They also have the early brackets (83-88 as in the pictures) but I could make those out of a peice of heavy angle. May even have what I need in the scrape metal pile. They do not list the brackets for 89 and up, but Warn did show a Transformer for the early 90's Ranger and that may work. The new Warn center section was about $250 and the brackets (83-88) are listed for another $200.

 

I was thinking maybe 1/4" on the brackets and winch mount plate but the vertical side pieces kinda look like 3/16" to me.

Mines made out of 3/16. Of course it's not made fore a winch. I did have to weld little gussets on my brackets because the brackets kept bending every time I pushed something with it.

 

My calipers say .260 on the side plates and brackets. So minus the powder coating I'd say 1/4".