(Starting out with a rant, it's over in the next paragraph.) Alright, I've about had enough of this factory front bumper. It is about the flimsiest bumper I've ever had on *any* car. It seems like everything I do to it is enough to mangle it. I actually just bent it again by pushing a 1961 Buick Special, with ​​​​​​no motor, transmission, hood, trunk lid, and one door. Maybe 1,500 pounds of car, and it pushed the bumper side in, against the fender, so now the fender is also bent. Again. ​​​​
So, have any of you guys added any bracing to your front bumpers? I'm thinking of welding on a bracket to each side of the bumper, right by the corner, on the inside, with some bolt holes to attach some bracing bars, diagonally, to support the corners. I'll probably want to do this with a new bumper, so I'm not dealing with a mangled up and restraightened bumper to begin with. I'll draw a picture of what I mean, and add that to this post, because the way this bumper keeps getting bent up really is inexcuseable. While I'm at it, I'll probably add a bar to hook a chain to, since hooking one to the bumper always bends it as well.

Hope somebody can make sense of this drawing.

 

That is the way Ford made it and yes it is NOT the best bumper design by any means as far as being a bumper to USE for pushing. Your design looks good, just have to make sure the support rods (where they come to the frame rails) do not get in the tire steering zone....of course you know that, I'm just putting it out there up front.

Also with a new or old chrome bumper you can not weld a mount bracket to it, it will just ruin the chrome. Causing it to flake, peal and discolor. So you are going to have to carefully drill it and then use the same style bumper bolts as the normal inner mount ones.

Look at the bottom edge of the bumper does is have a hole already and you can work off that? What about getting the "fang" bumperettes and use them, you just always have to push straight on? Cheapest around? https://www.lmctruck.com/1973-79-for...-and-seal-sets

Also what about getting a OEM style push bar? https://www.hardknoxfab.com/product/...onco-push-bar/

Will not protect the outer edges though...Sounds like you need a wrecker/stock car push bumper....


For a chain tow point either some cheap hook on the bottom of the frame rails, but use 2 bolts to mount it.

Or get some tow points of a 98 Expedition. They make a steel and aluminum version. And use them on alot of newer Ford trucks and big SUV's.

 

Man, those wrecker bumpers do look pretty cool. And those tow hooks look like they'd work pretty well. I'm glad you mentioned that about welding to a chrome bumper, I wasn't sure how much heat the chrome could take, since I've never welded onto anything with chrome. I'll be sure to post an update here once I do this.

 

Yes welding on a chrome bumper is a great way to screw up the chrome finish. When you drill it for the bumper bolts, make the hole smaller then use a Dremel (with a carbide bite) to cut "corners" so the carriage bolt head can still function as a lock to be able to tighten the nut.

And in the last pic you can see the OEM bumper hole in the bottom edge I am talking about maybe using in your design.

 

If you use your brakes to stop your bumper lasts a lot longer. never had a bumper problem myself.

 

I gave a lot of thought to it after removing and remounting my own Dent's front bumper "protecting" my new fenders with new paint. I thought of braces, but they'd then put a pressure into the frame from the side if hit hard, the frame is an open channel. I think best would be a bar or steel tube running cross ways behind the dressy bumper. I have the "fangs" bumper guards.

6" well casing makes a stout bumper, just add a hitch at center and send it to the chromers. Use an old tire cut open to "wrap" it temporary for pushing. Put end caps on it, add fittings, carry spare air. I had a buddy that did both bumpers of 6" well casing, at least one served as an air tank too. He had welded loops for towing and fog lights and grill guard too up front, and hitch reciever and tow hooks out back. He just painted his black, looked OK on dark green truck weith his matched shell. He hunted a lot. Truck rode pretty smooth.

My rear bumper was once a 8" tall, 2" wide lip on top and bottom, 1/4" steel press formed (at a local plant) channel bolted onto the front of a '70s Blazer used for "pushing", it was hugely heavy. Buddy restored the Blazer, but put the "bumper" on his scrap pile. It looked like the ones in '78&'79F250's post. I tapered the lower up by long narrow vee-ing, and welded up 8 mounting holes before welding in my own plate for mounting, The ends already had a 45 taper sortof like the wrecker's above. Was no grille guard on it though. I used scrap diamond plate for a top that goes under my TG, & I recessed my license plate. I used it on the rear, but it'd make a dynomite front bumper too ... again. I have kept my open for something similar, but I do like the OEM front bumper.

 

The way I see it it really depends if you want a factory bumper or a custom/aftermarket.

I’ve thought of making bracket like the ones you drew up.

I also thought of using some 2” square bar at work to weld in between the front bumper brackets behind the bumper, and then using some 3/8 2” flat bar bent to lay over the front of the bumper vertically. Bolted into the bumper bolts, with a piece of 2” square bar horizontal welded onto the front of them. I figured if the square bar went in front and above the front license plate space it would be in the upper 2/3 of the flat bar work as a good push bar and possibly a step to get into the engine bay.

 

If I use my brakes to stop, I can't push anything worth a flip.

 

If you are going to use your truck for a shop truck/wrecker/tow truck/push rig you are going to have to heavily modify/reinforce the OEM front bumper or make you a heavy wall square tubing one. I made this one fit my Bronco and use the receiver hitch part to hang a old tire off of when I have to use it to push stuff around.

 

LOLOL
I actually think the OEM bumper on my 76 is pretty sturdy but then again I dont go around shoving cars with it....
Just my .02$ but if I were you I would just ditch that whole bumper brace idea. Even if you have it all braced up the rest of the bumper is just going to look like an old beer can after you put it to use. Just build a serious off road style bumper from 1/4" plate or something pretty substantial that will take all the abuse. Or just use chains to pull vehicles around instead of pretending your in the demo derby.