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The truck got hit while parked on the street. I had to replace my heavy, solid rear bumper with a FEY replacement. $500 and it is 1/4 as thick as the previous bumper. Even the mounting brackets, which cost me $100 extra, have the bumper 4" lower and 4" out from where it should be. I am just disgusted with both the FEY brand, the bumper, and the junk brackets. Is there a good solid bumper out there? Or is fabrication the only alternative?
Maybe Westin. But if I had to guess it’s the same thin crap. There are a few write ups on here detailing the use of bumpers from Fords through the 90’s. My opinion is these don’t look right as they aren’t quite wide enough.
I was just quoted $2k to straighten and chrome my original step bumper. There might be cheaper shops but we are at a point where, aside from fabricating, something like this might be the most viable option.
Getting an original style non-step/utility bumper might also be an option but these aren’t going to be the most durable.
Maybe we could get a repository of fabricated designs going on this forum. There has to be some shops making fan’s bumpers in small batches; a list of these would also be useful.
I too would like to find a nice rear bumper for my 77 F100. It looks like my only choice would be to take someting that kind of fits and modify the crap out of it and rechrome.
I like the way the styled chrome rear bumper (the one like the bronco uses) looks, but it doesn't offer any step or trailer ball function. I had one from Dennis Carpenter on my last F-250 and it was a good quality piece.
I actually considered installing another one on my '76 which has a factory step bumper, but I have decided to refurbish the step bumper. They are pretty rugged and offer functionality. Can you find a used original for yours?
Maybe Westin. But if I had to guess it’s the same thin crap. There are a few write ups on here detailing the use of bumpers from Fords through the 90’s. My opinion is these don’t look right as they aren’t quite wide enough.
I was just quoted $2k to straighten and chrome my original step bumper. There might be cheaper shops but we are at a point where, aside from fabricating, something like this might be the most viable option.
Getting an original style non-step/utility bumper might also be an option but these aren’t going to be the most durable.
Maybe we could get a repository of fabricated designs going on this forum. There has to be some shops making fan’s bumpers in small batches; a list of these would also be useful.
Back when these trucks were being used as work trucks, just about every town had at least one welding shop that made custom step bumpers. I bought a 1965 F100 new without a rear factory bumper and purchased a functional aftermarket step bumper. I bought one other new Ford truck without a rear bumper, don't remember specifics on it. I guess a show truck would not host an aftermarket bumper very well.
Made it in the '80s, used a piece of channel which was 8" across the face, and 2" on each lip, was formed in a metal shop using a press, is 1/4" thick but I added 1/8"x6" wide diamond plate on top and my mounting flanges are 3/8" and use 1/2" bolts. It was originally bolted on a Blazer, so I welded up those holes. My painter offered to smooth, repaint it .... but I figure if I did it last year, if something marked it, I could redo it ... but I might still take it to him. I also added the 2" deep license plate pocket. I'm guessing it weighs less or near about, give or take, 100 lbs.
I have some unused long / wide stainless steel and some polished auminum diamond plate, I've thought of using on the face of it.
This below is a good 15 or so years ago, it's showing evidence of impacts as I backed up to a loading dock at the Co-Op or Dumpsters, etc., but it never bent. The guy who painted the truck in '89 had smoothed the bumper, used filler, and it was impossible to see my weld fillings where I filled the holes from where it was on that Chevy. It really just shows the "profile".
It's a tall step up, but I've added a step to my drawbar.
Last edited by tbear853; Jun 7, 2024 at 11:00 PM.
Reason: I added a picture.
Made it in the '80s, used a piece of channel which was 8" across the face, and 2" on each lip, was formed in a metal shop using a press, is 1/4" thick but I added 1/8"x6" wide diamond plate on top and my mounting flanges are 3/8" and use 1/2" bolts. It was originally bolted on a Blazer, so I welded up those holes. My painter offered to smooth, repaint it .... but I figure if I did it last year, if something marked it, I could redo it ... but I might still take it to him. I also added the 2" deep license plate pocket. I'm guessing it weighs less or near about, give or take, 100 lbs.
I have some unused long / wide stainless steel and some polished auminum diamond plate, I've thought of using on the face of it.
I'd like to find an original '73 era step bumper. The one that was on my truck when I bought it 4 years ago was aftermarket and it had been hit. It wasn't worth trying to straighten. I replaced it with a chromed Fey step bumper from LMC. What a piece of junk! The mounting brackets fit poorly, and it's made of really thin metal (I could lift it up and hold it in position myself!). It started oozing rust from inside the welded joints after only a few weeks. After a few months, the black painted areas were all rusted. $400 wasted!
I think we definitely need to make a move toward local fabricators making bumpers out of quality American steel. Why the heck do we want to be putting our money into crappy Chinese sheet metal bumpers? Please post more pics if you got them!
There are still some original ones out there that can be restored. I prefer them because the cut out under the taillights is correct, the generics are just lobbed off.
Many dealers installed FEY and other aftermarket bumpers before they left the dealership. the old ones were a little heavier but not that different. back then they had a specific mounting kit but today they're generic, fab your own and it'll fit pretty much like they did when new.
Yes there were a couple different ones. the most common one you see is the silver painted step bumper and it's on the Marti report. they were made by Fey I believe for Ford. the other one that I've only seen on earlier models is the Barden, not sure that's spelled correctly. it was a silver painted heavy bumper using diamond plate. I have a '74 my dad bought new and it was installed at the factory.
No, they're on your Mati report if you had one from the factory. most have a part number on them and the plate light has a part # and the Ford logo. I'd have to look at the Barden it's a different style light.
I was just a kid but I remember going with my dad to pick up the '74 the day it came off the truck. I can't say the Barden was on it from the factory but if the dealer put it on they wasted no time. it was the first of over a dozen 73-79's he bought for the ranch.
I took this bumper off a new '79 in 1979 and put a chrome one in it's place. it sat in the back of the shop until I put it on my high boy. it has the ford part number and logo stamped into it. the paint is as close as I could match using the original paint as a reference. it's a semi-gloss silver-grey. this is the most common factory installed bumper.
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