Rear bumper brackets
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,005
Likes: 2
From: Santa Clarita
Rear bumper brackets
I'm working on pulling my bumpers closer to the body of my 56. I know they have shorty brackets out there. But they appear too close and leave little or no gap between the bumper and body. Has anyone fabricated their own brackets? Any ideas on how to pull the bumper closer without the shorty brackets?
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,328
Likes: 124
From: Iowa
Take a look in my gallery. 6th PIC. You can alter to suit your taste. They have the stock "double bracket" look when viewed from the top. For the horizontal pieces I used 3/16th stock. 1 1/2 by 15 inches long. Total of 4 pieces needed. Then you need 2 pieces of 3/16th flat stock to sit on the back of the bumper and catch the 4 bumper bolts. I used 3/16th again. About 3 1/2 by 13 inches. All dimensions can be adjusted to your pleasure.
You are basically making a "T" bracket. Using two pieces for the part of T that connected to the frame when installed. They are separated enough so the frame can slide between.
That make any sense?
You are basically making a "T" bracket. Using two pieces for the part of T that connected to the frame when installed. They are separated enough so the frame can slide between.
That make any sense?
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 221
Likes: 0
From: Michigan
Ed, I bought a set of chromed rear brackets and re-worked them to tuck and raise the bumper. It's simple if you're good at fabricating or any good welding shop/garage can do it, too. I just uploaded a pic in my gallery that shows how I raised it level with the bottom of the tailgate and pulled it in to about 3" clearance. I like the look a whole lot better than stock...especially since my truck is lowered.
And thanks for the comment on my ride! As far as pics of the engine? Well, let me break the ice with you guys for a while before I tell you what's really in there *smile*!
And thanks for the comment on my ride! As far as pics of the engine? Well, let me break the ice with you guys for a while before I tell you what's really in there *smile*!
Thread Starter
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,005
Likes: 2
From: Santa Clarita
Fatfenders, of all the times we talked and shared advice, I never saw your gallery. LOL. The truck is very sweet! I'm impressed. Anyways, I like your idea on the brackets. Question? What did you do to mount the brackets to the straight pieces which mount to the bumper? Is it bolted to the straight pieces? Did you bend the ends? Or is it welded onto to make the "T" If that makes sense?
56 Effie, I like the way you did it also. With lowering, it makes the truck look clean. I understand about the bumper. My truck's bumper sticks out there like a sore thumb and looks like someone stood on the rear and bent the brackets. I pulled in the front today, and it looks much better. Thank God for sabre saws. It really made the job easy cutting the frame back. By the way, now I'm real curious whats under that hood..... LOL Thanks for the advice guys.
56 Effie, I like the way you did it also. With lowering, it makes the truck look clean. I understand about the bumper. My truck's bumper sticks out there like a sore thumb and looks like someone stood on the rear and bent the brackets. I pulled in the front today, and it looks much better. Thank God for sabre saws. It really made the job easy cutting the frame back. By the way, now I'm real curious whats under that hood..... LOL Thanks for the advice guys.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,328
Likes: 124
From: Iowa
Originally Posted by imlowr2
Fatfenders, of all the times we talked and shared advice, I never saw your gallery. LOL. The truck is very sweet! I'm impressed. Anyways, I like your idea on the brackets. Question? What did you do to mount the brackets to the straight pieces which mount to the bumper? Is it bolted to the straight pieces? Did you bend the ends? Or is it welded onto to make the "T" If that makes sense?
56 Effie, I like the way you did it also. With lowering, it makes the truck look clean. I understand about the bumper. My truck's bumper sticks out there like a sore thumb and looks like someone stood on the rear and bent the brackets. I pulled in the front today, and it looks much better. Thank God for sabre saws. It really made the job easy cutting the frame back. By the way, now I'm real curious whats under that hood..... LOL Thanks for the advice guys.
56 Effie, I like the way you did it also. With lowering, it makes the truck look clean. I understand about the bumper. My truck's bumper sticks out there like a sore thumb and looks like someone stood on the rear and bent the brackets. I pulled in the front today, and it looks much better. Thank God for sabre saws. It really made the job easy cutting the frame back. By the way, now I'm real curious whats under that hood..... LOL Thanks for the advice guys.
Only protrusion problem is my tail lights. Mine have a built in "knee magnet" I rarely miss waste an opportunity to smack my leg on the tail lights everytime I walk around the truck.
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2004
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Likes: 2
From: Santa Clarita
Thanks for the info. I'd love to see more pics of your truck Fatfenders. I'm going to work on making my own brackets. I've got a good idea now. Still have to think it through. Definitely looks much better higher up and tucked in.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,328
Likes: 124
From: Iowa
Learpilot
I have a stock bracket I intended to modify and mount somewhere. In all honesty, the rear tag has been in the back window, wire tied to the bumper. Fighting color matching the red on my new panels. Truck off the road much more than on. That's changing finally as I run out of excuses. Anyway, I'm not set on any particular location for the tag. Have any suggestions? Obviously it won't fit in the stock location. I hated the look of the stock brackets so bad I didn't care what I had to move to allow tucking the bumper. I lost my license plate location.
IMlowr
I'll try to get a shot of my bumper brackets emailed to you. Design is extremely simple. Fire off a message to me and I'll return a PIC once I have have your email address.
I have a stock bracket I intended to modify and mount somewhere. In all honesty, the rear tag has been in the back window, wire tied to the bumper. Fighting color matching the red on my new panels. Truck off the road much more than on. That's changing finally as I run out of excuses. Anyway, I'm not set on any particular location for the tag. Have any suggestions? Obviously it won't fit in the stock location. I hated the look of the stock brackets so bad I didn't care what I had to move to allow tucking the bumper. I lost my license plate location.
IMlowr
I'll try to get a shot of my bumper brackets emailed to you. Design is extremely simple. Fire off a message to me and I'll return a PIC once I have have your email address.
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 221
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From: Michigan
Learpilot & Fatfenders...I stuck my plate right smack in the middle of the bumper. Drilled a couple holes, put a billet frame around it and thought it turned out pretty good. The icing on the cake was finishing up the stainless 3" exhaust pipes. I'll put a closeup shot on my gallery.
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Santa Clarita
56 Effie, I like the way the bumper sits on your rear end. Is that the chrome shorty brackets you bought? Very clean. The plate doesn't look bad either. I have the plate mounted on the taillight but every time I walk by, I hit the damn thing with my leg.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 221
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From: Michigan
Well, imlowr2, those are stock chromed brackets re-worked. And as far as the plate goes, well, that became a no-brainer because my box is 5" wider than stock and a typical plate bracket wouldn't have worked anyway. BTW that's an Express tailgate on there...notice how it's higher also. That wider box gives the truck a whole different look. Makes the effie afficianados scratch their heads at shows trying to figure out what's different about my truck!
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