Home built bumper
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 973
Likes: 2
From: Texas
Home built bumper
Well its been a while since i'v been on, but now i have a little time and i want to start on my bumper. Im planning on it being really heavy duty full bumper replacement with room for a winch in the future, but my biggest question is about weight and the front suspention. With the bumper being at the vary least 100lbs and a winch upwards of 100lbs(warn 16.5ti hopefully). And with it being 2wd the front is already a little low, id really hate for it to sink any lower.
Most likely if weight is a issue id like to beef up the front suspension. And any suggestion as to what springs and shocks to look at. But i thought it'd be good to know pretty early in the process.
Im planning on drawing it tomarrow but i have to find my CAD cd. As soon as i get some drafts i'll post'em.
I hope maybe some of yall who have had this kinda weight on the front before could let me know how the front suspension hands it. I know as i start designing the bumper i'll have more questions, but this was one that was on my mind.
Thanks in advance for any info.
Most likely if weight is a issue id like to beef up the front suspension. And any suggestion as to what springs and shocks to look at. But i thought it'd be good to know pretty early in the process.
Im planning on drawing it tomarrow but i have to find my CAD cd. As soon as i get some drafts i'll post'em.
I hope maybe some of yall who have had this kinda weight on the front before could let me know how the front suspension hands it. I know as i start designing the bumper i'll have more questions, but this was one that was on my mind.
Thanks in advance for any info.
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 973
Likes: 2
From: Texas
Ya, i'v looked in to air bags for both the front and rear but im leary about tearing them up when off roading. I never do anything near extreme but cutting across fields and trail ride.
I love to put bags in the front and the back, it really help towing with out making ride really rough all the time.
anyone use airbags while off roading, and know how they hold up?
Thanks for the help and keep it coming.
I love to put bags in the front and the back, it really help towing with out making ride really rough all the time.
anyone use airbags while off roading, and know how they hold up?
Thanks for the help and keep it coming.
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 973
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From: Texas
Wow that is kinda creepy, are you swapping to 4x4 as well?
im still working on gathering the parts for the 4x4 convert. i was hoping to have them by this week so i could start on it but for some reason the parts are a bit hard to come by lately. it might be that i haven't been driving on the county roads much, I guess i need to go looking to see if i can find a donor for sale on the side of the road some where, i shouldn't be that hard, theres like 10 billion of em.
But since im not working on the 4x4 convert i figured i would start on the bumper.
I figured the addition of 4x4 would raise the front several inches, but thats is still a good amount of extra weight on the front. Should i do anything or do yall think it will be fine.
Thanks, keep it coming.
im still working on gathering the parts for the 4x4 convert. i was hoping to have them by this week so i could start on it but for some reason the parts are a bit hard to come by lately. it might be that i haven't been driving on the county roads much, I guess i need to go looking to see if i can find a donor for sale on the side of the road some where, i shouldn't be that hard, theres like 10 billion of em.
But since im not working on the 4x4 convert i figured i would start on the bumper.
I figured the addition of 4x4 would raise the front several inches, but thats is still a good amount of extra weight on the front. Should i do anything or do yall think it will be fine.
Thanks, keep it coming.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,025
Likes: 1
From: Colorado Springs
u could swap in the front coil springs of an f250 and that would definatly handle the extra weight and yes im also swapping in the 4x4 but my parts are a little bit harder to find cause im looking for the zf tranny out of a 250 or 350 but im workin on drawin up a custom front bumper with light guard and a light bar for in the bed.
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2006
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Likes: 2
From: Texas
i was actually thinking of going up to 250 springs but you do sacrifice a little bit of ride, but do care to much about it. Would the 250 springs fit easily.
Ya im looking for the zf5 but id take the mazda if i had too. And im trying to go for a bumper that is the ranch hand style with the light guards and grill guard and lights in the bottom of the bumper, and i have a headach rack that i wanna put some lights on across the top.
I think we might be going for the same idea here. Its pretty weird.
Ya im looking for the zf5 but id take the mazda if i had too. And im trying to go for a bumper that is the ranch hand style with the light guards and grill guard and lights in the bottom of the bumper, and i have a headach rack that i wanna put some lights on across the top.
I think we might be going for the same idea here. Its pretty weird.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: Colorado Springs
yeah nearly the same truck to mines the 96 f150 with the 300 im shippin out to basic on the ninth of december so im probly gonna have them custom made from a set of plans that im gonna draw up. u know since that sighnin bonues is gonna be so nicwe but not before i order the 2 grand worth of parts i got sittnin in the online shoppin cart on summit.
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Joined: Apr 2006
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From: on da beach
wow that's creepy, I'm not building a bumper or converting to 4x. I may buy a bumper for my new 4x though.
Keep us posted on your bumper design(s). I may build a bumper for my FSB that will hold my Hilift jack better that in is being held now.
Keep us posted on your bumper design(s). I may build a bumper for my FSB that will hold my Hilift jack better that in is being held now.
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 973
Likes: 2
From: Texas
ya yours is just a few years younger, what kinda of miles are on it? I wish i could have em made, but im gonna build it in my dads shop. also i wish i could put a little more money into her, but im working on it.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,025
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From: Colorado Springs
about 150000 before i got it it was used as a costruction truck hauled a trailer about 200 miles a couple times a week i actualy have the motor out right now im in the middle of rebuilding it.
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Texas
Khadma: ya ill see what i can draw up and post it on her for ya'll. It really is kinda creepy, but also kinda cool to have someone with the same ideas, crazy things you find on the internet.
I only have about 96,000, and id love to build it up a little but i need it as a daily driver and for work and play.
Does anyone have any ideas of what kinda of work it is to put f250 springs on an f150?
I only have about 96,000, and id love to build it up a little but i need it as a daily driver and for work and play.
Does anyone have any ideas of what kinda of work it is to put f250 springs on an f150?
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 6,214
Likes: 13
From: New Jersey
I built a homemade bumper for my F350 crewcab, but it didn't sag noticably at all, probably because it's an F350. Here is my very long pictorial, step by step. I cut the pieces ahead of time, and welded them on the truck.
http://frederic.woodbridgedata.com/i...50-superbumper
The original design of "Superbumper" weighed in at about 300lbs, and I hacked it down twice to make it smaller. Now it's about 150lbs give or take.
It's made mostly of 1/4" plate and has unfortunately been "honda tested" with no damage other than scrapes into the metal and of course the expected paint removal.
How I got the strength was instead of mounting my homemade bumper on the bumper mounts at the very front of the frame snouts, I used 1/4" thick, 4" angle iron to bolt to the sides of the frame and extend back about a foot, spreading any impact load backwards. You can see that in the first two pictures from the above link.
If you have an F150 you'll find that more than likely the front is going to sag. As others have suggested you can use air springs to help out, or add-a-leaf's if you have front leaf springs.
http://frederic.woodbridgedata.com/i...50-superbumper
The original design of "Superbumper" weighed in at about 300lbs, and I hacked it down twice to make it smaller. Now it's about 150lbs give or take.
It's made mostly of 1/4" plate and has unfortunately been "honda tested" with no damage other than scrapes into the metal and of course the expected paint removal.
How I got the strength was instead of mounting my homemade bumper on the bumper mounts at the very front of the frame snouts, I used 1/4" thick, 4" angle iron to bolt to the sides of the frame and extend back about a foot, spreading any impact load backwards. You can see that in the first two pictures from the above link.
If you have an F150 you'll find that more than likely the front is going to sag. As others have suggested you can use air springs to help out, or add-a-leaf's if you have front leaf springs.
