Trying to Decide on Rear Bumper

[Free2roam]

I bought a bumper from VKS fab, the absolute last one ever built. But then modified it for what I needed it to do. I built the wings for quarter panel protection. I believe I used 3/8 plate to tie into the factory brackets that originally held the Rubicon rock sliders. It has a TMR customs mega swing away. I designed and built the swing away with bike rack for the wife and I. Originally I had some flex on the corner, but tied it back into the frame. Pretty rock solid now.

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[Bandit’s Lair]

This might be a good time to build one, you know what you want and how you use them…leave the stock receiver and structure alone (so you won’t be risking anything when your towing) do your design around those two items. Sch 80 steel pipe, will handle tons of rocks with almost no damage, just rattle can it flat black and your ready for the next trail, add as many light brackets as you want. You can add tow points directly to the rear frame openings. Hell meet me half way and I‘ll loan you my air/hydraulic bender, I have 2” and 1.5” dies.

This but maybe consider being able to add something like this to the mix if you don’t touch the tow bar.Unsure on the differences on JL vs JT tow bars plug unit.

https://metalcloak.com/jl-wrangler-tow-wiring-skid-plate.html

 

[WILDHOBO]

I bought a bumper from VKS fab, the absolute last one ever built. But then modified it for what I needed it to do. I built the wings for quarter panel protection. I believe I used 3/8 plate to tie into the factory brackets that originally held the Rubicon rock sliders. It has a TMR customs mega swing away. I designed and built the swing away with bike rack for the wife and I. Originally I had some flex on the corner, but tied it back into the frame. Pretty rock solid now.

That’s impressive.

 

[WILDHOBO]

This might be a good time to build one, you know what you want and how you use them…leave the stock receiver and structure alone (so you won’t be risking anything when your towing) do your design around those two items. Sch 80 steel pipe, will handle tons of rocks with almost no damage, just rattle can it flat black and your ready for the next trail, add as many light brackets as you want. You can add tow points directly to the rear frame openings. Hell meet me half way and I‘ll loan you my air/hydraulic bender, I have 2” and 1.5” dies.

I didn’t even notice the offer in the last sentence. Super nice of you. I’ve been eyeing a bender purchase actually. It would pay for itself on the Willy’s project for sure.

 

[WILDHOBO]

This might be a good time to build one, you know what you want and how you use them…leave the stock receiver and structure alone (so you won’t be risking anything when your towing) do your design around those two items. Sch 80 steel pipe, will handle tons of rocks with almost no damage, just rattle can it flat black and your ready for the next trail, add as many light brackets as you want. You can add tow points directly to the rear frame openings. Hell meet me half way and I‘ll loan you my air/hydraulic bender, I have 2” and 1.5” dies.

I’d be very interested in which bender you have. I see some better pricing from eastwood, as compared to Woodward fab. I’m fine with buying god quality. I don’t want this to be a HF tool.

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

@WILDHOBO If you do decide to go forward with a bumper build, please keep the spec tear down for cuts and angles and all that jazz. I’d be interested in something high tight and original that utilizes the factory corner sliders and stays tighter to the body myself. That way I didn’t waste money picking up a set when I had the opportunity.

 

[Alpine Warthog]

I just bought the Motobilt Tomahawk rear for mine. It arrived on my doorstep last week. Can't wait to get it painted up and install it.
motobilt.com/products/tomahawk-high-clearence-rear-bumper

Also, I want to know about this license plate relocation from the Cavfab website!

 

[WILDHOBO]

@WILDHOBO If you do decide to go forward with a bumper build, please keep the spec tear down for cuts and angles and all that jazz. I’d be interested in something high tight and original that utilizes the factory corner sliders and stays tighter to the body myself. That way I didn’t waste money picking up a set when I had the opportunity.

I definitely will. I think I’m leaning that way. It’ll be steel, since I can’t weld aluminum with my basic ass, and likely a combo of tube and plate to reduce fab work that I’m likely to screw up on my first attempt. We should just plan it for a time you could come here. We’ll just make two of them at the same time, using mine as the jig.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I definitely will. I think I’m leaning that way. It’ll be steel, since I can’t weld aluminum with my basic ass, and likely a combo of tube and plate to reduce fab work that I’m likely to screw up on my first attempt. We should just plan it for a time you could come here. We’ll just make two of them at the same time, using mine as the jig.

And when we’re done I’ll follow you home and we’ll test them in big bear.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I just bought the Motobilt Tomahawk rear for mine. It arrived on my doorstep last week. Can't wait to get it painted up and install it.
motobilt.com/products/tomahawk-high-clearence-rear-bumper

Also, I want to know about this license plate relocation from the Cavfab website!

I like that one

 

[Alpine Warthog]

I like that one

I opened the boxes and this thing is thick. Not at all disappointed so far. We'll see how it goes together as I try to mount it.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I opened the boxes and this thing is thick. Not at all disappointed so far. We'll see how it goes together as I try to mount it.

Please keep us posted. Let me know if I’m wrong in any of my misconceptions.

 

[Freems]

I’d be very interested in which bender you have. I see some better pricing from eastwood, as compared to Woodward fab. I’m fine with buying god quality. I don’t want this to be a HF tool.

I did a ton of research on benders before jumping into one. This tool for me was an investment for me for a project I took on for some friends (Home handrail system). My research convinced me that if you’re in the market for one, you have to look hard at what types of projects you’ll want to do with it down the road. Bumpers, roll bars, trailer fab, ect. Dies sizes and shapes, tubing, pipe, square and round. Die prices on most all of them are ridiculously steep, Especially dies that fit the bender of manufacture you‘ve chosen. I figured if I went down the bender road, I wanted a bunch of dies to get the most use out the machine. WFB2 is where all of the above lead me. That group has a long history of being in the business, and they have a huge selection of dies. This being said, most benders on the used market are one project and done purchases. Some that I looked at are huge foot print machines, that wasn’t for me. The shop that took on building roll cages, then got out of it, big investment and little to no return.

Things you’ll want to look at:
-manual bender vs. hydraulic vs. air/hydraulic … I chose air/hydraulic, if you bend a couple tubes a year, you can live with a manual bender.
hydraulic are way to messy and leaky for me.
-Where to mount the thing. it has to be solid and movable. Envision the thing mounted to your work bench with a 20’ piece of 2” Sch 80 pipe hanging out end of it.
-being able to level the bender and keep the tubing level throughout the bending process. (This is huge)
-buy a good tube notcher.

sorry for being windy, I hope this helps out. I’ll send some pics of my set up if your interested.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I did a ton of research on benders before jumping into one. This tool for me was an investment for me for a project I took on for some friends (Home handrail system). My research convinced me that if you’re in the market for one, you have to look hard at what types of projects you’ll want to do with it down the road. Bumpers, roll bars, trailer fab, ect. Dies sizes and shapes, tubing, pipe, square and round. Die prices on most all of them are ridiculously steep, Especially dies that fit the bender of manufacture you‘ve chosen. I figured if I went down the bender road, I wanted a bunch of dies to get the most use out the machine. WFB2 is where all of the above lead me. That group has a long history of being in the business, and they have a huge selection of dies. This being said, most benders on the used market are one project and done purchases. Some that I looked at are huge foot print machines, that wasn’t for me. The shop that took on building roll cages, then got out of it, big investment and little to no return.

Things you’ll want to look at:
-manual bender vs. hydraulic vs. air/hydraulic … I chose air/hydraulic, if you bend a couple tubes a year, you can live with a manual bender.
hydraulic are way to messy and leaky for me.
-Where to mount the thing. it has to be solid and movable. Envision the thing mounted to your work bench with a 20’ piece of 2” Sch 80 pipe hanging out end of it.
-being able to level the bender and keep the tubing level throughout the bending process. (This is huge)
-buy a good tube notcher.

sorry for being windy, I hope this helps out. I’ll send some pics of my set up if your interested.

Exactly my thoughts. Air hydraulic is fine as I have a compressor. Electro hydraulic is just quieter. I thought about even starting out with Woodward’s manual, as it’s upgradable to air hydraulic for about the same cost later. Mounting becomes less of an issue if it’s hydraulic though, as I don’t need to put my weight into it. So that’s huge. What’s a tube notcher?

 

[Rusty PW]

Exactly my thoughts. Air hydraulic is fine as I have a compressor. Electro hydraulic is just quieter. I thought about even starting out with Woodward’s manual, as it’s upgradable to air hydraulic for about the same cost later. Mounting becomes less of an issue if it’s hydraulic though, as I don’t need to put my weight into it. So that’s huge. What’s a tube notcher?

How much money do you want to spend?

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