plate bumper build... or another way to waste tons of time.

[v7guy]

These pics will show the orientation of the winch a bit better as well as why there is a big empty area on the drivers side. You'll notice that the winch is longer on the passenger side. So it takes up a good deal of the space on the passenger side that is left empty on the drivers side. I centered the winch between the frame rails by it mounting holes with the thought that the stresses from winching would be most evenly applied to the frame rails. I have doubts that it matters really, but it also can't hurt.

I also took a bit to see if there was a way to change the bowl like winch plate. I can't see a good way to do it though. The winch plate sits mostly on the frame rail so there's no easy way to put the reinforcements on the underside. I think given the basic layout this is about the best I can do.

[v7guy]

been grinding, welding the smaller pits and grinding/smoothing more the last few days I'm finally starting to see the end in sight. The inside welds have a few passes on em so I'm pretty confident I'm not messing with the strength.
I'm probably finishing it nicer than it needs to be for some shitty, lumpy ass bedliner.

[HARDTRAILZ]

Nice!

[NC_IslandRunner]

Looking good!

[navigator]

......I'm probably finishing it nicer than it needs to be for some shitty.....

you'll never look back at it and say "I did too good of a job".

looks like a fine job, gets some bedliner on it and go get stuck so you can pull yourself out!

[Trail X]

Just make sure you put a decent fillet on the edges. Paint doesn't like sharp corners (although, I don't have much experience with bedliner, maybe it doesn't care as much, but I bet it does).

[bartonmd]

Looks good, man!

I agree, though, put a bevel or radius on the outsides of those corners, and it'll look better, and the paint will last longer there.

Mike

[v7guy]

Mike, James, thanks for the heads up on the edges. It'll certainly save me a lot of metal work.

Do people generally prime or primer seal before the bedliner?
I was going to just apply it to the metal but I had it mentioned that maybe I should prime it first.

[4angels]

Most quality bed liner places treat the metal of a bed and rough it a little so it adheres better and does not peel off. I would rough the metal, light coat of sealer and shoot it. I would also ask a local sprayer what they use to treat it first so you dont use something that the liner rejects.

just my 2 cents.

[JCrayton99]

I roughed up existing paint on my truck, and sprayed some rattle can rust reformer on the areas I sanded off rust. Also, planning on blasting and priming my bumper and radiator skid. My aluminum oil pan skid is going to get alumaprep and alodine and then primed.

[v7guy]

Did another test fit on the bumper, it's essentially done. I think I'm going to add a brace on the inside before I bedline it.

[dvanbramer88]

Sweet dude! Looks friggin awesome. Glad you got it done. Hopefully I'll see it in person next Saturday.

[steveroche]

Would look sweet with some tube on there...

[HARDTRAILZ]

Looks good.

Now protect that radiator

[v7guy]

Looks good.

Now protect that radiator

The radiator skid is in the garage. Just got to change the front mounting area on it so it'll bolt up to the new bumper instead of the stock bumper bar. Should be quick and easy.

[v7guy]

Would look sweet with some tube on there...

Not really fan of tube on the bumper, that's not happening, but tube elsewhere on the vehicle...

[bartonmd]

It looks good, but I really think you should at least put a cardboard piece across each side, where I showed earlier, before you paint it.

Mike

[v7guy]

It looks good, but I really think you should at least put a cardboard piece across each side, where I showed earlier, before you paint it.

Mike

You know, for some reason I thought you were suggesting putting a plate towards the back when I first looked at that MSpaint picture. I see that you were suggesting a plate linking to the fairlead mount now... I suck.
The tapered/small frontal area of the bumper as well as the "trim" look is what i really like about the design, it's one of the reasons I built it. Adding that plate would increase the "bulky" feeling of the bumper substantially and would defeat the design I had in mind. The fairlead might wiggle a bit, and if it does I'll address the issue. But I'd like to keep from adding a piece like that.

[bartonmd]

It's your deal, and you can do whatever you want. I think it would look much better like that, and I would hope you'd at least cut a piece of cardboard and check it out before you paint it, even if you don't post the pic.

Mike

[v7guy]

It's your deal, and you can do whatever you want. I think it would look much better like that, and I would hope you'd at least cut a piece of cardboard and check it out before you paint it, even if you don't post the pic.

Mike

just cause you're a good guy, I'll post a pic when I get back from physical therapy and we'll see what everyone thinks. Maybe it'll grow on me in person and I'll go with it. Or maybe I won't
I'll give it a go though.