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BBVX
06/01/2003, 04:33 PM
After some minor altercations with some small boulders I decided to have one of my offroad welder friends help me whip up some body armor. I stole this from Grampa Bob and (hopefully) improved upon it.

First the upper mounting brackets and the top horizontal rail are attached to the bumper tube behind the cladding.
http://www.jonfund.com/albums/staging/DSC00610.sized.jpg

Then the lower mounting brackets and the twin vertical styles are bolted to the tow hook mounts under the VX frame.
http://www.jonfund.com/albums/staging/DSC00611.sized.jpg

Then add the bottom horizontal rail. Tack weld all these together, leaving the cladding in place to adjust and measure for proper placement.
http://www.jonfund.com/albums/staging/DSC00614.sized.jpg

Remove the cladding to weld the pipe joints and the pipes to the mounting brackets.
http://www.jonfund.com/albums/staging/DSC00616.sized.jpg

Then add the 1/4" plate and the winch base with holes drilled through the bottom to access the winch mounting bolts.
http://www.jonfund.com/albums/staging/DSC00618.sized.jpg

Add the two diagonal winch base supports and the two secondary frame pieces to strengthen the main chassis. A skid plate could be added here, but it was getting late.
http://www.jonfund.com/albums/staging/DSC00624.sized.jpg

By using the stock tow hook mounting holes underneath, and bolting the upper brackets to 2" by 4" pieces of steel welded to the tube frame behind the cladding, the whole unit is removable in about 5 minutes.


Brian
Green Dragon
06/01/2003, 05:09 PM
Good Job Brian! Consider a couple of tabs for mounting lights.
What winch have you installed?;Db;
Dallas4u
06/01/2003, 06:46 PM
Mmmmm... yummy!

I like it a LOT! Nice custom fab!
Tone
06/01/2003, 07:15 PM
Yup, VERY nice - great work and excellent removability idea.
BigMeatVX
06/01/2003, 07:20 PM
Looks Nice, but that tube piece behind the cladding is VERY weak,

looks like it was made of the same thickness as the sheet metal!!!

Doubt it would hold up to any serious winching ...esepcially at an angle....


just my 2 cents

;Dy;


Allan
SPAZZ
06/01/2003, 08:19 PM
word!!! I'm with you Allan
TDAWG
06/02/2003, 02:06 PM
Hey Brian,
Great good on the Fab. Can't wait to see them up close on our next meet.
BBVX
06/02/2003, 05:30 PM
:fyi:

I don't know guys, it looks pretty strong to me! :rotate:

http://www.jonfund.com/albums/staging/DSC00625.sized.jpg

http://www.jonfund.com/albums/staging/DSC00626.sized.jpg

I'll let you know when it falls off!:evil2: :smack:

Brian
BBVX
06/02/2003, 05:32 PM
Bob,

I bought the Warn M6000SDP that slides into a class III hitch. We cut all that off and just kept the mounting plate and the stock fairlead.

Brian
Green Dragon
06/02/2003, 08:50 PM
Originally posted by BBVX
:fyi:

I don't know guys, it looks pretty strong to me! :rotate:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid63/pb4f7c3a4c97e96e7a49b68dab93f426c/fc03dbd1.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid63/p277aad895e3e7c84cbd55b412f037cca/fc03dbc8.jpg

I'll let you know when it falls off!:evil2: :smack:

Brian

The Man In The Arena
"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly...who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who have never known neither victory nor defeat."

Teddy Roosevelt
TDAWG
06/03/2003, 10:33 AM
Hey BBVX,
So how much did those sweet looking bars set you back? If you don't mind me asking?;Dy;
BBVX
06/03/2003, 01:45 PM
It took us about 12 hours and believe it or not, the guy wanted to charge me $50!
I'll give him at least $300.

Brian
TimG
06/03/2003, 02:51 PM
Originally posted by BBVX
It took us about 12 hours and believe it or not, the guy wanted to charge me $50!
I'll give him at least $300.

Brian
I have that same problem with a mechanic/welder friend that helps me out sometimes.
He wants me to buy him a case of beer and thats it.
I always give him a reasonable amount of money as well as the beer.
I know how much I hate working on my family's computers all the time,
and I don't want him to dread me asking him for help with mechanical/welding stuff
like I do every time any family member even mentions a computer.