"New" Front Bumper

[MSHardeman]

OK, I've been threatening to do this for a while ( http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=19947 ) and I finally got around to doing it. After taking the front cladding off this past weekend to do a little fog light work, I noticed that my front bumper was really just swiss cheese (more like metal lace) so I pulled the trigger and called a local 4x4 shop to have them bend up a new one for me.

When I took the bumper off I nearly fell apart in my hands. I can't believe that the thing was still in one piece and attached to the VX.

Here are some before's:










And here are some shots of what the shop bent up. They used the same 1 1/2" steel tubing that they make tube buggies out of then mandrel bent it, welded caps on both ends then painted it with self-etching primer. The original bumper mounts were still good so they reused those.







And a before and after:





The shop (4 Play Offroad) kept the "pattern" and said that they would be happy to replicate it if anyone else wanted one.

If you haven't taken a look at your bumper lately, I think you might be surprised by what you find. I know I was.

[RabidPony]

Looks good but I have one question. Is the center section where it is welded together sleeved?

[ojmagg]

Rock Auto sells this part for $18 plus shipping...

[tom4bren]

Rock Auto sells this part for $18 plus shipping...

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=697232

The other part #s they list for this item are:

IZ1006121

8971257810

EDIT:

Use the IZ part # when searching on their site.

[MSHardeman]

RabidPony - Yes, the weld in the center is sleeved. They ended up doing it that way because their tube bender couldn't do the two bends on either side of the centerline. Think they were too close together for the machine to handle.

ojmagg - I think others have tried to get the bumper from a few different sources, and even though many places have it listed, when you actually try and buy it, it doesn't exist. I think Merlin at St. Charles can still get these "new", but it will be the same junky metal and will eventually rust out again. Not sure if I would trust an $18 bumper in the first place. Heck, for $18, I might try and order one to see if it's the real deal.

[MSHardeman]

Rock Auto sells this part for $18 plus shipping...

Well, let's see what happens. Just ordered one, and with shipping the total was $30. The site said that there was a 4-5 day shipping delay due to the part being in an offsite warehouse.

I'll let everyone know IF it ships, and if it does, I'll report on quality once it arrives.

[VX KAT]

Rock Auto sells this part for $18 plus shipping...

Well, let's see what happens. Just ordered one, and with shipping the total was $30. The site said that there was a 4-5 day shipping delay due to the part being in an offsite warehouse.

I'll let everyone know IF it ships, and if it does, I'll report on quality once it arrives.

Looks great Mark! I know you've been wanting to do that for a while now...nothing like Moab creeping up on ya to get motivated!

I recall a few folks have tried to get one from Rock Auto and another site also, I think it was Gill (nocturnlVX) with no luck. Surely the METAL costs more than $18!


~What's "self-etching primer"
~Why aren't the brackets equally rotted?
~Always wondered, does it provide any crash protection strength to just be able to pass US requirements?
~Or is engine/radiator etc protection the main function?

[MSHardeman]

Looks great Mark! I know you've been wanting to do that for a while now...nothing like Moab creeping up on ya to get motivated!

I recall a few folks have tried to get one from Rock Auto and another site also, I think it was Gill (nocturnlVX) with no luck. Surely the METAL costs more than $18!


~What's "self-etching primer"
~Why aren't the brackets equally rotted?
~Always wondered, does it provide any crash protection strength to just be able to pass US requirements?
~Or is engine/radiator etc protection the main function?

Sue,

~From what I understand self-etching primer pretty much bonds itself with the metal so that no rust can form. Here's a quick explanation after a quick Google search:

Self-etching primer is composed of an acid and zinc. The acid, usually phosphoric acid, forces the zinc down into the top couple of molecules of the steel. Chemically impregnating the steel like this cannot reverse the rust but it can stop in from getting worse. So it’s important that you get all of the scaly rust off.

~I'm pretty sure that the brackets are equally rotated. Maybe it's a weird perspective thing in the pictures. The bumper sits flat and level on the VX. Maybe they are rotated differently and my frame rails are out of whack.

~To tell you the truth I'm not sure how much protection this dinky little thing would provide. I have a feeling it would just get folded up into the radiator if it recieved a good impact, particularly my old rusted out one.

The guy at the shop who was building the bumper said that it looked like the bumper was made for baja running, due to the middle being turned up like a bull bar. At that point I told him the history of the VX and how it was sort of built like a baja runner with the reservoir shocks and that a few had actually been run in the Baja races.

[ojmagg]

True, the $18 bumper is prob as thick as a soda can...

[tom4bren]

~Why aren't the brackets equally rotted?
~Always wondered, does it provide any crash protection strength to just be able to pass US requirements?
~Or is engine/radiator etc protection the main function?

Sue,

The metal is thicker on the brackets and is probably a different grade of steel. That's probably why they didn't rot like the tubes did.

The bumper offers little or no crash protection. Round tubing just ain't that strong. If you were looking to modify it for crash protection, you should replicate it in square tubing or angle.

[MSHardeman]

~Why aren't the brackets equally rotted?
~Or is engine/radiator etc protection the main function?

After reading Tom's post I realized that you asked why the brackets aren't as rotted.

I read "rotated", so that is the reason for my cryptic answer to that question.

Yea, what Tom said about the brackets not being rotted.....

Man, I need to get my eyes......or my brain......checked.

[dietz99vcross]

When I pulled the front off to work on my VX the remnants of what was left of this bumper was swept up (12 years of Michigan salted roads). The largest piece I had left was maybe 10" long, and you would have been hard pressed to tell it used to be circular.

Having said that, I may be interested, but I didn't see anything about $$. Any idea on what cost they are thinking about charging? I would probably just get the bar from them and get it attached around home.

Thanks - Mike

[Triathlete]

The reason the tube bumper rots is that moisture builds up inside it and then slowly rots it from the inside out. The brackets being flat do not retain the moisture. If you take a look at your factory bumper you will see the end caps are tack welded and not sealded the entire way around which allows the moisture in. Most could prevent the rusting by sealing the end cap and applying a good coat of paint...or be fortunate enough to live in a nice dry desert setting!
As far as round tube not being strong...wrong. Why are tube frames not made with square tube? It depends on the tube material, how it is used and the size/thickness.

[blacksambo]

What does this newly fabricated bumper cost to have made? Thx

[MSHardeman]

Ended up costing me right at $300. I haven't talked to the shop yet about what they would charge to bend more up and ship them. When I talked to them about this a year ago they said that they would be happy to bend just the pipe up and send it out for others to weld to their stock brackets. Don't know what shipping would be either. I can find all of that out after Moab if anyone is interested.

On a similar note, and something that might make me feel like a boob, but I just got an email from RockAuto that the bumper I ordered from them is expected to ship on May 18th. This might be a SUPER cheap alternative for some.