Front Bumper

[davidb]

I've been looking at the Denver Off Road aluminum bumper. After a half dozen unanswered e-mails and a recorded message that the phone is no longer in service I'm wonder if that front bumper is still available. Does anyone have suggestions? I happen to work in a manufacturing facility where I operate a laser cutter and a 175 ton brake so fabricating one myself is a definite possibility. Does anyone know if there is a blueprint or CADD drawing floating around so I can fab one of these bumpers out of either 304 stainless or cold rolled steel and powder coat. Thanks in advance

 

[Sky]

I have tried to get info too and no returned call or email, I guess they dont want to sell them that bad.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

I talked with Layne Wright at that co. once, but the bumper is around $1400 as I recall. I ended up making my own from 3/16" plate. Briefly, I bought a long piece about 14" wide, made brackets first, and used the torch to heat and bend it, then cut the ends to the desired length--the extra length gave leverage for bending it. Te aftermarket bumpers are extra high for ground clearance but that lets a lot of air go under the truck--turbulent, bad mpg results. Remember Jere Stahl's 66 Hemi with the big "Plymouth" banner mounted under the bumper? No one at the time realized it was a spoiler So, I wanted the bumper to come down as low as stock for aerodynamics. Also the frame horns are down low and if any bump is going to be higher up, then you increase the chance of bending the frame from leverage. My bumper ended up about 125 lb with brackets, much less than most aftermarket ones. I also didn't want it to add a foot to the overall length--another reason I ended up making my own.

You can check several companies who make aftermarket ones, Reunel and ProZap are similar in design to Wright's but steel not aluminum; Ranchhand is somewhat different. All the commercial steel onesare pretty heavy, I have heard--200-400 lb folks say. A lot of weight to hang on those 1/8" thick frame horns, and a lot to hang on a front end that is almost to its weight rating in stock configuration.



Hope this helps.

 

[merryman]

I made a winch bumper; the facing to which the winch is attached and the bracketing are 3/8 steel. For the wings, I had two 48" pieces of 10 inch wide 3/16" thick bent to channel. Behind the winch, the cross piece is 3/16" steel. I formed the channel to match the contours of the original bumper. I topped it with 1/8" aluminum diamond plate and used the same diamond plate to wrap into the front wheel wells and for an angle below the front edge of the bumper. To each side of the winch area are small tool boxes for the controls, a snatch block and strap. I allso added an air dam (a take off from a 96 ram) under the bumper.

I would like to add a picture, but have been unable to master that, and can't locate directions to do so-----seems they were posted once, but I did not save.



Vaughn