I had some of this in my build thread, but figured I would put the whole thing in one thread. Well, after putting it off for a couple of years, I finally got my winch bumper built for my F-250. Took a whole bunch of pics, and figured I’d share. Started with a 4x8 sheet of 3/16ths, which I used about half of. 48 inch ish piece of 8x2 channel, and about 6 feet of 5x3x5/16 angle. Also had some shackle mounts I bought off fleabay, and some 2x2x1/4 square tube I had laying around. First step was to trim the channel to a couple inches wider than the frame rails, since the channel is what the winch is actually going to mount to. I did this with my Oxy-Acetylene torch since the web was a little thick for my plasma on 110v. I then notched the back of the channel for the angle to fit for the mounting brackets. Welding on brackets Brackets welded on, and bolt holes drilled. Starting to take shape. started working on the shackle mounts. I should have bought longer ones, but I had these, so I made them work. Extended them with the 2x2 tubing Somehow I missed a picture in here, but I used more of the 5x3 angle to make another bracket that ran over the top of the frame rail and back to a hole in the frame, which I put a 5/8 grade 8 bolt through. I then notched the end of the angle and bent it over to tie into the 2x2 extension on the shackle mount. This was then tied all together to the first set of brackets. Both sides done: Front plate was then cut out and fitted around the shackle mounts (shackles are on in most of the pictures just because I left them there) Cutting out the top plate Top plate tacked in. I decided to make the top in 3 pieces because it allowed me to use a lot less of the plate. Due to the curvature of the front of the truck, it would have taken a very large section to make the top. This is where it got interesting. I tacked it in about 4 places in the center and then cut these slots down the joints. I then filled these with a 1.5in section of steel, to give it a bevel on the corner. Next time, I will just go buy some 1.5x3/16, but me trying to be a cheapskate, just cut them out of the plate, which was way more trouble than it was worth. Then did some cardboard modeling. (yes, I know I have a bad axle oil seal) Tacked on Removed, and cutout started. More cardboard modeling Front tacked on Front and top welded, and bevel piece tacked, second pic shows how deep the curve of the front of the truck is. Passenger side coming together Again, I missed a couple pics, but the end pieces are on Pipe section for the light buckets Pipe was a hair too small for the lights, so I slit with the torch, and it popped open perfectly and the light dropped right in. Cut off and tacked in Ground flush Test fit on the truck Stuck the lights in just to see how they looked
Close up of the light bucket. Most of the welding was done from the inside, so the voids and lines you see are cosmetic, and I went back over them on a lower amperage to fill them in. Bottom installed and ground smooth, and fairlead hole cut Plate welded over fairlead hole to provide reinforcement as well as cosmetic. On the truck. I drove it a couple days like this Another shot of the fairlead plate Pic of the bumper from the back, still needs the light tabs added. Skid plate for the radiator support How she sits now Still need to add the light tabs and wire the lights, and build the grill guard and paint it gloss black. I’m pleased with how it turned out though.
Built like a brick outhouse. Looks great, way better than a "custom factory" built railroad bumper costing over $1K. The foglight buckets are awesome.
thats really cool. I especially like how you made the light holes bigger, most Ive seen have two slots for little dinky lights. you man'd up! dion some good work, keep it up!!!
forgot to ask, how do you like that 3/16? seems to be just about the right thickness for that bumper. And how did you mount it to the truck? just the stock bumper mounts?