Metal bumpers etc ideas

[janesy86]

Just tell them to leave the bumper off and pocket the money for this one.

Thats what I'm doing as well, just damaged my front end a bit so I'll be using the insurance check to get Mike's rad skid and bumper.

[bartonmd]

Design #1 looks good. A huge, massive slap of metal hung on the front of a TB that says stay out of my way AND allows room for many mods such as fog lamps, receiver, push bar, etc.

Design #2 looks great. I cannot wait to see one mounted on a TB. IMO it will look like something made just for our trucks, not a semi-universal design attached with a Trailblazer mounting bracket kit. Design #2 will be a much easier sell to my wife. Am I the only guy concerned with that?

Yeah, I'm a bigger fan of design 2... That would be the only one I could possibly sell to the wife, as well...

A design/ technical question for you Mike: Some of the bumper manufactures who do not want to even consider doing a TB bumper make a big deal out of the fact that their shackle mounts are not just welded to the face of their bumpers, but a hole is cut in the front face and the shackle mount goes thru the hole and is welded to some internal part(s) of the bumper as well as welded to the front face. I do not have enough knowledge to know if it makes a real difference, if it is a ease of production thing, or if it is just advertising hype. Which style are your shackle mounts and why?

IMO, it's not just fluff... There's just plain old "more weld" if they go through and weld on both sides... Plus, if they're just welded on the front, you're putting tension on the welds, instead of shear and compression if it's welded along the back... On Kyle's bumper (and the way I plan on doing all of these), the shackle mounts are actually 5" long... 2" sticks out the front and the other 3" is in behind. It's single-pass welded around the front, then tripple pass welded around the back, then along the top edges, it butts up against the bumper crossmember that mounts to the top of the frame, and it welded all 3" long to that, on both sides...

P.S. Your timing sucks. Two weeks ago I was involved in a crash (nobody hurt & my TB is driveable.) It appears your bumpers will be available about the same time as I get my truck back from the body shop. Can you make your bumpers available last month or should I talk to the guy at fault and ask him to wait a month before running the stop sign?

Like they said, even if the insurance company writes the check to the body shop (if there's a note on the car), most shops will take off and pay you back for whatever you are fixing, vs. what they are fixing...

Mike

[aaronrules]

Man I can't wait to see the final design and pricing! My bumper cover is held by a fairly elaborate system of zip ties right now...I would really love to have a big ol hunk of metal up there instead!

[gotspeed1]

My bumper cover is held by a fairly elaborate system of zip ties right now...

Mine too!!! At the time I screwed it up, I figured, "Why buy a new one when I'm just gonna f*ck the new one up".

[Zero]

Hahaha thats the same reason I didnt paint over the big scratches on the front and rear bumper.

[Trail X]

Pretty sweet Mike. Would it be easier to just manufacture the front in 3 pieces?

Also... just a suggestion, but can you bring the vertical bends inward a bit to line up with the headlight inner edge? I mean... I'm not a potential customer , but I figured I'd offer it up as an idea. Your complication may be the frame position? I know you want to use the bottom plane as part of the mounting system, right?

As for mounting a winch in there... with the front face only sticking out 1" from the frame ends, I think it'd only give you 3" max between the frame tube and the front of the bumper. There just isn't room unless your bumper sticks out at least 7" more.

[bartonmd]

Pretty sweet Mike. Would it be easier to just manufacture the front in 3 pieces?

Yeah, that's how I'm doing these... It'll look the same after grinding the outside welds smooth, but it'll be cut and bent as the center and 2 sides...

Also... just a suggestion, but can you bring the vertical bends inward a bit to line up with the headlight inner edge? I mean... I'm not a potential customer , but I figured I'd offer it up as an idea. Your complication may be the frame position? I know you want to use the bottom plane as part of the mounting system, right?

Yeah, to keep the bumper closer to the vehicle, and help approach angle, the current 37" (Kyle's prototype is 40") is really about as close as I want to go, as the outsides of the frame are 36".

As for mounting a winch in there... with the front face only sticking out 1" from the frame ends, I think it'd only give you 3" max between the frame tube and the front of the bumper. There just isn't room unless your bumper sticks out at least 7" more.

The bottom of the bumper is on the bottom of the frame, and there is a cross plate right on top of the frame. The If somebody wanted to mount a winch INSIDE the bumper, I would suggest mounting it on top of that cross plate, so there's more room (above the frame cross tube) for the winch, and it sticks up out the top of the bumper...

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The other thing that my wife and I were talking about is liability... I'm not an LLC (Once I deduct my expenses and driving that I can write off to it, I don't get taxed any income on it anyway), and this a bumper... a crash device... I like my house, my bike, my truck, and my TB... Yeah, you guys probably wouldn't sue me, but your insurance companies could... I need to talk to a lawyer, before I sell any of these and see if I can just have people sign a release like "for off road use only" kind of deal, before I ship it to you, or something... I'll have to see...

Mike

[Zero]

I would have no problem signing a release of liability. I also believe if you do sell the product as "off road use only" or "use at your own risk, must be installed by a licensed installer" would save you the head ache of being at fault for any reason.

Good luck with the lawyer. I hope you find a way around the legalities, in a legal way. hahaha

[bartonmd]

I would have no problem signing a release of liability. I also believe if you do sell the product as "off road use only" or "use at your own risk, must be installed by a licensed installer" would save you the head ache of being at fault for any reason.

Good luck with the lawyer. I hope you find a way around the legalities, in a legal way. hahaha

Thanks! Yeah, I think the "for off road use only" and having the buyer sign a release that says they know it's for off road use only and they won't run it on the road will cover me, but I'll need to find out for sure...

Mike

[janesy86]

Same here man, I would be more than happy to sign a waiver... I understand completely. You got to cover your ass in this Sue-happy country.

Sure as hell can't wait to get my hands on one of these.

[Zero]

If we have to sign something for the bumpers, I want mine stamped!!! ahhahaha like THeRoadies...... "Trailvoy Armory #xxx" . Deal?

[lil_freak_66]

I like number 2.

Got a rough cost(minus shipping) on what it would be with a front reciever,shackle mounts and some headlight protectors?

Id sign whatever is needed when i get to the bumper stage in my mod plans,Im pricing everything right now.