Mike's Bumpers...

[Skidder]

Been thinking about one of Mike's bumpers for my TB...unfortunately, Santa didn't bring one this year. That just means I'll have to get one myself. So, I need to figure out what options I 'need'. In PMs with Mike on the subject, he has a great 'if you can think about it, I can build it' frame of mind. But the downside of that kind of great attitude/aptitude, is I have to be smart enough to tell him what I want.

As I try to get smart enough, I have narrowed what I want, to match what I need. I know I'm not planning on a body lift, and that I want the increased protection for the front end that a full brush guard will give. What I don't know/haven't been able to find, is the dimensions of the upper section of the bumper where the brush guard tubes will mount.

Are the dimensions of the body lift and non body lift bumpers the same, except for the part that slants toward the truck (where the brush guard will mount)? How much difference is there between the lift and non lift version on this section?

[Skidder]

As a follow-up question...is the '06+ LT bumpers to the product line photo from the March 06, 2011 posting, a body lift bumper? And, will an 06 bumper fit on an 02?

[Rob93]

Take a look at the front end of an 06 LT and the standard front end... 06 grill dips down farther and thus has a different bumper cover. It'll bolt up of course but wont fit the body lines

[bartonmd]

Yes, the '06 LT bumper that I've done was a 3" body lift...

The vertical front part of the 3" body lift bumper is slightly taller than the standard body lift...

What usually works out better for me, and what will work out better for you, in the end, is if you can tell me shapes and features you want, and I can work out the dimensions... I don't need you to tell me you need the top to be 3.45" from X or Y, unless you just want to... I can put a brush guard on pretty much anything, even a standard non-body lift bumper, so on your end, that should be sort of a "and I want a tube brush guard" kind of a thing...

The question is, which direction do you want to go? Like start with my standard, angled top, or start with a custom flat top/angled bottom, like James' or the 3" body lift winch bumper I just sent to powder coat? A big part of that is whether or not you want a winch to be in it, or whether you want it to be on a 2" receiver mount?

I guess the point is, if you give me parameters to work around, I can come up with something in CAD or in a sketch, and see if you like it... You don't need to actually DESIGN it, if you don't want to...

Mike

[navigator]

For me if I weren't concerned about cost, I would get the bumper with the 2 inch receiver, 2 shackle mounts, the cutouts/tubes for the 3.5 inch driving lights and a brush guard. I would also go ahead and get a radiator skid plate as well.

[Skidder]

Yep, that is the plan...but with both skid plates. I just have to figure out what the brush guard needs to look like.

[navigator]

this one is nice with the brush guard.


I think I like this one the best myself but I would leave off the small outside lights.

[bartonmd]

I think I like this one the best myself but I would leave off the small outside lights.

For looks, maybe, but the outside lights are projector fogs, and the inside ones are just straight up driving lights... The setup works pretty well...

Mike

[HARDTRAILZ]

I just show up and things get welded. Seems to work out...

[navigator]

hmm, but y'all are 13 hrs away I can't just drop by....

[HARDTRAILZ]

Details details

[Skidder]

Mike, Is there a photo of a non-body lift 06+ bumper?

[dirty anton]

mike the work on yours and kyle's bumpers looks great. i get asked about the bumper all the time from jeepers and other truck owners were to get one.

[bartonmd]

Mike, Is there a photo of a non-body lift 06+ bumper?

There is not, because I haven't done one yet... Same modification as the 3" body lift '06+ LT bumper, though...

mike the work on yours and kyle's bumpers looks great. i get asked about the bumper all the time from jeepers and other truck owners were to get one.

Thanks Mike!

Also, Mike, if you want to do tubes like Kyle's, I can bend you a couple and send them to you to cut/weld to your bumper, and attach to your center tube (it's 1.75 O.D. as well, right?)...

Mike

Also, James/mods, can you please move this to either my section, or the fabricated section, or something? Not much lift/suspension tech here...

[fishsticks]

Moved this to Mike's section.

Carry on.

[dirty anton]

man its tempting mike but i may have to work out my other issues at hand first. thanx tho!

[Skidder]

Mike, Mounting wise, will a bumper (no body lift) for 06+ fit on an 02?

Here's what I am thinking... if it does, that will create a hole between my 02 grille and the bumper's drop in the middle, where the newer grill drops below the lights. Depending on the dimensions of the dropped section (middle), I could mount the vertical portion of the brush guard in the drop, angling the center sections of the brush guard to match the lines between the grill and the lights (the angle being like James' WAAG mod on his bumper). Then, depending on what the hole between the bumper and my grill is, size wise, I could then mount a horizontal bar between the verticals, over the hole, which would allow lights that would be taller than a winch mounted on the 2" receiver. Then, run the brush guard out over the headlights (like James'), but maybe have the ends attach to the wings on the bumper...

[bartonmd]

Mike, Mounting wise, will a bumper (no body lift) for 06+ fit on an 02?

Here's what I am thinking... if it does, that will create a hole between my 02 grille and the bumper's drop in the middle, where the newer grill drops below the lights. Depending on the dimensions of the dropped section (middle), I could mount the vertical portion of the brush guard in the drop, angling the center sections of the brush guard to match the lines between the grill and the lights (the angle being like James' WAAG mod on his bumper). Then, depending on what the hole between the bumper and my grill is, size wise, I could then mount a horizontal bar between the verticals, over the hole, which would allow lights that would be taller than a winch mounted on the 2" receiver. Then, run the brush guard out over the headlights (like James'), but maybe have the ends attach to the wings on the bumper...

Yes, they are the same... They are the same blanks, too... All I do for the LT bumpers is make a cutout for the lower grill, and plate it in with other pieces... IMO, it should be looked at as a modification if you have the lower grill, not as a starting place for more mods... I guess what I'm saying is, there are better ways to do what you're thinking about doing...

So really, what you're looking at is a standard bumper with wings and a 2" receiver, with a tube and plate brush guard (as opposed to a full tube brush guard like Kyle's or DJones'), with a flat piece in the middle of the center plated part, to mount lights above the winch... If you were to mount lights anywhere near the level of the LT cutout, it would be exactly like my previous bumper, and the winch blocked 2/3 of the lights when it was on...

Again, I'll make whatever you want, but the better way to mount the outer tubes to the bumper is like on Kyle's, were they curve into the angled parts of the bumper, not the wings... Mounting them to the wings would make the whole thing really wide... The center parts like James' or like a normal grill guard don't need a flat place to sit on, like it sounds like you're thinking... Those just come down and weld onto the bumper, including sticking out a couple inches in front of the front part of the bumper... I need to figure out where to get it, but I can also do the rubber edging on the front, like the brush guards, do...

I don't want this to sound... like it's going to sound... but this is the reason I say it's generally better to tell me what you want it to look like, general features and stuff, and have me come back with a design... People tend to make it more complicated than it needs to be, if I say "you design it, and I'll make it"... Being given a set of parameters for a custom piece of machinery, and coming back with a simple, elegant way to get it all done is what I do for a living at my real job (week after week, job after job), and this really isn't all that different (actually, it's MUCH more simple)... Like I say, I'll make whatever you want, but this way is what usually works out best, if you haven't built something similar on this vehicle, before...

I'll come up with a model at lunch...

Mike

[Skidder]

Cool beans. My use of James' bumper was really just for the angle, not really for the design with the rubber. But, now that you mention it, can you model both?

[bartonmd]

Cool beans. My use of James' bumper was really just for the angle, not really for the design with the rubber. But, now that you mention it, can you model both?

Both, what? Both the tube brush guard and a brush guard like James'? Or a whole bumper like James'?

Mike