Jump to content
Ultimate Subaru Message Board

Built myself a bumper.


WoodsWagon
 Share

Recommended Posts

Sorry, no pics. But it has 3/16" wall 2x2 box tubing where the bumper bolts to the unibody, and same 3x2 running across the middle with a 6x12" plate welded on the flat side in the middle for a winch landing. Two thinner wall (like a 1/16) pieces of 2x2 box tubing running from the sides angled back to be flush with the start of the quarter panels. It's strong enough that me (240lbs) can jump up and down on the winch mount without any ill efects.

 

I have a milemarker 9k winch that I'm in the process of reworking. I cleaned and relubed the planetary gearsets yesterday, and I cleaned out and reglued the permanent magnets to the motor casing. When the epoxy dries, hopefully the motor will work again without the magnets getting stuck to the armature.

When the winch is on the bumper, there is just enough room to fit your finger in to pop the hood latch, and yes I planned it that way.

 

I still have to make a couple verticle supports from the bottom of the bumper to a piece of angle iron I have bolted to the lower radiator support. They will help counteract the twisting force of the winch and give me somwhere to secure expanded sheet metal to the front to protect my radiator. When I build my new and improved skid plate, it will also attach to this piece of angle iron.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No need to provoke hostility in the first place ;)

 

Picture junkies :rolleyes:

 

 

I put the winch on last night, it was a lot more work than I had expected because, unbeknownst to me the piece of scrap steel that I had used as the mount plate was hardened. Well, only on one side really, but the other side was pretty tough too. Luckily it wasn't air hardening steel, so I could temper it with my torch enough that I could just barely drill through it. Had to resharpen my bit twice, for 4 holes! It's just one of the risks of using scrap steel. My centerpoints shifted while I was drilling, because of the amount of force I was putting on it, so the winch is off by a bit. Oh well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The winch runs,and well. I bought an 8'x 2" strap with loops at both ends and a webbing shackle to use as a tree hook. I can loop that round a tree, hitch up the shackle, hook the winch to the shackle, and pull my self out without hurting the cable or the tree.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I tested the winch out today, worked well enough... for a bit. The bumper is plenty strong, and I got a hook and bolted it on for snatch block action, but the winch motor needs work.

 

i was using heavy duty jumper cables to power the winch motor, and they were getting hot. The two terminal posts that go into the motor got hot too. Actually they ended up glowing, but anyways, it needs more attention. But the rest of my setup worked great, it held the car most of the way up my sandpit wall all evening, so it passed the stress test.

 

I need to get my second battery hooked up now. The one battery is taking a beating with the amps the winch is pulling.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...

You should have put the winch in where the grill was like I did. Putting it that far forward screws with the handleing and the approach angles.

 

Is that a MM 9000lb? It looks just like mine. Heavy suckers.

 

I need a fairlead for mine.

 

Sweet bumper though.

 

Hows the skidplate sitch on your legacy?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You should have put the winch in where the grill was like I did. Putting it that far forward screws with the handleing and the approach angles.

 

Is that a MM 9000lb? It looks just like mine. Heavy suckers.

 

I need a fairlead for mine.

 

Sweet bumper though.

 

Hows the skidplate sitch on your legacy?

 

HAHA!!! well the space is there too put a winch but that is actually an 8K Milemarker winch which is sold by Harbor freight tools under there own branding. I used to work in a 4wd shop and can tell you the specs are identical as well as the internal parts.

I made it removeable because it also fits my F250... And its amazing the lack of common sense when it comes to winch placement. as we spend most of the time going forward why when you get stuck would you want to pull yourself futher into the stuck situation. A much wiser choice is to put it on the back and pull yourself back out of the Stuck place to an area you have already traveled successfully than futher into unknown ground. unless you can afford 2 winches, its better to be able to move it from one end to the other. or you can even put it on another vehicle if needed. I have 20ft jumper cables that plug into the quick releases on the winch so it can be used on just about any vehicle with a 2" receiver. Haven't made the skid plate yet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And you thought of this all by yourself? its called a tree strap and they have been around for eons... You may want to consider a Snatch Block if you dont yet have one...

 

Somebody's in a pissy mood!

"Well you can check out my bumper, its probably sweeter that his anyway heehee"

That sound's like bragging about the size of the wing on your honda.

 

 

I bought the strap from a chain and logging supply store and guess what we call those round here? Tree savers. Whoda thunk it. It doesn't take a genius to recognise a useful piece of equipment and aquire it.

 

If I just said "I got a tree saver" Half the people reading the post might not understand what the F I'm talking about. If I describe it, they're gauranteed to understand. It doesn't mean I invented it.

 

Yeah, the snatch block might help if I was winching around corners. I don't need to double the pulling power of the winch ever, so I'm not going to get one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What's it weigh?

 

Just going by pick it up and guess weight: 80# on the winch, 40# on the bumper, and 20# on the skidplate. It's like having someone riding around on the front of the car. I need stiffer springs to hold it all up.

 

However, I have hit a tree with it, and instead of my headlight and quarter panel being destroyed, it just stopped the car.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

By the way, go get yer own thread. :-p

 

And for pics: when I replace my front half shaft me an subie94 are gonna go wheeling and he's got a camera and a way to post on line. If I knew how to put picks up and how to host them and all that, I'd put some up.

 

so when you coming up? let me know a couple days in advance,so i'll know if i'm free..

 

i guess once you come up here an i snap off acouple pics...it'll get folks to stop whining about the lact of pics..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking for your missing posts?

 

I deleted them. If you don't have something to say about the bumper besides "sweet bumper" save it. If you want to see pics and aren't happy about it, push your back button and go on to something else.

 

 

91 Loyale, go to the Site Help and Suggestions, there are threads there that can help you post pics.

 

Thanks

 

Eric Zap

 

 

way to go Zap, gotta love it when people take the initiative. :brow: hey 91Loyale bumper setup sounds awesome, cant wait to see it, im patient, so take ur time with the pics, make sure they come out good, make these guys wait just that little bit longer :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Figured out how to upload some of my old pictures:

This one is just a good pic of the car lifted.

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showphoto.php?photo=13183&cat=500&ppuser=4164

This one shows the underframe of the bumper and the EJ22 swap.

Bumper is much better now, has headlight loops, brace down to the angle Iron on the radiator support, and a mean skidplate to back it all up. Plus aluminum diamond mesh expanded metal.

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showphoto.php?photo=13181&cat=500&ppuser=4164

I'll take fresh pics tomorrow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Herfe's the latest pic of the bumper. The skidplate is off, but it's frame is there. I had it out for a break in run on the replacement head, so I was planning on changing the oil soon, so I left the plate off.

 

This is after my accident with rear ending a ford ranger. notice the slightly sprung hood, the radiator support got pushed up a bit.

07_01_03_Car_011.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...