Aluminum winch Bumper

[John Marinan]

Do any of you know of someone building aluminum bumpers?

Thanks
John M

 

[Broncobowsher]

I don't know of anyone making aluminum bumper, much less winch bumpers.
I know of winches that have been pulled out of aluminum trailer decks. Mounting and fabrication had better be real good.

 

[Whoaa]

I have welded and fabricated heavy duty commercial aluminum boat structures for many years, including large deck winches, drums, reels, and seine collector's. Aluminum, regardless of the alloy. would be my last choice to fabricate a Bronco bumper from.

 

[Apogee]

I can think of one rig on here with big tubular aluminum bumpers/air tanks, but I don't think he's running a winch and I can't think of who it is off the top of my head. That said, I'm with Whoaa...I'd sooner run 16 gauge mild steel than aluminum.

 

[John Marinan]

Aluminum winch bumpers are pretty common with the Jeep, and full size truck crowd. Rugged Ridge makes some really nice bumpers. That's pretty much what I had in mind.

 

[suthernboy]

Are you lookin' to save weight? Why not go with steel and powder coat an aluminum color?

 

[Apogee]

Aluminum winch bumpers are pretty common with the Jeep, and full size truck crowd. Rugged Ridge makes some really nice bumpers. That's pretty much what I had in mind.

Don't the Rugged Ridge Jeep bumpers use steel winch plates on their aluminum XHD bumpers? It just doesn't seem like they save that much weight for cost adder that goes with it, along with the loss in durability versus steel IMHO, but to each his own.

 

[Dbteak]

I did the same. Steel cradle with the bumper sliding over the winch mount.
My contributor status ran out yesterday. Here is the thread I have my bumpers.

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=245937

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[John Marinan]

Are you lookin' to save weight? Why not go with steel and powder coat an aluminum color?

It's about weight and center of gravity for me. Where I go you're more likely to roll off a cliff than get stuck. A well built aluminum bumper would be all I would ever need.
Thanks for everyone's input.

 

[suthernboy]

Oh I see. Thanks, kinda new to the hobby. (round here the elevation is about 2 Ft.) I worked in the marine industry for 10 years and know, if built right, aluminum fabrication can be very strong. And, really, if you think about it, your truck'll weigh approx. 4000-4500 Lbs, which, is not a tremendous amount, and its rolling weight. With steel backing plates, a good aluminum bumper should handle that I'd think.....unless your tryin' to winch the truck up from the bottom of a cliff

 

[John Marinan]

Dbteak, great execution of a very practical idea. I too will be designing and fabricating a modular, rear bumper. Ludicrous to hang a 150 lb steel anchor off frame ears designed for a 20 lb, sheet steel bumper. All I need the bumper to do is carry an emergency spare, plastic fuel can, and Hi-Lift jack. Aluminum is more than strong enoug

 

[John Marinan]

Dbteak
That is very nice work. Did you do it yourself? Mind if I use your design?

 

[ntsqd]

Aluminess for the full size pick-up & van bumpers. Hugely popular with the Sportsmobile crowd.

I don't see any problem with using aluminum as long as the design takes into account the particular properties of the metal. I'd much rather see an aluminum bumper than a steel one used for an air tank.

That said, if rocks are your game then aluminum probably isn't the best plan. Could, I guess, line it with Delrin where it's likely to make contact - that could work. Would be spendy though.

 

[Dbteak]

Dbteak
That is very nice work. Did you do it yourself? Mind if I use your design?

Knock yourself out. I copied a set of older Hanson bumpers a friend of mine has with a few changes.

 

[Steve83]

Ludicrous to hang a 150 lb steel anchor off frame ears designed for a 20 lb, sheet steel bumper.

Those frame horns were designed for 5mph impact standards; modern FS trucks barely pass a 2.5mph impact test. And until the '98 SuperDuty, no passenger vehicle or LT frame horn was designed for the loads applied by even a SMALL winch; the mount has to reinforce the frame horns, even if it's Aluminum. But how much does your winch weigh? My winch alone (with cable) weighs ~100 lbs. Yeah, it's a biggun', but unless you're planning to run a 2500 ATV winch, even building the mount/bumper from Aluminum won't keep you anywhere near the weight of the original bumper.

Another thing to realize is that the CG of the truck with the stock bumper is ABOVE the frame. If you build a bumper that weighs less than stock, you lift the CG, making the truck more tippy. Building a 500-lb bumper would bring the CG down, making the truck more-stable on side-hills & turns.

 

[rjrobin2002]

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=237276

I will build you one for $600.

 

[ntsqd]

Interesting observation, but lowering the CG is not enough reason for a 500 lbs. EB bumper. There is no reason good enough for that.

 

[Steve83]

That wasn't the point.

 

[ntsqd]

I know it wasn't.