Where do I find the Scrap Square Steel tubing for a bumper

[Banjer Picker]

Any recomendations on where to find (affordable) square tubing to build a rear bumper with a spare tire carrier? No luck with searches at the surplus building supply companies and recylclers. Ideas?

 

[Vintage Steel]

Industrial shops, Auto repair shops, Boat repair shops, trailer shops, welding shops, That dude down the street that has a shop, and is constantly working on stuff.
Any place where welding happens.
Happy hunting

 

[NicksTrix]

a steel supply shop might have some drops or start looking at any place that does fab work/welding.
it might be hard to find exactly what you are looking for and hope to get it for next to nothing. tubing isn't cheap these days.
might want to try www.onlinemetals.com
you can buy material buy the foot and have it shipped to you. not the best deals but you get what you want.

 

[Jakedog]

If you have a pipe supply yard in your area they should have remnant steel. Rem is usually pretty cheap.

 

[Chuck77]

Have you tried the phone book under scrap metal or something similar? While living in Colorado Springs there was a supplier - Western Steel - that had a large scrap yard at very cheap prices.

 

[Ohio Bill]

Recyclers save used steel and sell it by the pound......there's your source.

 

[Pedestrian]

Another vote for recyclers, some will not waste time with sales, but a few yards will. You just have to locate them.
Also Trailer Mfg. Most drops less than 4 feet are unuseable.

 

[Madgyver]

Your local welding shop. ask for their cut end/remnants box.

 

[gddyap]

There's a Metal Supermarkets in Tampa. I don't know how far that is from you.

http://www.metalsupermarkets.com/MSC-Home.aspx

Sometimes their online prices are better than the franchise. You can order online and pickup at the franchise to get the online price with no shipping. Get an online quote and then call the local franchise for a quote. Look under hot rolled structural square tube.

 

[FRANKO289]

habitat for humanity !!! luv that place !!!

http://www.habitat.org/cd/env/restore_detail.aspx?place=88

Tampa
Hillsborough Co. HFH Home Improvement Center
3738 E Hillsborough Ave
Tampa, FL 33610
Phone: (813) 237-1978

 

[jspurl3]

I dont know where to get scrap, but we built this one out of a square tube, reciever square, and the some D-rings for like $80. I think the receiver and D-rings where the most expensive part. I want to build a spare tire rack for it soon. Post pics when you do it.

 

[Smokeater11]

Brandon, there's a place in Lakeland called Piece of Metal. It's a small store that is an outlet for a large fabrication company. They bring all there "scrap" from any project out to this little store and sell it. I have bought a lot of stuff from them over the years including the c-channel I used to make my front bumper. If you'll let me know exactly what you are looking for(4x4, 2x6, 4x6 etc and how long) I will call them and see what they have for you. It's hit and miss because they move a lot of product through the store but it's definitely worth a call.

 

[Smokeater11]

There's a Metal Supermarkets in Tampa. I don't know how far that is from you.

http://www.metalsupermarkets.com/MSC-Home.aspx

Sometimes their online prices are better than the franchise. You can order online and pickup at the franchise to get the online price with no shipping. Get an online quote and then call the local franchise for a quote. Look under hot rolled structural square tube.

This place has some really good prices from what I can see and it would be closer to you than the place I was telling you about. A 6' piece of 4x4 square tubing at 3/8 wall thickness is less than $30.00. That's hard to beat unless you can find it for free.

 

[Banjer Picker]

Wow! Thanks for all the feedback guys. I'm going to call around today to see what I can find.

Hey Mark, do you have a spare hub assembly laying around that I could buy from you to make the hinge assembly for the swing out tire carrier? I'll give you a call this evening.

Any other recomendations for a hinge that have worked well? (I'll do a search as well)

 

[gddyap]

Wow! Thanks for all the feedback guys. I'm going to call around today to see what I can find.

Hey Mark, do you have a spare hub assembly laying around that I could buy from you to make the hinge assembly for the swing out tire carrier? I'll give you a call this evening.

Any other recomendations for a hinge that have worked well? (I'll do a search as well)

I used a D44 hub and spindle for my carrier hinge. I welded in the stub shaft and added a spare lockout. Now I can lock the carrier in the open position.

 

[BRONCOchild]

I dont know where to get scrap, but we built this one out of a square tube, reciever square, and the some D-rings for like $80. I think the receiver and D-rings where the most expensive part. I want to build a spare tire rack for it soon. Post pics when you do it.

seeing that pic reminds me of what i'm actually removing. i have a bumper similar in style. i few years ago, my eb was rear ended, and that bumper took the brunt of the impact and it didn't even go into the body. fast forward to the present. i have a new bumper tire carrier. real sleek and nice. it's made out of tube, but not as strong as the square one. i might have to reinforce that bumper to make sure it can witstand another hit from behind.

 

[Smokeater11]

Wow! Thanks for all the feedback guys. I'm going to call around today to see what I can find.

Hey Mark, do you have a spare hub assembly laying around that I could buy from you to make the hinge assembly for the swing out tire carrier? I'll give you a call this evening.

Any other recomendations for a hinge that have worked well? (I'll do a search as well)

I'm sure I could rustle up something that will work.;D Call me!!

 

[Banjer Picker]

Holy crap! So theres too many choices. Do I need hot rolled? Cold Rolled? What do I need? I want either 4 x4 or 4 x 6. Whats a good thickness. Don't want the thing to be too heavy. Thanks

 

[mango]

Thanks for posing these questions Banjer. I will be doing a sq. tube bumper sometime in the future. i hope to one day have a winch to mount to it too.

 

[Smokeater11]

Cold rolled will have a smoother outer finish than hot rolled but will probably cost you more. As to thickness I would think that 1/4 inch or 3/8 inch would be fine. Choice of thickness depends on whether or not you are going to weld in a trailer reciever and/or pull points or are you just gonna slip the strap over the bumper when pulling or being pulled out of a stuck spot. If your go with a reciever hitch or welded pull points then 1/4 would be fine but if you use the other method I'd go with the 3/8 wall.

4x4 would be fine if you're going to put in a tire carrier as well. You might be able to go with 4x6 if you have a body lift but that's something you would have to measure for. You need to make sure that you can put your tailgate down once everything is installed.