Bumper metal thickness opinions...

[Scarsman]

Hi. Sometime in the next few weeks I am going to be starting construction on a front bumper for my truck. I am building it for offroad use, and I want it to be very sturdy and able to withstand impacts against trees, rocks, banks, etc. I will have two bumper shackle mounts, http://www.rokmen.com/products/diy_f...le_mounts.html mounted right over the end of the frame rails. These will pass through the face of the bumper and be welded inside and out and gusseted on the inside to prevent pull through.

I was thinking of using 1/2" for the front face of the bumper and 3/8" for my top plate. Do you think this is overkill? Should I use 3/8" and 1/4"? I always have a tendancy to over build things.

[bretsk2500]

for the vast majority of it, 3/16" would be plenty. only go thicker for your hard points (i.e. shackle mounts and winch plate). If you built all out of 1/2", your bumper would be dragging on the ground from the weight.

[vin-man welding]

you didn't mention the vehicle. if it's a jeep then your looking at 4000lbs lighter then a full size truck. my point is if you going to hammer a rock with 10000lbs or 4000lbs then your going to need thicker steel. I'm going to make some bumpers for my truck and I'm leaning toward just copying some of the ones on the market. there's no way I'd pay $2500 for $200 worth of steel.

[cannon express]

Heres mine under way I used 3/16 on main body and 1/2 on supports Still have lots to do.

[vin-man welding]

something like this
http://www.buckstop.biz/index.html

[Scarsman]

You are probably right. I figured the weight would be just under 100 pounds. Hmmm. Maybe I will think thinner. I just want it to be really bullet proof.

[FusionKing]

You can "diamond" the frame if you get very brutal...the outside of the bumper becomes a lever. The bumper needs to be somewhat sacrificial to save the frame. Or it can be super heavy between the rails but less outside of them.
Snowplowing can be a bit much for some frames also.
I'm not trying to discourage you even one little bit, just arming you with a bit of another perspective.

[bretsk2500]

You are probably right. I figured the weight would be just under 100 pounds. Hmmm. Maybe I will think thinner. I just want it to be really bullet proof.

if you design the shape of it right, the bumper will be very durable even made mostly out of 1/8". 3/16" is plenty for a 10,000 truck, and FK is right, you don't want to make it so rigid that it hoses your frame.

[Scarsman]

The truck is an '84 S-10 extended cab. It will have a 5" lift on it in the not too distant future. This bumper is not going to have a winch in it. I do not have a winch right now, and I figured when I do finaly have the money to spend on a winch, I will just build another bumper around it, and probably sell this one to someone else.

I realize the strains that can be placed on a frame. I have many years with trucks with plows, and I have seen what they can do to a truck!

I am not looking to make it like a dozer blade, I just want to be sure that if I hook onto it to pull someone out or get pulled out, it is not going to bend or distort.

[vin-man welding]

if you design the shape of it right, the bumper will be very durable even made mostly out of 1/8". 3/16" is plenty for a 10,000 truck, and FK is right, you don't want to make it so rigid that it hoses your frame.

i agree.
i didn't give any thickness before, but most of the after market stuff is 3/16 with a 1/4 bracing behind the center. 3/8 frame tie-in's