I met a guy on the train and he said he could weld me a custom bumper, can everyone that has a aftermarket bumper please post a pic of their rear bumper? I would like to see whats out there and design it off of that. I do know I want it to have a spare tire holder, hi lift holder, and a cb antenna hook up.

www.shrockworks.com
www.purenissan.com
www.heftyfabworks.com

all the pictures you want....

I am looking for custom bumpers I want to see whats out there and piece it together.

as far as rear bumpers go....theyre all pretty much the same design IMO

its just the add-ons that make it different?

Here's mine:
http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww23/tricha8341/New%20Bumper/GEDC0268-1.jpg
http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww23/tricha8341/New%20Bumper/GEDC0265.jpg
http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww23/tricha8341/New%20Bumper/GEDC0266.jpg
http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww23/tricha8341/New%20Bumper/GEDC0271.jpg
http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww23/tricha8341/New%20Bumper/GEDC0274.jpg

Yeah check out capser's build thread he has a nice dual arm setup.
The piece that makes up the bumper itself is pretty standard. Most people are using 3/16 plate and having it bent to make the bumper. Then have the arms that bolt to the bumper welded on.
From there it is the swing arm and maybe the shackle mounts. That is where the custom or personal touch comes in.

Check out expeditionportal.com there are many threads about rear tire carriers and they are for all different types.

Just keep in mind that your swing arm and everything mounted to it must be able to swing clear of the hatch. some folks have had issues based on where they mounted the tire on the swing arm itself and having it be in the way when the back hatch comes up.

http://www.clubxterra.org/forums/showthread.php?t=7582&page=15

http://www.clubxterra.org/forums/showthread.php?t=28411

http://www.clubxterra.org/forums/showthread.php?t=12186&page=2

http://www.dso4x4.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4251

Here's what iv been using for reference thru my building process. Should be done this weekend il post up pics when it is.

thanks I need to find a way to bend the metal. maybe I can get a bumper for around 500 bucks when its all said and done.

Yeaaaaaa, another excuse to post photos. :) just incase you missed one.

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv22/JSPalmieri/Xterra%20Modifications/IMG_2109.jpg
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv22/JSPalmieri/Xterra%20Modifications/IMG_2108.jpg
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv22/JSPalmieri/Xterra%20Modifications/IMG_2107.jpg
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv22/JSPalmieri/Xterra%20Modifications/IMG_2106.jpg
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv22/JSPalmieri/Xterra%20Modifications/IMG_2104.jpg
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv22/JSPalmieri/Xterra%20Modifications/IMG_2103.jpg
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv22/JSPalmieri/Xterra%20Modifications/IMG_2102.jpg
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv22/JSPalmieri/Xterra%20Modifications/IMG_2089.jpg
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv22/JSPalmieri/Xterra%20Modifications/IMG_2088.jpg
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv22/JSPalmieri/Xterra%20Modifications/IMG_2092.jpg
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv22/JSPalmieri/Xterra%20Modifications/IMG_2091.jpg
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv22/JSPalmieri/Xterra%20Modifications/IMG_2090.jpg

And to show just how strong it is, at one point through this hill climb the entire (or dam close to it) wieght of the truck was on them.

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv22/JSPalmieri/Josh_Pickle-01.jpg

Hope you like and it help. Of course, I have to say, you could go ahead and have some guy you don't know weld you up a bumper, and HOPE it comes out the way you want and holds together....
.
.
.
.
OR...
.
.
.
.
You could just buy mine, as it is for sale in the classified section. Pre built and bomb proof. Not to mention the best lookings, most perfectly designed and strongest Xterra bumpers ever made.
:wink-big:
Well, I think so at least.
:talk2much:



Cheers,
Josh
&
Porthos
:aufkopfhauen-big:

My beasty..

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/259799_10150207266761596_610981595_7739794_5439815 _n.jpg

I dont have 800 bucks for a rear bumper or else I would. Its just wrong that you live so far away. your bumper is exactly what I am looking for except I would do one fuel can holder and a hi lift jack holder on it. Dam you for posting pics. I would get a basic one form shrocks but I dont want to do the waiting game again and I want to make it custom. I need to buy a woelder and I need to figure out how to bend the medal.

Haha, sorry about that, I just love posting photos. :)

Agreed, get a welder, that's what I did.

As for bending the plate, that is pretty tough without the right brake. Shrock does sell just the bumper, with no swings and will sell it bare (no powder coating), but it's still $500.

Price, unless you do everything yourself, getting a custom one made by a shop is going to cost you more then you think. I have not seen any shop make one close to mine, or the others posted for less then 1k. If you have friends who can do it, that can be cheaper.

One way to save $$ is to do everything yourself except the welding. Design, cut, prep, fit and get everything ready so that all the shop is doing is welding it together per your specs. This will save you a TON of $$, plus this then doesn't limit who you can take it to to get it welded. A local welding company can do it instead of a custom 4x4 shop. As for the main part, you can also look at having three seperate flat peices welded together instead of trying to find a place to bend it for you. When welded rigth, this will actualy be stroinger then bending.

Good luck.......and $800 plus shipping ain't all that bad. :)

Cheers,
Josh
&
Porthos

P.S. If you need any different pics to help with your design just let me know and I'll snap somemore and post em up.

hope this helps, good luck trying to get a non-friend fabricator to do a good job for 500 bucks though

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/vdub_club/2011-06-17_09-22-41_321.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/vdub_club/2011-06-17_09-22-50_202.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/vdub_club/2011-06-17_09-23-00_710.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/vdub_club/2011-06-17_09-23-19_193.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/vdub_club/2011-06-17_09-23-28_407.jpg

ther is a guy I met on the train and I showed him a few pics fthat I sent from here to my phone and he said its should cost around 150 for the steel and 200-300 for him to weld it together. I need to find a blueprint for the basic bumper and then I can add on the tire holder fuel can holder and lift holder. I also found a steel place that does bends and each cut is 20 bucks. Where can I get blueprints.

Crappy pic but my scanner is broke. This is what I gave to the guy who bent my metal hope this can give you an idea.

http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc474/JGBimle/ac9e0599.jpg

The stock bumper isnt 46" long but there was a decent sized gap between the bumper and side plastic so I made it a little longer. 46 1/4" then used a grinder on it because the edges are on about a 1/4" angle

hope this helps, good luck trying to get a non-friend fabricator to do a good job for 500 bucks though

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/vdub_club/2011-06-17_09-22-41_321.jpg

How was the corner piece under the light constructed? Looks like box that's flush w/ the door and light to create a step/ledge. I can't tell clearly because of the shadows. My eyes ain't as good as the once was.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/vdub_club/2011-06-17_09-23-28_407.jpg

The piece that is lined up w/ the door and lights, was that cut and welded to the main bumper along w/ the side as a boxed end? And is it 3/16 or 1/4 plate all around?

Would the overall width from the outside edge of light to the other side's outside edge be around 62"?

I've come up w/ something very close to this and was wondering.
Thanks

The piece that is lined up w/ the door and lights, was that cut and welded to the main bumper along w/ the side as a boxed end? And is it 3/16 or 1/4 plate all around?

Would the overall width from the outside edge of light to the other side's outside edge be around 62"?

I've come up w/ something very close to this and was wondering.
Thanks

there are no bends in my steel, it's all 3/16 that was cut and welded together. As for the overall width I can't say I've measured but that sounds about right. If I remember tomorrow I can measure

im definately gonna need this thread when i attempt to put together my own custom bumper and tire carrier. im trying to go with something similar to this pic (that i found from one of kuma's threads).

http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g414/MacFarlandpg/goneMOABDay2008.jpg

im gonna change it up a bit by offsetting the spot where the tire will sit, maybe driver side, and most likely have it swing out to the side also. its hard to explain but i have high hopes for it. plus i just wanted to show this guys sick ass tire carrier cus i think more people need to see its epicness. again thank kuma for the pic

im definately gonna need this thread when i attempt to put together my own custom bumper and tire carrier. im trying to go with something similar to this pic (that i found from one of kuma's threads).

http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g414/MacFarlandpg/goneMOABDay2008.jpg

im gonna change it up a bit by offsetting the spot where the tire will sit, maybe driver side, and most likely have it swing out to the side also. its hard to explain but i have high hopes for it. plus i just wanted to show this guys sick ass tire carrier cus i think more people need to see its epicness. again thank kuma for the pic

That is one bad ass Xterra!

Trexterra,

I didn't think it was bent but I wasn't sure of what you used as the main center piece (channel or plate) and how the piece that's shaped to follow the door/lights line was connected. Thanks for the info!!!

TK

Trexterra,

I didn't think it was bent but I wasn't sure of what you used as the main center piece (channel or plate) and how the piece that's shaped to follow the door/lights line was connected. Thanks for the info!!!

TK

oh, yeah just pretty much imagine the last drawing that was posted and that's my center piece, then the rest was just welded on something similar to that

there is a locak shop that charges 20 bucks a cut and they bend steel, But I was reading that if I have 2 plates and weld them together it will be stronger. Can some one guide me on how to make a blueprint. I am going to start measuring this week depending on how I feel after surgery. Also I dont dont how to design it but I want to get rid of the plastic and make the bumper wrap around. And that bumper is sick, I have ideas in my head but its hard to get them onto paper and to make sure that it works.

Lucky,

I'm no expert. I just started out with a rough idea in my head and put it on paper. Started asking questions of people both here and a few engineers at work. I Actually bugged da hell out of a few people to explain their bumpers designs and support issues. (Casper, Granite, TJTJ and a few others... sorry guys for bein a PIYA. :)

There is a ton of information out here, I just had to piece it together. I kept refining my drawing on graph paper using a ruler, protractor and a compass. Took measurements and drew it to scale a few times until I got something I liked. Researched parts and materials from suppliers based on the parts folks here used, until I felt my design could work. Then ran it by a few different welders I know to get reactions and prices.

I've been doing this for a bit and I'm still making slight modifications. All I can say is you get out of it as much as you put in. Enjoy, it's been a learning process for me.

Here's a hint I was told that is working for me. You can save a ton of $$ if you make the cuts yourself using a grinder w/ a cutting wheel. Use cardboard cutouts and plan your materials usage/needs carefully. You don't want to pay for metal that you're gonna throw away.

I did a 35º bend and it worked perfectly.

http://i54.tinypic.com/ratic4.jpg

http://i55.tinypic.com/hw0sbn.jpg

http://i56.tinypic.com/2uoqirq.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/29j33s.jpg

http://i53.tinypic.com/11ipj09.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/2cxchgg.jpg

I've updated the cad design as i went through and changed ideas since. Let me know if you can use that cad file. It's off of autodesk inventor v.8?

what type of steel am I soposed to look for to create my monster?

what type of steel am I soposed to look for to create my monster?

I used 3/16" and can't imagine going heavier but some do. You guys correct me if I'm wrong but I it's kinda 50/50 some ppl use 3/16" and some use 1/4".

I used 1/4" on a few components that will be directly holding the weight of the tire as well as for all my gusset and mounting plates on the backside and that along made the bumper weigh a ton so I just couldn't imagine using 1/4" for the whole bumper

ok so 3/16 for the actual bumper and 1/4 for the tspare holder. Also will a welder from harbor freight be able to fdo the welding?

Also will a welder from harbor freight be able to fdo the welding?

No. Cheap welders are just that, cheap. They don't have the power to weld anything more then sheetmetal, and they don't even do that well. If you have to stick to a tight budget for a welder, go with Hobart. They are Millers "off brand" and good machine. Otherwise save your money and go for a Miller or Lincoln. (I prefer Miller myself, better warrenties, not that you will need it)

Others will tell you a cheap welder is fine, but they do truely suck, especially if you are new to welding.

Cheers,
Josh
&
Porthos
:talk2much:

I have been in contact with dave and he said the same thing. I dont know if I like welding and I dont want to spend alot of money on a welder and no like doing it or ne being able to do it. I have never welded before.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100596737/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100031840/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

if anything I say makes no sense its because I had surgery this morning and I am on vicadine

LL look for a good used welder.. like Casper said.. I've welded with cheap welders
they take to long.. welds look like poo and they don't cut into the metal very well

I think you should see if there is some local classes you could take..
your going to get a feel for how a good welder works

I would say if your worried about whether you like it or not then don't buy a welder. See if you can find someone close to you that has one and is willing to let you/show you how to use it. Then decide if you want to by one.

As to the two you posted, the first one won't do you any good except to weld tringkets. The second one says it will go up to 1/8 mild steel, still not good for bumpers unless you really know what you are doing and how to weld.

I have a few friends who have this one and like it. Only $50 more then the ones you pointed out. Hobart 125 from Northern Tool (http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200447703_200447703)

And if you really want a good cheap one, then try this. Hobart 140 from Northern Tool (http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200306073_200306073) Got a buddy who has used that little gem to build a few buggies. But then he rocks at welding.

And, if money is not a concern: Millermatic 211 Autoset with MVP (http://www.millerwelds.com/products/mig/product.php?model=M00245) Only click that one if you really really want to get a top class welder. :)

Hope that helps, and good luck on the vicadine. It makes web surfing...........interesting. :)

Cheers,
Josh
&
Porthos

I welded a cell phine tower once I enjoyed it but I had no idea what I was doing, I would love to weld sliders, and maybe tube bumpers, as a side job. D&D Fab

ps. what ever welder you buy remember the plug... some at 110 some are 220

ps. what ever welder you buy remember the plug... some at 110 some are 220

Unless of course you get the Miller I posted. It goes both ways, 110 and 220. (gee, hope thats not to reskay for this site ;) )

Cheers,
Josh
&
Porthos
:aufkopfhauen-big:

http://chicago.craigslist.org/sox/tls/2453648718.html

http://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/tls/2449442663.html

its funny I will start loking at a web page and then I will wake up and try to remember what I was looking for

think about it ur going to spend money on a welder. time learning to weld. then spending money on metal, then your going to "try" to build a bumper that could just fall apart, because you dont know how to weld. then have to start over. why dont you just spend the money and buy one. 800 isnt bad for a rear bumper. i paid 750 for my shrock used. or go buy a new shrock one. also look into skid row i think they made a few more plain steel one for the 1st gens..............

I will never buy anything from shrocks again, I want to make alittle money for myself on the side. sliders, bumpers and roof racks should be easy enough one I get it down. all of the schools are already in session for the summer so I will have to wait. I can always get welding for dummies and go from there.

Yea, gotta disagree with that. As much as I'd like to say "Your better off buying a used bumper for $800 plus shipping, and hey, I just happen to know were one of the best designs ever is availible, for that exact price even", learning to weld will be a skill you keep useing in this hobbie.

The next two welders you linked are stick welders. While cheaper then a wire feed or "MIG" and can produce much stronger welds then a MIG, they are harder to learn. Not much, but still harder.

I put off learning for years, mainly because I had a sponsor, so why learn when I can just have them do it at no charge. Big mistake. Sure building custom parts is cool, but the thing I love the most is when I need something stupid welded. A nut that broke of the factroy skid on my DD. My roommate lost the special wrench that takes the wheels off her grinder, so I made a new one out of scrap. Needed a way to hold the spare tire for the flatbed trailer, so I made a simple one out of some extra box tube I had. Broke a mount on the tracktor (granted it was the beer holder, but that's important too), welded it up real quick. All those little things would have gone unfixed, or I would have had to pay someone to fix them for me. Now I even have friends coming up and asking me to weld something for them. I charge a small fee ($40 an hour) and do it for them. :) Really, really wish I had gotten one years ago. If you can take a class I highly recomend it, but isf not there are a ton of books out there that can teach you how. That's how I did it, bought two books and a welder and started burning wire.

Cheers,
Josh
&
Porthos

hey casper please dont forget the pics.

This is the book I started with and loved it. Simple to understand and writen by a welder, so it's not like a school text book

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv22/JSPalmieri/Pics%20for%20demos/Weldingbooks.jpg

Click the photo for where to buy. :)

Cheers,
Josh
&
Porthos

I won't, camera was dead last night. Hopefully will have time tonight. :)

Cheers,
Josh
&
Porthos

This is the book I started with and loved it. Simple to understand and writen by a welder, so it's not like a school text book

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv22/JSPalmieri/Pics%20for%20demos/Weldingbooks.jpg (http://www.amazon.com/Weld-Motorbooks-Workshop-Todd-Bridigum/dp/076033174X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1308691102&sr=8-2#_)

Click the photo for where to buy. :)

Cheers,
Josh
&
Porthos

that is to funny I was at the barnes and nobles site and looking at that book.

I am also getting this one

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/store.asp?EAN=9780760318089&distance=2&zipcode=60103&PickUpInStore=Pick+up+in+Store

thank you bartlett library they had this so I now can read a little when I get off the drugs


http://www.amazon.com/Welders-Bible-Don-Geary/dp/0830638253

For those of you that were looking into Welding, I found this:

http://www.esabna.com/EUWeb/AWTC/Lesson1_1.htm

Hope it helps.

I want to thank everyone for the help, I have a question, where are the latches like what shrocks uses, also hinges.

I want to thank everyone for the help, I have a question, where are the latches like what shrocks uses, also hinges.

Hinge I used a 1" grade 8 bolt with two brass flanged bushings and a latch from Desta Co like silver dude used. Zachbiz found the actual latch Shrock uses and it's awesome but double what I paid for mine and I didn't have the extra $$ when I ordered.

Casper,

I found a Lincoln for $600. It'll do up to 1/2". Looking really hard at it. LOL

I am going with a hobart handler 125 its upgrade able to gas.

Did some research and 220 would be best because it can handle anything 115 can...however it's the wiring for it that stops me.

Hobart is good and I looked at them as well. But I can't beat the price for the Lincoln and it'll go up to 1/2". The Hobart for the same price couldn't.

Plus...the wife is lettin me get the stuff finally...lol All I had to do was dig up the backyard, fix all the gutters, make a garden area, fence it off with a chicken wire and a roof. Small price to pay for X upgrades, mods and stuff.