Building a Bumper

zzack92 · **Joined:** Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:50 pm **Posts:** 371

Hey guys i was just thinking about making my own bumper because i dont want to pay 800+ for a ARB. so i was just wondering about how easy it is to make your own, either weld or bend and stuff like that any and all input is greatly appreciated so thanks!

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 20, 2008 11:54 pm

Do you know how to weld?

zzack92 · **Joined:** Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:50 pm **Posts:** 371

not personally but my good friend is very good at it

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:45 am

even if you have someone to weld it, by the time you buy the metal, make patterns, cut, grind, weld and what do you have maybe something unique but maybe something that would look better as an anchor, takes a lot to produce something that not only looks good but also is strong enough to do the job right.

Good Luck :wink:

rescu2000 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:53 am

You will need to own or have access to key pieces of equipment.
Some kind of cutter (plasma, torch, metal band saw, etc)
Angle Grinder
Welder
A tubing bender and notcher (if you go tube)
Some heavy steel plate
Paint prep chemicals, primer, paint
A lot of work and elbow grease

I highly recommend mocking it up out of cardboard or paneling first, then use those to cut your pieces. If you were a highly experienced metal worker, you could probably wing it. I personally am not, so I'd mock it up.

Then, of course, you have to have your general design in mind, decide on winch or no winch, lights, turn signals, shackle mounts, etc

Then the final considerations are strength, mounting points, overall weight (and sag on the suspension), effects on air bag sensors. Also, another minor detail is do you relocate the washer bottle of add a guard to it.

Did I miss anything guys?

I'm betting you won't be able to do it much cheaper than buying the one that is for sale in the "For Sale" section of the forum...

mrkake · **Posted:** Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:19 am

Quote:

If you were a highly experienced metal worker, you could probably wing it. I personally am not, so I'd mock it up.

Even if you are an experienced welder you will probably want to mock it up. It just makes sense to get the final design right and then cut the steel once. Like rescu says, by the time you buy all the materials, measure, design, mock up, weld, prep the welds and steel for finishing, paint and mount it; you'd probably wish you had just bought one and bolted it on. I have seen some garage built bumpers on other Jeep models that look okay, but for the KJ its harder to accomplish.

If you have the time, the inclination and the confidence that you will be happy with the final product, I say go for it. Just make sure you know what you are getting in to. Nothing satisfies more than building something really cool and showing it off; but then nothing rankles more than building something that you are not happy with and having to see it every time you get into your Jeep.

Disclaimer: the opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the poster and are in no way intended to incite, encourage or otherwise influence the originator of this thread from taking on aforementioned project. Nor does the poster have any affiliation with any commercial vendor/manufacturer of products similar to the aforementioned project.

jsc7002 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:00 pm

it will also depend on your design, mine was very simple to do but it is also fairly simple, as long as you can cut the metal with a torch or plasma and a chop saw and you have a good arc welder and a grinder you can make one.

I made mine for about $50 and I used 1/4" C-channel bc I got a good deal on it and its strong enough for me to add a winch Im actually making the mounts for a winch now

Building a Bumper

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