Front Bumper Weight

[Backwoods Rambler]

I've been in the weight saving mode lately and my front bumper is "El Diablo" in that dept. When I fabbed it, I was looking for the most HD rock crawling bumper I could build with some style. See below.

I'm still happy with the style, but I think the bumper weighs in at almost 200lbs :Wow1: I could seriously BARELY lift it into position after completing the build and I lift around 100lbs easily on a daily basis. If you read the build thread linked above you'll see why. In summary, it's OVERKILL. I may actually get out my bathroom scale when I remove it to find out what the actual weight is.

So, how much should a front winch bumper weigh? How much does yours weigh?

I'm thinking of switching to the www.detoursusa.com style (but fabricated by me) in order to save weight, but still have a strong winching foundation, but first I'd like to explore some lightweight full winch bumper ideas.

 

[FlatlinesUp]

recently started on my front winch bumper project for my '05 2500HD
I gave the stock bumper to a buddy w/a body shop and when he took it off, I'd have been suprised if it weighed over 45lbs... with the driving lights in it...

The winch bumper I'm building is prob going to end up at around 250-300 or so w/the winch (which should be around 100 or so), but I'm not really all that worried about weight currently.

You can save quite a bit of weight just swapping your wire rope out for synthetic on your winch, or if you are worried about "nose" weight and would like to shift your exisiting weight around some, you can always go with a removable winch and store it in the tail end, or amidship.

Good luck with it and keep us updated on the swap...

 

[Stumpalump]

You have the same problem that 99.9 percent of lifted XJ's have. The front springs are too soft. Only the Deaver 5.5" Jeepspeed coils are great on an XJ. Cut down Skyjacker 8.5" springs are also good but still too soft. The next complaint is usually "My rear end won't flex as good as the front.". Thats because rear lift leafs are stiffer to provide lift. Now with the soft front you get nose dive and no rear flex. The stiffer Deaver coils will now balance with your leaves and they too will flex properly. Hard to believe that as common as an XJ is that very few have the slightest clue as to what spring rates are and that includes all the lift company's peddling their crappy coils and leafs.
Back to your bumper.... i built mine for purely function and not looks and did use a Detours winch mount as a starting point. I cut and fit 3x3" box tube 3/16" thick and welded them to the Detours excellent mount. I then had some front cross member sheet metal exposed so I trimmed it and sistered it with angle and welded it also to the Detours mounting brackets. Next I added Temper mental racing frame plates to the side frame behind the brackets all the way to my rock sliders. Now the high clearance Rock sold bumper is tied all the way to the sliders to reduce unibody flex and cracks. The Deaver coils, proper bump stops and Bilstein shocks give it a Jeepspeed desert race ride on the fast stuff with all the flex I can use on the rocks. Also with the stiff chassis and proper coils for the rig your sway bars go in the trash because you won't need them with the front rate = to the rear leafs. Try the Deavers and Bilstein 5125 in the stiff valving before you spend all that time on a new bumper and copy Temper Mental frame plates out of 1/8 to stiffen up the handling and body. Good luck!

 

[Metcalf]

In general I think most people overbuild WAY too much when it comes to armor.

Look at most ARB bumpers, they are only made of material about .120 thick. They are very strong and well engineered.

In general I would rather bend my bumper than my frame for sure.

I am currently designing the bumpers for my dodge project. I keep flip flopping between plate geometric bumpers and simple tube pre-runner style bumpers.

 

[Backwoods Rambler]

Metcalf,

I was thinking the same this last night. I believe that it would be easier to get greater strength from a tube "pre runner" style than a plate geometric (as you put it). I also believe the end result of a tube style would be lighter and easier to build. Hwoever I like the looks of the plate geometric better.

 

[Bogo]

Plate geometric will provide the greatest strength for weight provided you can calculate the forces and design for them. Square or rectangular tube is likely the easiest for home fab if you aren't bending tubes. Cuts are all straight and simple unless you play with fancy angles.

 

[1leglance]

I was amazed at the difference when I installed the Aluminess front bumper on my FJC. I dropped over 100lbs w/ the switch and my front susp is very happy.

 

[haven]

Strap an extra 200 lbs of bumper and winch onto the leading edge
of your truck, and you overload the front springs in many cases.
Be sure to weigh the vehicle before and after a bumper conversion.
You'll probably want to upgrade the front springs and maybe the
front shocks when you add extra weight to the bumper.

When the manufacturer designs your vehicle, they don't expect much
extra weight to be added to the front axle. So the front springs
are chosen without a lot of extra capacity.

 

[Backwoods Rambler]

Chip, would you say this is true for mfg's that build for the 4wheeling community? I have RE springs and I would think they would design for added wieght.

 

[Stumpalump]

Stock springs are 160lbs springs meaning 160 lbs compresses them 1". Your RE springs and most all of the XJ lift springs on the market are all 180lbs. Only two are stiffer. Skyjackers are better at 220 but you have to buy the 8.5" lift springs and cut them down to get the 220 spring. Cutting wraps actually increases spring rate making them maybe 240 and it's simple with a cutoff wheel. Deaver makes a 280/300lb 5 1/2" progressive rate spring. Thats about 1/3 stiffer than what you have and a perfect match for the rear leafs. Remember how much more beefy your new leaf packs were compared to your stock leafs? The reason RE and others don't add the beef to the front coils is because they all source their coils from the same two places that don't offer anything but a 160 and 180..http://www.deaverspring.com/products/coils.html

 

[Backwoods Rambler]

I think there may be some confusion here. I'm not concerned about the weight because the front end is sagging; I'm concerned about the weight that I'm pulling around all day and causing me to have a percieved loss in power, especially when pulling the passes here in Colorado. So I don't need HD springs, I need to lose weight. That's why I'm looking at a light weight re-design.

Hope that clears things up.

 

[goodtimes]

Using the standard "back-yard hack with a tube bender" engineering methods, including the hoop and winch plate (but not the winch), mine works out to about 75 pounds.

 

[Stumpalump]

If switch to synthetic line and aluminium hause fairlead you will save 25lbs. You can feel that loss of 25lbs because it's so far out front. What gears and tire height do you have? I run 4:88 gears and 35" tires in Colorado and wish I had 5:13's. Dang altitude sucks 20%-30% of your power in Colorado. Nothing will get your power back like a gear swap.