Expo style rear bumper build for a Sliverado 1500 (GMT-800)

[Colorado_Outback]

A friend of mine works as a rock climbing/mountaineering/canyoneering guide, he spends most of the year living out of his RCLB Silverado 1500. His rig is pretty simple, all stock, sleeping platform with memory foam mattress in the back along with some built in storage. Hes really been wanting to get his 4 5gal Scepter cans and bicycle out of the bed to free up some elbow room. We decided a rear bumper with 4 can carriers and a bike rack was the best way to do that.

The main 2x4 and all the hitch parts are made from 3/16" steel.

20160806_172732 by colorado_baja, on Flickr

The brackets that tie the hitch to the frame are also 3/16" and have 5 bolts per side. I reused most of the stock bumper and tow hitch hardware.

20160808_145048 by colorado_baja, on Flickr

Working out the shapes.

20160808_145026 by colorado_baja, on Flickr

Since he doesn't do any hard core crawling and isn't worried about it taking direct hits from rocks we decided to skin it in 14G to save some weight. Tread plate for the horizontal surfaces and flat plate everywhere else.

20160809_161852 by colorado_baja, on Flickr

20160809_161630 by colorado_baja, on Flickr

20160809_161651 by colorado_baja, on Flickr

Located the tow wiring.

20160810_135424 by colorado_baja, on Flickr

Tomorrow I'll get to attaching the spindle, building the basic swing out and attaching the can carriers, no pics of those yet I forgot to get some today.

 

[ak_cowboy]

Good start

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

 

[02TahoeMD]

Great looking start, I can't wait to see how it turns out.

 

[Bushcoat]

very good C.O. very nice indeed!

 

[Colorado_Outback]

Fish plates on the back of the hitch for extra beef!

20160811_151401 by colorado_baja, on Flickr

Making some progress on the swing out..

20160812_170111 by colorado_baja, on Flickr

20160812_170119 by colorado_baja, on Flickr

 

[ExplorerTom]

Really good looking bumper. I like how you kept the factory looking "pocket" where the license plate goes.

 

[escadventure]

Well done so far.

 

[justcuz]

Does he have or plan a rack on top of his shell? If so maybe some oval toe holes put toward the bumper ends to act as steps might be handy.

Nicely done, clean and efficient design.

 

[Colorado_Outback]

Thanks for the compliments guys.

Really good looking bumper. I like how you kept the factory looking "pocket" where the license plate goes.

Thanks! We wanted to keep that for a step and I like the aesthetics of it as well. Its kinda a chunky version of the stock bumper with bobbed ends. We bumped out the top section of the bumper a couple inches as well to make it easier to stand on. He mainly accesses the sleeping quarters with the tail gate up thru the back hatch so that should make crawling in and out a little easier.

Does he have or plan a rack on top of his shell? If so maybe some oval toe holes put toward the bumper ends to act as steps might be handy.

Nicely done, clean and efficient design.

Thanks for the compliments, his shell extends above the cab a couple inches so no plans for a rack above.

I had thought about that, I like that feature on the newer Chevys. In this case the swing out spindle runs the full 4" down the main tube and the skin kinda comes to a point there on the end, the step would have to be on the rear face and I think it would look kinda awkward. The step pocket needs to wrap around the side a little like on the oem bumpers I think.

I have a 3rd gen 4Runner that I picked up cheep a couple months ago, Ive been planning a rear bumper with swing out for that thing and it will wrap around the sides to the back of the rear tire opening. I think steps would work awesome on that since I'm also planning to put a couple kayaks up there eventually.

More pics soon, just lots of boring welding and grinding today.

 

[Colorado_Outback]

Managed to make some progress the last couple days.

Added a large tube gusset to reinforce the swing.

20160818_165533 by colorado_baja, on Flickr

Laid out the can carriers.

20160818_183740 by colorado_baja, on Flickr

20160818_183801 by colorado_baja, on Flickr

Next I need to set the stop and latch for the swing, more finish welding and on to the bike rack and table.


20160818_183706 by colorado_baja, on Flickr

 

[chilliwak]

Some nice looking fabrication there Mr Colorado! Looks good!:wings:

 

[Colorado_Outback]

Got this thing finished up today.

20160824_151821 by colorado_baja, on Flickr

Painted and installed

20160831_212615 by colorado_baja, on Flickr

5 bolts per side, reused all the OEM hardware and locations for the bumper and trailer hitch.

20160831_121401 by colorado_baja, on Flickr

Grease zerk for the spindle.

20160831_183526 by colorado_baja, on Flickr

2000lb Destaco Toggle for the latch

20160831_123728 by colorado_baja, on Flickr

LED plate lighting

20160831_195641 by colorado_baja, on Flickr

And the table :sombrero:

20160831_133044 by colorado_baja, on Flickr

20160831_133100 by colorado_baja, on Flickr

 

[Stryder106]

Very nicely done.

 

[Flyboat]

The table is a nice touch, wish I had added that to mine.

 

[Bushcoat]

Very nice! Ill be down end of next month to pick it up!