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8 minute read
DIY Bash Bars/Bumper Bar
Compliments of Smaggo @ club4ag.com
3-30-2013
I was rear-ended by a minivan, and I'm too cheap to pay for anything I can do myself.
I didn't write down any of my measurements, I can take the bumpers off and measure, but I would recommend measuring everything on your own car/bumpers to be sure fitment is tight.
TOOLS (You will either need to buy, or borrow the following) :
Welder - I used a MIG - Lincoln SP-140T with .35 flux core wire. I payed $250 from Craigslist with a tank of Argon, then picked up a auto darkening welding helmet from Harbor Freight $50.
Angle Grinder - I started with a cheap one from HF but it broke after two days, I recommend a Makita for $60-$70 new. You will need atleast 5 metal cutting blades, a grinder wheel, and wire brush attachments. I got my stuff from HF its cheaper but you get what you pay for. I went with a Dewalt 4.5 inch Grinder because it had a 3 year warranty and figure I will either brake it by then or say I got my moneys worth from it.
Drill/Quality Metal Drill Bits - $30 at Home Depot for a set of 9 I think or maybe 15 bits.
Measuring Tools - Tape Measure, Square, Level, whatever you like to use.
Ratchet set - I broke 2 ratchets trying to take the rusted bolts holding my rear bumper on I recommend you get a 1/2 breaker bar and a piece of pipe for those MoFos! The bolts holding on the front bumper are even worse.
Metal - Find a place that sells metal near you and buy some material, I think I used square tubing with like 10mm thick walls or 14mm I will post more details if any interested. The pieces connecting the rear bumper to the car is called U channel I think, and connecting the front bumper to the car is 1/4 inch plate I welded up.
Lets Do This! And if you think my welds suck, are not safe, are ugly, or suck, feel free to say so 8)
REAR
Start by removing your old bumper if you still have one
I recommend reusing anything you can, my rear bumper was bent from the crash, and the bolts were very rusted so I had to make everything or buy it.
Buy nuts and bolts that are similar in size to what your car had, if you cant reuse the bolts.
Drill holes in the U channel, or whatever you decide to use as the main support connecting the bar to the car, big enough for the bolts to fit thru.
Thread your bolts thru the nuts on to this and spot weld the nuts to the bottom This is the way my original bumper had the nuts welded on, and is the reason I did it this way. You can just as easily skip this and just thread them from top to bottom but it will be less cool.
Oops! maybe I need to re-weld that...
Cut the corners off so my bumper would fit flush and it looks cooler/saves weight
weld on attachments for you're bumper if you have one. I mocked up the bumper and measured it where I wanted it to be.
My bumper came with small bolts that screw up from the bottom. this was a bit of a pain at first but, I was able to make it as factory as possible.
BEFORE
FRONT
BEFORE
