'99 EB Explorer Official Build Thread

[clifford97]

dew iiiit!! is that the same bumper that requires you to cut a little bit of the crumple zone off?

what color u gonna paint it? you should line-X it

 

['99 EB Explorer]

Update with pics!

UPDATE WITH PICS!!​

Factory bumper removal time...

Here she is before surgery

I tried getting behind the bumper with an impact to remove it the "nice" way, but the carrige bolts were stubbourn.

So I tried the air grinder with a cutoff wheel....couldn't get a good angle on it. Then I tried drilling them out...SUCCESS!! Well partially anyway. The first one came off with a few hits using the pry bar and hammer....the other three popped off when I went back in bind the bumper with the breaker bar. The drilling weakened the bolts enough to pop them off.

Here you can see the hole from drilling

Once those were out, all I had to do was unplug the wires for the fog lights.

Here it is after removal

These bad boys were my next problem. They had to go! But by that time, my air line had frozen solid, so it was time to bust out the 4" electric grinder with cut off wheel.

Here's a couple with the bumper off but the bracket still on

Each bracket had 4 welds holding it to the frame about 1" long. The cut off wheel made short work of that.

And here she is....bumper and bracket-less. Test fit for the new bumper is on Monday. My bodywork guy doesn't work weekends Oh well.

More pics should be popping up next week of welding then painting and the finnished product (I HOPE) will be unveiled by Wednesday.

 

[4.0B2]

come on... i'm anxious, my bumper build is starting tuesday... i wanna see it now! lol

 

['99 EB Explorer]

lol...I only wish I could. I can guarantee Wednesday. We do the test fit on Monday, then he'll weld the bush bar on and spray it all that day, then it takes 48 hours to cure enough for general use. I couldn't get line-x, but I got Gator Guard 2. It's practically the same stuff.

So if you can swing putting yours off for a day, you won't be dissapointed.

 

[4.0B2]

i already know i'm doing the base of my bumper like that.. and then some type of light bar/ safari bar type thing... idk about that yet. i just like seeing something come together like your ex.

 

['99 EB Explorer]

I'm actually having a bush bar from a suburban custom mounted to the front....capable of handling 4 lights

 

[4.0B2]

I'm actually having a bush bar from a suburban custom mounted to the front....capable of handling 4 lights

This I gotta see... !!!

 

['99 EB Explorer]

Sorry about the delay in new pics guys......got called in on my day off today....worked a 13h shift

Hopefully it'll be slow enough tomorrow to enable me to get my truck over to the shop.

 

['99 EB Explorer]

Update with pics!

UPDATE!!!(teaser)​

Alright....got the truck in today for the test fit!

Here's a couple pics...the bush bar is off a Suburban.

He had most of it welded before I left. It'll be sprayed in line-x tomorrow and will be ready for install by Thursday night. Just need to get those holes drilled in the frame now.

 

[The_Dealer]

wow id ditch the push bar, be way cleaner looking

 

[RacinNdrummin]

wow id ditch the push bar, be way cleaner looking

x2

 

[4.0B2]

to each their own.. i'm going with a safari style bar of some sort. IMO yours would look better if the light bar matched the shape of the ex more.

 

['99 EB Explorer]

I was back and forth about that...but you can't argue with FREE! lol

And it's not one of those cheap-ass wal mart bars either....it's actually made solid.

I pulled a chevy out of the ditch a few weeks ago and his "for looks only" push bar did more damage to the truck than anything else. It was directly responsible for pushing in his front end. Then as I pulled it out, the "skid plate" that's about as thick as a pop can got ripped off.

 

[4.0B2]

i say find someone with a bender and bend up some good tubing for a light bar... you won't be pulling on your light bar anyways... you have a hitch and clevis mounts right?? think about that... LIGHT BARS are made for LIGHTS, not pulling.. even grill guards are made for- well yeah, guarding your grill, not a tow point.. your d-rings and clevis mounts are for that...

cut that light bar off, go find someone with a bender and make one that matches your grill shape and covers the headlight area to is my opinion on it.

 

[johnnyboy110]

I was back and forth about that...but you can't argue with FREE! lol

And it's not one of those cheap-ass wal mart bars either....it's actually made solid.

I pulled a chevy out of the ditch a few weeks ago and his "for looks only" push bar did more damage to the truck than anything else. It was directly responsible for pushing in his front end. Then as I pulled it out, the "skid plate" that's about as thick as a pop can got ripped off.

You should scrap that thing. Then it would be negative Free.You might be able to get a foot long from subway for it.