RockRangerII refresh

[RockRanger]

Started on the new front bumper. Center section is 3/16 plate. The rest will be 10 gauge.


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr

 

[RangerSVT]

Looks pretty good. Do you cut out your bolt holes with the table then run a drill bit through it to true it up, or just use a drill?

SVT

 

[RockRanger]

Depends on the use of the hole. I will either oversize the hole slightly and just slide a bolt through it. I do this on holes that a tight fit is not needed. Or I will undersize and drill to the proper size. I do this for link bolt holes and the winch bolt holes. I slotted some holes to bolt the bumper to the factory mounts. Then I drilled two additional holes that will be drilled through the factory mounts to hold it as well.

 

[RockRanger]

Never posted pictures of the skid plate installed. Should make for a smoother surface to slide over rocks.


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr

 

[RockRanger]

Did more on the front bumper. Not sure if I like it or not...


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr

 

[armadillon]

I'll tell ya this. It's unique. It seems a little bubbly, as it flares out around the corner of the fender. Kinda spaceshippy. The fab work looks great of course. but I don't think those lines match up with the truck. Reminds me of a hovercraft. If you're adding something that goes up and covers part of the grill (not a stinger but similar), It'd probably tie it all together quite well.

^Please take that as constructive and not completely insulting for it wasn't meant to be.

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

I agree with Armadillon. You definitely have a great idea going, it's just the design doesn't match the truck.

 

[RockRanger]

My wife called it a spaceship as well. Sucks wasting half a sheet of steel but somethings look better in your head then they do in reality. Going to try something else.

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

I would just use the metal you've got! Instead of having the front stick out make it flat. Then angle the bottom like this.
http://images.search.yahoo.com/imag...d&sigi=126qo2j8v&.crumb=6EDMvE0S.90&fr=iphone

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

Or this
http://images.search.yahoo.com/imag...9&sigi=13546a6du&.crumb=6EDMvE0S.90&fr=iphone

 

[RockRanger]

I can reuse some of the steel. Once I start changing the angles the joints will no longer line up. I will end up being able to use a bunch of the steel for other tabs and gussets. A few pieces can get recut back into the bumper as well.

 

[RockRanger]

Here is the start of version 2. The two toy points will be made up of 4 pieces each. One is the frame bracket that bolts to the frame. Two pieces are cut so that they key into the face plate from the back. On the back side they can be welded to both the front plate and to the mounting plate. Then one piece will be butt welded to the front. This is the same way I did the tow points on the rear bumper. On the bottom I also put three slots that the bottom plate slides into. These help line everything up during assembly.




Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr

Here is the passenger side frame mounting plate. The base plate notches through them to help hold it square. The two oval holes will line up with the factory bumper slots so the bumper can be lined up. Once installed then I will drill the frame mounts for the other two bolts to mount them. The frame horn mounts on my truck are off by up to 3/16 of an inch front to back and side to side from each other. The large hole is for the winch motor to pass through.


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr

This shows the bottom plate with the winch mounting holes. The four slots are gussets that will on each side of the winch bolts underneath.


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr

 

[prerunner]

Truly impressive fabrication skills, Rock. I'm probably not the only one on here that would waste a fortune worth of steel and cutting discs trying to make something half as nice as your bumper or skidplate.

 

[RockRanger]

Thanks. I still waste a ton of steel. What I have noticed with the plasma table is before if I spent an hour making a bracket and it was say 1/8" off or not how I truly wanted it but would work I would just use it anyway. Now it is easy to make a few changes and recut it. I have a lot of miscut brackets in my scrap pile. I am still working on figuring out all the ins and out of the plasma table.

My front axle housing still has alot of booty fab on it that one day will need to be redone. It works and is functional but does not look very good.

As far as cutting disks I haven't used to many of them. I use a knotted wire wheel on my grinder to knock slag off the parts. I am just a garage fab guy.

 

[RangerSVT]

It's hard not to burn through a lot of steel when instead of picking up a grinder with a cutoff wheel you just push a button. You can probably recoupe a couple of pennies by selling those "wasted tabs/brackets" by posting them up for sale. They may not be good for you/turned out the way you want them, but I know they will work for others I have a couple pieces I will need to have someone cut soon, so I'll be researching who can/will do it...

SVT