front ARB style bumper

[Ben]

heres some pics of my mates ARB bumper on his hi-lux, this was my inspiration, although ive made mine a bit different.

im hoping to get the 40mm x 3mm steel tomorrow and then i can finish all the welding. then its just the tube work on the 2 corners.

 

[Birder]

80ll0x

I agree, i wonder if anyone has ever been stopped

This is the one that just arrived for mine, its off a Pajero I think, but was the right price. It came with the warn 9k winch which i dont think has ever been used.

After seeing yours i think i will mount mine high as well.

 

[Ben]

looks good and will save you a lot of work.

i think i underestimated quite how much work would be involved in this project, but its getting there now and i know it will be worth it when its finished. im making a rear bumper, rock sliders, and internal roll cage next, and apart from the cage, the rear bumper and sliders will be a lot easier to make than the front bumper.

i think mounting the bumper high up on mine has massively improved the look of the front of the truck by loosing the panel below the grill and the indicators.

i need to get some orange bulbs so i can wire my sidelights up as indicators and then drill a hole in the bottom of each headlight and put the side lights in there.

 

[Ben]

finally got some more done tonight!

first i cut my tube for the corners to length, and then proceeded to attempt to bend it. it bent ok, but unfortunatly put a few small kinks/flats in the tube where the 2 rollers had pressed into the tube.

a quick phone call to my mate, and i had another 8ft length of scaffold tube ready to cut up and bend. this time i had the rollers as far out as possible, and once the ram had reached its maximum on the bender, once the tube had got to about 45degrees, i used an engineering brick as a spacer, and carried on with the rollers all the way out.

this time i was successful and no flat spots on the tube.

i then marked and cut the angle on the end and welded the tube in place. i then did the same to the other side. so the tube work is now all done. next i need to cut bend and weld the 4mm x 3mm flat steel around the 2 centre pieces.

 

[Birder]

Looking good, thought this might finish it off

or maybe

 

[Ben]

i like that!

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

That should look good, you're making a nice job of that

 

[Ronanjordan]

Looks the dogs bo//ox in fairness to you. my cousin was trying to talk me into it with my 90 but I dunno if I will, what with the laws etc!!!!

 

[Ben]

thanks.

i got some more done this week. first i clamped and welded the 40mm x 3mm flat steel in place and bent it around middle pieces.

next i marked, drilled and cut a square hole into the top of the bumper, this is so i can reach the free spool lever on top of the winch, and also see how the winch cable has wound onto the drum.

next i gave the whole bumper a good going over with a flap wheel disc in my grinder, before wiping the whole thing over with a cloth with celulose thinners on it to remove all the dust and oil etc.

i then gave it a good coat of red oxide primer using a 4" foam roller and paint brush.

im hoping to get a few coats of black tractor enamel paint on it tomorrow ready for fitting on saturday.

i will get it powder coated at some point, but i want to take my rock sliders and rear bumper to be powder coated at the same time, both of which still need making.

 

[TonyP]

That will look good on a fire engine

Looking v nice I must say

 

[Gav Peter]

Looking good dude

i will get it powder coated at some point

If you want a good contact, gis a shout

 

[hairyguy4]

very impressive bumper build could easily be a factory jobbie

 

[Ben]

Looking good dude

i will get it powder coated at some point

If you want a good contact, gis a shout

thanks Gav, that would be useful.

ive just been looking at your rear bumper build. it looks good and has given me a few ideas for my swing away spare wheel mount.

very impressive bumper build could easily be a factory jobbie

thanks.

i think ive realised why they cost so much now as theres alot of work involved in making them. although im sure ARB make all theres using CAD/CAM and proper machines for bending etc.

just going out to the garage now to give it its first coat of black, then hopefuly another one when i get home from work, ready for fitting tomorrow.

 

[Jimbo4x4]

Looks ace, looking forward to pics of it fitted

 

[Ben]

all done!

i gave it 2 coats of black enamel tractor paint followed by a few coats of clear lacquer.

next i sorted my indicators out. i unscrewed the indicator bulb holders from the indicators and put an orange bulb in each, these then screwed straight into the side lights! couldnt have been simpler, didnt have to cut any wires at all!

still need to drill my headlights and fit my side light into them though.

im going to order some 8" wipac spotlights on monday, they should finish the bumper off nicely.

 

[Ben]

Looks ace, looking forward to pics of it fitted

here you go

checking the tyres dont catch when articulating! (they dont. )

comparing how well my copy came out.

so what do you all think?

rock sliders and rear bumper build next.

 

[Tommo&Claire]

Good job

 

[Chas]

The dogs doodahs

 

[sae70]

Very smart Ben You'll be having to get yourself a 20' shipping container for when you go

 

[ignat]

Beautiful truck BTW