Quote:

---

Dan figured you'd be all over cutting the pieces yourself with that new plasma.

---

Quote:

---

I saw one of these on a friends toyota and it really looks like it would protect very well, hold a winch high up, and not look like something off a tank.

---

The only problem is that it's too high. My winch would reach the hood line mounted up that high. I'd prefer to keep it lower and closer to the frame. Where it is now splits the difference between "on" the bumper, and too low to where approach angle really suffers.

I like the frontrange bumper though. It's similar to the Hanson bumpers that I really like as well:


Only problem with this is the bumper on the Amigo sits pretty high on the front end and the grill is relatively short. A winch sitting on a bumper like this would completey cover the grill.


I played with photochop a little bit to try and get a feel for how it'll look. I do need to put in some turn signals and maybe some rock lights as well.



--Dan

Quote:

---

Solidworks is cool and all for roughing things in; but I prefer MSPaint for fine-tuning everything before production.

---

Sean, you've got mad MSPaint skilz. You and bantz have something in common. The removable winch idea is nice, but low on my list. I don't DD this much any more so I'm not too worried. I'd rather bury it in the bumper as much as possible to make it difficult to remove. I'll probably tack weld a few of the bolt heads as well...

--Dan

Quote:

---

The frame being low is a pain to tie into... big, thick side plates is the only real way - how thick do you plan for the red plates, Dan? I probably went overkill, but 1/4-inch thick 3.5x3.5-inch angle survived well a while back against some pretty good hits

...

what's your plan for tying those plates into your frame -- does your transplanted steering box allow you to mount securely back along the sides of the rails?

---

The side plates in red are 1/4". Originally 3/8", but this was turning into an anchor quick and 3/8" seems rediculously overkill...

In the following pic, the lower tube is welded to the front of the frame rails. It'll have a small gap between it and the front crossmember and I'll add a few stringers between them, and probably overlay the frame/tube joint with some fish plates on top and bottom.

The side plates extend back overlapping about 6" of the frame rail. As far as I can go with the steering box. It's not shown, but I'll try to run some angled braces from the upper tube (middle one in the pic) down and back as far as I can to the top of the frame rails. The plate in this area is about 2" taller than the frame rail so I can run some more braces down from the top of the plates.





I'm actually more worried about the frame rails themselves. They thin down substantially at the front where they arch up. I wish now I would've beefed them up a bit during the SAS or engine swap.

Quote:

---

I mounted my winch separate of the bumper because I was worried about pulling with such force so far away from the frame. I'm looking forward to how you fabricate this Dan. I'm certain you will make it work, and that as always, your work will be sickeningly beautiful.

---

I believe yours is mounted through two hitch tubes right? It's been a, uh, well, a *while* since I've seen UZI Thanks for the vote of confidence.

--Dan

Quote:

---

I really like the design you've got!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

---

Quote:

---

I do need to put in some turn signals and maybe some rock lights as well.

---

I think the factory turn signals are fine with that design. You only need the auxiliary in-bumper signals if you have bullbar-style hoops that might obscure view of the factory signals.

Rock lights would be cool though...

Quote:

---

I think the factory turn signals are fine with that design. You only need the auxiliary in-bumper signals if you have bullbar-style hoops that might obscure view of the factory signals.

---

Quote:

---

I believe yours is mounted through two hitch tubes right?

---

Quote:

---

On the Amigo, the turn signals are in the bumper so I will need them in the new bumper. The amber lights in the fender are the aux/parking/marker lights. I wonder though if I might be able to change the socket in those to accept a 2-filament bulb for turn signals?

---

Quote:

---

I wonder though if I might be able to change the socket in those to accept a 2-filament bulb for turn signals?

---

Thats what I'd try to do. It'd keep it nice and clean.

Quote:

---

I seem to remember a thread somthing along these lines.... I'll have to see if I can find it.

---

Quote:

---

I remember now the corner markers have a spot that I can easily add a 2nd socket/bulb.

--Dan

---

That's what I did, it worked great because I still don't have a front bumper and no zip tied blinkers hangin' off the front.

I really like the bumper design. I'm slowly workin' on a design of my own. We'll see how it turns out. Can't wait to see yours finished.

Quote:

---

So I've had this winch for 2 years or more, but have never gotten around to building a bumper for it.

---

Ok, so now it's been 3 years or more

I never really was thrilled about the looks of this bumper and ended up putting it off. It's finally cooling off here though so I'm back at it and made some updates. I think this version is gonna be it.




I'm liking it much better. This is an animation of the versions up till now. I'll probably get steel next week so I've got time for adjustments.

Shackle mounts are below on the frame mounts & I have a reciever tube under the fairlead now too. Adding lights next I think. Anything else I should add?

--Dan

Quote:

---

...I could find a suitable cover for the quick disconnect (haven't yet).

---