I'm bored and have a welder…….

Paul D said:

Just trying to criticise constructively ...

Do you have a particular winch for it yet? If you haven't, don't cut any holes for rollers/fairlead, mounting bolts etc, leave it blank and solid .. different makes and model ranges have many different sizes .. cut the holes wrongly and you're not going to fit some winches easily ..

Click to expand...

I know I'm gonna cut it down tomorrow anyway I've got my cutting discs and I've got an idea for using up the chopped bits of angle

The left over angle that I don't use will be used for the rear bumper in a few months

I'm planning on leaving it solid for now anyway as I don't have a winch and haven't chosen one

chunkymunky said:

Or ditch the bull bars. Put A bar on with bar going across above lights?

Click to expand...

I am ditching the bullbars the bullbar will be built onto the winch bumper itself out of smaller tube than the current LR one

Paul D said:

Before you go much further, I'd suggest you take the grille off and have a good luck how far back you can fit a winch before you need to cut metal .. there is some leeway to go towards the radiator ..

I'd certainly prefer to not have a winch than have anything like that much hanging that far out in front ...

Click to expand...

You can get a winch right inside the grill no problem, this is what I done when making my bumper:

Jongould said:

You can get a winch right inside the grill no problem, this is what I done when making my bumper:

Click to expand...

Now that looks the bollocks as a mount, nice and discreet and improving the approach angle, win/win ..

Is that straight box section, cut and angled with plate for the winch tray? I really like the look and simplicity of that .. Did you do any drawings or plans for it? Looks like 6" x 2" 4mm box, same as I used for me sills ..

Jongould said:

You can get a winch right inside the grill no problem, this is what I done when making my bumper:

Click to expand...

That looks like a really neat job there mate, well done.

Assuming it is box section it looks like a method that is very workable, assuming you know how to weld - which I don't

Paul D said:

Is that straight box section, cut and angled with plate for the winch tray? I really like the look and simplicity of that .. Did you do any drawings or plans for it? Looks like 6" x 2" 4mm box, same as I used for me sills ..

Click to expand...

Its 4x2 box, 6mm I think, cut and angled for the bumper. The winch tray is a proper one made from 10MM steel with a 6mm front section with the cut out. I used some 6mm angle to weld this onto the original bumper mounts (beefed up a bit with the angle) and then cut the bumper to allow the fairlead, I made sure the rear part of the box wasnt cut to retain a bit of strenth and I have welded every join as heavy as I could to ensure styrength, I have winched and been pulled and it hasn't failed me yet...

I will try and get some better pics to show you whats what with it, its a bit rusty now as I haven't painted it properly yet, thats on my to do list...

Heh, rust ain't an issue .. Thanks for the details, be good to have more pics of it .. I have some 8mm flat I could use for the winch tray, could be doubled up or I could add some 5mm flat I also have .. and I have some 6x4x4mm box left over ... Jeez I can feel project No 143 coming up , but this might just go someway towards the front of the queue ..

Making the sides from cardboard atm so they can get cut tomorrow

Update, sides and top sections have been cut and tacked together so need welding on to the main body now. One support beam has been welded into the main section as well, another one needs to go on and the front sloped section is now on too.

It weighs about the same as my bullbar now so when the sides are on it should weigh just over the bullbar and bumper put together or I'd hope so anyway. Snorkel is gonna go on tomorrow if I have time, still need to get the plugs for the airbox and some RTV as well as the 2.5" -> 3" adaptor

My winch is mounted to the top of my steering guard, the guard uses 3 fixing points on each side instead of the 2 that the bumper uses, I just welded a flat plate to the top of the guard and the winch is sat as far back as possible. This meant I could fit a non-winch bumper which is a lot closer fitting than one thats designed to accept a winch, I just need to modify it a little to fit my hawse but I need to service the winch before then anyway.

Here's a pic without the front bumper fitted:

And here's the bumper fitted, nice and flush :cool2:

One sides welded on now, time for the other. Its starting to take shape nicely but I'm going to wait til I've welded it all up then take the grinder and flap disc to the welds before painting

Both sides on now, gonna do the support member in the centre then upload the pics as that'll be me done for the day

Pics are on the way, bumper looks like its sitting a bit low to the bodywork but it'll look right once the bars welded onto the top plus theres only one bolt on either side

coming on nicely

is it fitted upside down?

3.5 efi said:

is it fitted upside down?

Click to expand...

no its only sitting on with one bolt on either side so its slanted a bit

keep going mate ,that's a cracking snow plough yer makin'