Tube rear bumper

Junkie

Forum Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2013
Messages
23
Location
SLO, CA, USA
Car Year
1999
Car Model
Outback
Transmission
4EAT
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I'm probably going to plate the top of it. Should I dimple die the plate or leave it solid? Or, should I use expanded steel rather than sheet?

Also, should I use 2 or 3 kickers supporting it from below? It's already strong enough for me (190lb) to bounce up and down on, but I'd rather it not break.

The ends are getting shortened a little, but I'd rather start too long and remove a little than have to weld extensions on.
 
Looks good mate,

I'd personally go the steel mesh, little more grip when it's wet or muddy i recon. Defiantly put something there to make it easier to stand on if you can. Two supports should easily be enough, keep us posted looks like it'll turn out pretty good!
 
One of my roommates teaches welding at the local Community College. I asked him if he would have any leftovers from a project he was working on that used a sheet of 16 gauge, he said no but he could grab some from school. I measured the bumper, and think I told him it was 44" x 4.5". I didn't specify thickness at all. I also asked if he could grab me a couple pieces of thicker material for where the kickers come down: if I just weld them straight to the bumper I'm afraid they'd just push through so I was going to add some plates to spread the load out. I asked for something on the order of 1/8" for them, and 3" squares.

I got home today to find a couple 3" squares and a 5-6" x 49" piece. The squares looked perfect for an application like this, and appear to be 12 gauge (.1084"). However... the bigger piece is the same thickness. Sure, it'll work, and at 8lb it's at most 4lb heavier than what I would have used, but I'm not sure that I can dimple die it with the die that I can borrow. On the other hand, it seems like a pretty much perfect thickness for when I re-do the front bumper and have to make some new plates that bolt on where the OEM bumper does.

****, I can't really complain about free material (I might pay him for it, but he's refused payment for similar things in the past) but I wish it was 14 or 16 gauge instead. If I do end up using the thick stuff for the top I guess I won't need a support in the middle, I guess that's an upside.

As a comparison, the tube is .095 and I had assumed I'd go thinner on the plate.
 
Finished it up this morning. The dimple die seriously taco'd the plate. That lead to crappy fitup and ugly welds, so I did a half assed job of grinding them down. Oh well, it'll hold up.

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I think that's as far as I'm going to trim them. They don't stick out past the sides of the car.
 
Sweet . I realy like that on the ob . You doing anything else to it ?Im looking to do simalar soon on my foz ... also wanting to build front light /push bar with winch ...
 
The backstory on the car:
My mom bought it new in 1998. Last August I was borrowing it to take some furniture she gave me from her place to my place and it got totaled when someone pulled out in front of me (his fault, they paid out 6 grand minus 400 buyback). The driver's side crumple zone is a bit crumpled, other than that the damage is all cosmetic. After I bought it back I had to do head gaskets (unrelated to the crash) but it should be pretty reliable now.

I built a tube bumper in September or so but don't really like how it came out, so I'm going to re-do it. I like the one that Suparu has on his car:
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His is 2" tube though, while mine will probably be 1.5" (I have a stick and a half left) or maybe 1.75" (would have to buy it and then use the neighbor's bender).

I just picked up a set of 04 FXT struts Thursday night and they'll be going on before too long. Maybe some small spacers as well when I do it. I have a set of 4 camber bolts off a junkyard Forester to help get the camber right once it's lifted. I have my eyes open for a set of wheels, I want 15s but not sure which ones - preferably from a Forester or Outback so they aren't too close in. The optional 1st gen Forester alloy 15s would be ideal but they're hard to find. They'll get bigger ATs, probably 215/75R15 or 225/75R15 (and yes, it'll get some trimming). When I do the struts I may build some tube trailing links and move the mount forward a little as well.

I made a skid plate for the engine (covers oil pan but not headers) out of some 3/16" aluminum, but I still need to make something to protect the tranny. I also need to do something snorkel related as I almost drowned the car a while ago, and saw evidence of dirty water making it past the air filter.

Here's what the front looks like, it was done out of some tube a friend had bent wrong for a roll cage in his Porsche 914, I think I'll do a lot better now that I've practiced a little more and I'm using new material.

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Since then I've welded a nut onto the front bumper for the flag and done the rear bumper, but from that angle it looks pretty similar.
 
You're in the US? (Helps if you put your location in your profile :iconwink: ). I have a set of 15" alloy Outback rims I used to have on my Foz.

That tube bar in the 1st pic looks good :monkeydance:
 
Yep, I'm in the US. Not too hard to figure that out based on the license plate ;)
 
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