Heavy Duty recovery bumper ideas

[simon15]

Just been thinking about getting some very very strong recovery points front and back.

And was just thinking of getting a RSJ type length of steel which is thick cutting it down to size welding and bolting mounting plates to use the existing bumper mounts and then fitting a few Tow pin/hitches on them.


Something like this will be handy as it will fit around the chassis and a flat surface to mount the recovery points too.


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Steel-Beam-RSJ-Box-Section-Steel-Girder_W0QQitemZ170134430834QQihZ007QQcategoryZ26197QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem



What do you reckon? would only cost about £30 plus whatever it costs for the tow pin hitch things...


2 of these front and back... preferably without the ball on though. :)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BALL-PIN-TOW-HITCH_W0QQitemZ200132058793QQihZ010QQcategoryZ33653QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[clbarclay]

Minor point but the first link is neither RSJ or as it incorrectly calls its self "box section" but is actually reffered to as channel.


I'm not too sure of body work aroung the back of a disco chassis, but on my RRC I made the bumper using just what I had to hand. I use 2 pieces of 1/4" plate to sandwich the chassis and a length of thick wall tube (8 or more mm thick) and the chassis. Thes were welded to the tube and bolted to the chassis using the existing tow plate mounting holes. I then drilled and tapped the tube in line with the origional bumper mounts to take an M12.

I then welded an old clevis to the tube in the middle and braced it to the sandwich plates. To finish I cut the ends of the tube at an angle and welded in plate to cap the ends.

Its not the prettest, but I have more faith in it than I do the 20 year old chassis its attached to and has showed no signs of either chassis or bumper suffing when used to jack rear wheels clear of the ground.

[simon15]

Thats ok then it wont be something thats a no go then.


would most probably be a lot stronger than most bumpers out there.

I just mentioned RSJ as an idea :)

[clbarclay]

The use of channel sounds like a good idea, if you are going to bolt a clevis/tow ball to it as it should be easier to do than with tube or box section which should have a crush tube fitted (extra work) if you put a bolt all the way through them.

would most probably be a lot stronger than most bumpers out there.

One pitfall with DIY is getting a suitable compromise of weight and strength. Mine is a heavier than what it really neads to be, idealy I would have used bigger OD tube with thinner wall but that would have then cost money.

[simon15]

Yeaa you cant really have leightweight and strong unless your talking silly money.

[Cheggs]

I have seen this done on RRC worked atreat and looked ok, the chassis went before the Bumper, I keep thinking of doing this type of thing to the rear of mine as the bumper is starting to go.

[simon15]

i dont really care what it looks like just need something solid as im getting stuck a lot at the mo due to crap raod tyres :(

Ill try to get it done during next month hopefully and post up pics etc. :)

[Lyndsey731]

Simon15

Sorry to jump your thread mate, you say your getting stuck and your sig mentions you want parts.

I've got some Bronco's 235/85/16's  well 6 actually, 4 have been used 1 used as a spare and is a second (iffy side wall but fine as a spare) and 1 spankingly new. Excellent off road not great on but thats choice you make. Not everyones cup of tea being remould which is why I changed them if i'm honest, at the time it was a lot of tyre for a small price. I would advertise them and all the other rubbish I have but I just can't seem to be bothered with so much to do around the house.

If your into making your own bits you should meet a mate of mine Dave, lives in Winterborne he's just crew cabbed his rangie and cut more bits off than you could imagine. 36" tyres full home made roll cage, lockers front and back, hydraulic winches, the list goes on, he should be in Belgium by now for the national.

Gav

[simon15]

Hey gav thanks for the offer

But im getting a set of 265/70 Colway MT's temporarily tomorrow till i can afford a set of insa turbo special tracks :) :)


My Bro-in-law loves welding etc so if i get all the bits he can make it all work and he is just starting his business up again doing everything from welding to fibreglassing etc etc...

[Lyndsey731]

I was tempted by the Insa's myself, but really I wanted to go a bit bigger.

Gav

[fram]

A mate of ours made one out of steel box section and plate, he also added a tank guard and welded/bolted on a nato tow hitch for recovery. Does the job and looks pretty smart as well.

[redhand]

Check out steel stock holders as the price for a brand new Piece probably wouldn't be much more than the price he's asking for a rusty piece of scrap. I was quoted £20 for a piece of 1600x40x80x2mm box section from a scrapyard and £25+vat for a 7.6 mtr length of the same from a steel stock holders.

Obviously you need thicker than that but the principle remains the same.

[auf_wiedersehen_pet]

And was just thinking of getting a RSJ type length of steel which is thick cutting it down to size welding and bolting mounting plates to use the existing bumper mounts and then fitting a few Tow pin/hitches on them.

What are the implications for your insurance????

[philhunt]

Just been thinking about getting some very very strong recovery points front and back.


2 of these front and back... preferably without the ball on though. :)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BALL-PIN-TOW-HITCH_W0QQitemZ200132058793QQihZ010QQcategoryZ33653QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

When you buy your tow pins, make sure that they are sufficiently strong enough for recovering your motor. You need 3.5 tonne rated pins as a minimum but preferably 5 tonne if a snatch is involved. Dixon Bate make pins with both these ratings and they are not that expensive new from Paddock Motors and others of course.