On the 4th of July I by a deer going 60 mph towing my travel trailer. Lots of momentum and didn't feel it that much. Pushed the right side of the bumper in and tore up the rubber. It did out a slice in the right radiator support. I am attempting to upgrade the bumper to a Buck Stop bumper. Been on my list of mods, so I figure I might as well take the money to restore to OEM and pay a little extra to get a welded steel bumper with brush guards. The deer didn't fair well. Toast.

What is a good source for one of the weld it yourself bumpers? Living in western Montana now, I would really like the extra protection for my truck. I just don't have the $1000 for a nice bumper.

What is a good source for one of the weld it yourself bumpers? Living in western Montana now, I would really like the extra protection for my truck. I just don't have the $1000 for a nice bumper.

It would be easy to spend double that on a "nice" bumper. The classic from buckstop is $1,750. But I have not seen a nicer finished or one that offers the features that's less expensive. I too would love to do a weld yourself, but lack the facilities to do it. I'd have to pay a guy to do it. I can check into what he'd charge, but I've got a feeling it would be right up there with the finished one if you've got to pay a guy to weld it. I don't mind doing the grinding and painting myself, but the welding is the part I lack.

I see what you mean. I don't mind the clean up and paint work either but my brother works in a body shop. They have some pretty mean welders and would let me borrow one to do it. Does buckstop make the do it yourselfers?

What is a good source for one of the weld it yourself bumpers? Living in western Montana now, I would really like the extra protection for my truck. I just don't have the $1000 for a nice bumper.

 

Check out Cummins Performance Parts.com.

Most I have paid for a full ranch hand is 1200 and i have bought 3 of them, last one was for my 2010 1500 Hemi about 2 years ago.

I actually got mine off of CF. Guy was selling due to hardships and was offering it at a decent price. We got to talking and he was in bad need of a set of tires, I just so happened to have a set of 285/75/16 GoodYear Duratracs. About 60% tread left, we ended up trading straight up. He also threw in the Hella lights, harness and relay. I think I got the better end of the deal!

If your patient and keep your eyes open the deals are out there. I watched all the local classifieds and forum classifieds for about a year before I came across that one.

I actually got mine off of CF. Guy was selling due to hardships and was offering it at a decent price. We got to talking and he was in bad need of a set of tires, I just so happened to have a set of 285/75/16 GoodYear Duratracs. About 60% tread left, we ended up trading straight up. He also threw in the Hella lights, harness and relay. I think I got the better end of the deal!

If your patient and keep your eyes open the deals are out there. I watched all the local classifieds and forum classifieds for about a year before I came across that one.

So if I watched craigslist what do I search for it as Dodge bumper, ranch hand bumper?

Dave

you'd think as  heavy/long lasting  as   these bumpers are,  there would be a  surplus  starting to stack up in the boneyards!  (that and  flatbeds)

 

somewhere  there has to be a  pile growing in the weeds!

So if I watched craigslist what do I search for it as Dodge bumper, ranch hand bumper?

Dave

yep.

use other key words too:     FRONT,   welded,   Buckstopper,  (or  if you only want  ranch hand)

 

Might find one that is  needing a  good  sandblasting/painting  for  a  good deal!

yep.

use other key words too:     FRONT,   welded,   Buckstopper,  (or  if you only want  ranch hand)

 

Might find one that is  needing a  good  sandblasting/painting  for  a  good deal!

I've been using   www.searchtempest.com ...   It  searchs  ALL  craigslist  listings  for your  keywords.. and  you can  limit it to a certain  distance from you,  or   a  certain price.   Happy hunting!

Edited July 10, 201410 yr by rancherman

Wow, thanks for educating me, Dave

CPP does have the weld it yourself kit for $499 including shipping. Be aware, they are no longer supplying the grill bars. Just the bumper parts. Shouldn't be too hard to add the bars. Only one bent tube on each side. Rest are straight and angle cuts.

Well, for the cost differential of the CCP weld yourself bumper and a Buckstop I could probably get set up for welding it myself. Assuming that a 115v wire feed would handle the job of 3/16" metal. Which it sounds as though it would. Any concern about frying my computer welding parts of it while on the vehicle? It appears that at one point you need to tack the frame support brackets in place while on the vehicle to make sure of a good fit. I'd paint it with Hammerite paint.

I'd at least disconnect the batteries,  and     only   have the welder ground on the  bumper itself...  not  anywhere  on the truck.

I've ordered a u-weld it front bumper from CPP. They are currently not supplying the grill/light guard portion. Strictly bumper. So I'll need to come up with that portion on my own. Although I'm not expecting the same level of quality as a Buckstop, for the cost of a Buckstop I can get set up to weld it myself. I'll need to buy a bender from harbor freight for the grill guard. Easiest might be a pusher type unit with vertical bars and the. Round tube horizontal off of that. Keeping my eyes open for design ideas. But something along the idea of this, although I'm not super excited about this exact design. But you get the idea. Bumper doesn't extend far enough forward to come straight up with the bars, so they need to extend forward.

Or this.

Edited July 15, 201410 yr by joecool911

I like it, please show us the finished product!

2-3 weeks for delivery. That'll give me time to get welding stuff together. I'm getting one set of 6" light holes in the bumper for driving lights. Mount fog lights on the cow pusher.

looks  good,   I'd  sure  consider using  a  solid round  bar for the  headlight wrap around though!  (If you are  building your own brush/pusher bars)

It'll be easier to bend with no  collapsing,  and    I've had more damage done  in  minor  'animal contact'    from the  lightweight hollow   pipe  smashing  against the   turn signal/side of fender!...   Sometimes  I think   there would be less damage  without the  headlight  protector!

 

A  tip if you do  use tubing:     Fill it  with   sand,  pack the livin dayights  out of it...  as  good as you can, then  cap both ends.    Then  bend it to your  desired  shape.     Heat of  course.    take off the plugs  and   shake out the sand.   Makes  a pretty fair  bending  jig.   Cheap too! 

ok ok,   cap one end first,  pack with sand,  then  cap the other!

 

I've  bent  some  1.25  od   .083  wall  tube   down to  about a  6 inch radii     with  pretty fair looking   results this way.

I'm open to any suggestions. Yeah, I was worried about the headlight bars bending upon contact. Will solid bar bend without too much trouble? What size? I was thinkjng the non hydraulic bender.

Still use heat!      using   1-1.25 inch   bar  is  going to take  some  horsepower to bend!

 

get it plenty hot,  and  bend  slowly...  otherwise  it'll   pull apart  (crack)  on the  outside  radii.     Might want to practice  on  some first to get your technique   down pat.

 

I would try to  get the inside  radii  a little hotter than the outside radii.   It won't  stretch crack   quite  as  easily.   

 

I've  only done the freehand method  for bending iron....   you may  have really good luck  with  your bender!

Edited July 17, 201410 yr by rancherman