Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/114712
Custom Rigs How To Scrappy bumper By Bruce W. Smith Turn scrap steel into a customized bumper in just a few steps. H ow many times have you walked past that pile of rusted steel pipe and remnants of plate sitting by the back door of your shop and wondered if it's about time to take it to the scrap yard? Here's a tip: Forget the cash. Take a few hours and turn that steel scrap into a cool custom rear bumper. Steel is far easier to manipulate than aluminum or stainless. It stands up well to abuse, and it can be repaired and repainted easily. If you have a shop, odds are you've got the tools and the material already. All you have to supply is a little creativity and the time it takes to cut, weld and finish the scrappy little bumper. It's a project that can be done all at once in a few hours or spread out over a couple of weeks as your schedule allows. Tools for the job: • Plasma cutter • Cutting torch •Mig welder • Disc grinder 1 Plan your design on paper using your truck's frame as the template. Triple R's Abel Sanchez likes the "box" tailplate look and designs it to overlap 5 inches on top of the frame rails and extend down to the stock taillight bar. 2 Use the heavy wall steel pipe for the taillight buckets. This build used 6.5inch pipe cut into six 5-inch sections. Padella Gonzalez uses a grinder to smooth the rough edges of each pipe section prior to placing them in the bumper. 66 | Overdrive | March 2013 How_To.indd 66 2/27/13 10:44 PM