iLLlegal Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 alright. so my friend just got a welder and has a shop so i figure Im just gunna make my own bullbars along with a new grill. but I dont know the first thing to designing these bars. does anyone have any blueprints or information on going about making them. if it comes down to it ill just get some nice steel tubing and make it look all nice. even if i brush up against a tree and it just smooshes im going to make it pritty simple and put some lights on it. anyone have any info on making one. were should i attach it as well. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derogate Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 the only Thing I want to add, is that if you do end up making it, Try and support it in such a way that if you get in a small fender bender, it wont crush your hood/rad/grill/lights and quadruple the cost of repairs. Supporting it from the two tow points underneath will definetly not be enough. Furthermore if you are fabbing up a custom grill for it, you'll have plenty of extra mounting options to avoid the above problems. thats all I can think of right now. Other than that, just get the ol hand dandy tape measure out, and start tacking up some small scraps to kind of mock up what how the fullsize would fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSM_guy Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 im in the process of building my own ARB knock off and incorporating my push bar as well. i can tell you this...if you have no experience in building a bumper...find someone who can help you along the way. iv built 2 with help before i started in on one by myself. unfortunatley, mounting points for a pathy isnt quite as easy as say...a chevy. without a doubt..designing and figuring mounts has taken the biggest chunk of time. of course mine has also taken additional time because im building it to accomidate a winch..but still. if you want to build it right, and never have before...i suggest help. as far as blueprints...i wouldent count on any floating around. i think ppl do their measurements and whatnot..but youll learn that changes are constantly occouring. my BEST suggestion...look for a push bar like mine and 88's. it sounds like it will fit the bill for you without the designing issues. id sell you mine, but its getting modified into my new one so.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deej Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 Can you say "Stinger" ? Here's what they look like on a Yoda http://www.marlincrawler.com/images/dean_500.jpg but I'ld love to see one on a Pathy Google "stinger bumper designs" or something like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSM_guy Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 just something to add. you dont really NEED blueprints as long as you have a basic design. i just kinda made mine to my own specs. i saw the design of the ARB and just went to work with a tape measure and my imagination. deciding how far i wanted this out, or how tall to make this. and i drew out my own set of "prints" just from that. since YOU are building it, your only limited to your imagination and budget..not a mfg's specs. you can take the best from their ideas, and incorporate your own. just go out and start sizing things up after you google a few images and get some ideas. decide "hmm, i want it to be X" long here, and a bend here" just jot it all down and label it. but yeah..that "stinger" or "prerunner" bumper looks pretty hot..although i think id like a bit of added protection for the overall "bumper" area. maybe even another section of pipe down below. but deff something you could do. and like i said..you dont even need the measurements. just from my experience, i found 63" to be optimal in length for the bumper. but then decide how far out you might like the feelers and this or that. ill tell you that bracketry is simply a "fab as you go" thing. there is very little pre-planning...esp if you have a lift. good luck and let us know what you come out with. ill have pix up of mine in a bit hopefully! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solid snake Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 I'm fabing my own from a bull bar that was on a old f-150. This is what it looks like and what I want to fab up to fit the pathy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSM_guy Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 hey snake where ya been? i havent seen you on in a while (cant exactly remember how long) i had to fab my push bar to fit. i bought it off a member here for cheap and said it was for a pathy. but there wasnt a way it could fit. but a li cuttin here, and a custom set of brackets there..i had me a dandy little bit of protection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iLLlegal Posted January 27, 2006 Author Share Posted January 27, 2006 hey thanks guys! yeah i think im gunna do somethin like SS posted up then mabey at some other touches to it.. like ya said its my imagination so ill just fab some stuff up and go from there! hopefully next week when the government gives me a nice lil cheque on a side note. how much is chroming. and powerdcoating??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jj big shoe Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Dunno about pricing, but a lot of states won't allow a chrome shop to operate so you might have to ship it off somewhere. Rhino liner is prolly a cheaper option too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSM_guy Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Dunno about pricing, but a lot of states won't allow a chrome shop to operate so you might have to ship it off somewhere. Rhino liner is prolly a cheaper option too. bingo pick up the DIY stuff and have a ball. youll never have to worry about chiping, scratching, or moisture. and if you do somehow take a chunk or gash out...repairing will be alot easier and look like the rest of it..unlike spot repairing paint/powdercoat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deej Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Rhino liner is prolly a cheaper option too. Just don't get any on your hootus! I dare you to ask :X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 *snicker* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solid snake Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 hey snake where ya been? i havent seen you on in a while (cant exactly remember how long) i had to fab my push bar to fit. i bought it off a member here for cheap and said it was for a pathy. but there wasnt a way it could fit. but a li cuttin here, and a custom set of brackets there..i had me a dandy little bit of protection I've been around, haven't posted 'cause schools keeping me busy, so has GTA San Andreas!. I go the bull bar from a friend for free, but it was kind of bent up and there's been some rust. it's chrome, but nothing too hard to fix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solid snake Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 but a lot of states won't allow a chrome shop to operate so you might have to ship it off somewhere. Thank God i live close to Mexico, so this is not a problem for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iLLlegal Posted January 28, 2006 Author Share Posted January 28, 2006 if i end up doing rhino lining, does that stuff go on smooth. i mean ive seen it in truck beds and its all bumpy and :S i dont want my bars looking like that. if it works good ill prolly cover the ol tire carrier as well. that thing is so rusty. o and i think canada has different rules about chrome im sure. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solid snake Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 if i end up doing rhino lining, does that stuff go on smooth. i mean ive seen it in truck beds and its all bumpy and :S i dont want my bars looking like that. if it works good ill prolly cover the ol tire carrier as well. that thing is so rusty. o and i think canada has different rules about chrome im sure. ? I'm not too familiar with that, but I have seen then on truck beds. What I did for the tire carrier is sand off most of the rust and spray paint it with flat black paint. I haven't had a problem with it rusting again or paint chipping off. of course I think that this mainly has to do that it is dry around here and we hardly get any rain too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 snake: that's a push bar, not a bull bar. Pictorial differences: Push bar (from Westin's site, http://www.westinautomotive.com/pages/west...sh%20guard.html ) Bull bar (from ARB's site, http://www.arbusa.com/navara_pathfinder.htm ) A push bar/grilleguard bolts on over the stock bumper. A bull bar replaces the entire front bumper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Pickles Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 I'm not too familiar with that, but I have seen then on truck beds. What I did for the tire carrier is sand off most of the rust and spray paint it with flat black paint. I haven't had a problem with it rusting again or paint chipping off. of course I think that this mainly has to do that it is dry around here and we hardly get any rain too. I did the same on the tire carrier. Sanded down the rusty spots, masked it off (I didn't even take it off the truck) and painted it with flat black Rustoleum. Its been fine for over 2 years now. I used that on my basket rack too. Rustoleum might actually be a very cheap option for your bumper too, cause you can touch it up if you scratch it up. You can just sand any rough edges quick and paint over. Since its flat, you can't see the touched up since there is no gloss. As for the bed liner stuff, the ones I've seen go on slightly rough although not as rough as some of the actual truck beds you see professionally done. I imagine the pro stuff has some grit in it for grip or something. Anyways, another advantage of the bedliner stuff is it is much more tough and durable than regular paint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solid snake Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 snake: that's a push bar, not a bull bar. :o :oops: Ooops sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parthy Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 (edited) ARB started making bull bars in a shed in there back yard and see were they are now so all i can say is ............GO FOR IT............ ...... :cool2: ...... Edited February 2, 2006 by parthy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 Names get missused and confusing....Westin uses Bull Bal for these POS: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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