I’m hoping to build a custom bumper for my E-150 with a swing out and would love to take a look at how aftermarket manufacturers are tying into the frame. Do they just use 6 bolts that tie into the frame ends like the stock bumper.
Anyone in Salt Lake have an aftermarket rear bumper I could come look at? I’m located in Sugarhouse.
It's 8 bolts to the frame horns, isn't it? The only one I have seen with more than that is Reunel which uses 1/2" or thicker flat bar under the rear frame and bolts upwards like a receiver hitch.
If you build anything this heavy duty for an E150 you need to address a lot more than beefy bumper structure. What year E150?
I know mine has 6 and I’m pretty sure that they all are 6, two on the bottoms and one on the inside uppers. The Aluminess instructions for a rear bumper install state there are 6 bolts, so I assume they’re all 6.
I went and took a look at a E-250 or 350 SMB In my neighborhood today and that frame looked the same as mine (ie C channel not fully boxed) but didn’t measure frame thickness. I know the E-150 of this era (mines a 2002) had a lower capacity but I upgrade the leaf springs to a set comparable to a 250.
This is not meant to be a hardcore off-road bumper with a big spare tire. The spare will stay under the van but I want to have a swing arm that I can mount a bike rack or cargo tray onto so I can access the back of my van easily on bike trips. Most bumper builds I’ve seen online don’t utilize a horn style mount and instead slot into the frail rails. This design would seem to resist moment forces better than 6 bolts in a single plane, which is why I was wondering what other designs had done. I was looking at the hitch bolts as a potential tie in point today.
OEM rear step bumpers are rated for 5000 pounds and 500 tongue weight, and attach with six bolts (at least the three I’ve done did). If that’s good enough to tow 5000# I think it would be good enough for a spare tire and a box or two, even if the load is on shear instead of direct pull like with towing.
Good point Brian, a step bumper is on there now. I’m at a “paralysis by analysis” point right now, trying to figure out the best way to make it. Mounting just to the horns would definitely be the easiest option
Linear Mode
