Installing Steel front Bumper on ACE 30.2

[sdsstep545]

Hi,
Has anyone successfully installed a real Steel bumper on their ACE?
I started this post because no one I have found, has successfully done this online.
I have searched the internet for any real success stories and found none.
I have seen many discussions of this issue, but no solutions.

I have looked at the RV Body design and there is nothing but air between the fiberglass shell and the Ford F53 chassis for about 20 inches.
I have since purchased a Ford F650/F750 front bumper and am now in the redesign phase of that bumper to make it fit front end.
The curvature of this bumper is very close to the fiberglass shell Shape, but not wide enough. It will need to be cut on both ends to be extended for width of chassis.

Has anyone else done this before and able to give solid suggestions for this Mod?
Thanks,
Scott

[16ACE27]

I have never heard of this mod. You're the first! Post pics when done.

[sdsstep545]

10-4 - I started pics right away. Will be taking pics as I progress.

[sdsstep545]

[RunnerJim]

Originally Posted by sdsstep545

Hi,
Has anyone successfully installed a real Steel bumper on their ACE?
I started this post because no one I have found, has successfully done this online.
I have searched the internet for any real success stories and found none.
I have seen many discussions of this issue, but no solutions.

I have looked at the RV Body design and there is nothing but air between the fiberglass shell and the Ford F53 chassis for about 20 inches.
I have since purchased a Ford F650/F750 front bumper and am now in the redesign phase of that bumper to make it fit front end.
The curvature of this bumper is very close to the fiberglass shell Shape, but not wide enough. It will need to be cut on both ends to be extended for width of chassis.

Has anyone else done this before and able to give solid suggestions for this Mod?
Thanks,
Scott

I did this to an Austin Healey 3000 kit car that was 4" wider than the real 3000. I bought 2 bumpers, cut 4" out of the middle of one, then cut the other one in half, welded the 4" center piece into the middle, and had it re chromed.
I know this is slightly off topic re: your mounting question, but thought it might help with the bumper extension piece of your project. Good luck.

[Snipebru]

How about making a ram that comes out from the frame and is tilt able to get to the engine.

[ducksface]

I too have stretched a few bumpers.
I have the chrome three piece front bumper from a j10 just hanging around here because it'll be easy to fit to my next project. Just shorten the center section.

Fab up something or buy a second bumper and cut and paste.
I'd buy the second bumper and cut each so they equal the width I want whennwelded together. This also allows you to better match the curve of the fiberglas cap.
Easy enough.

I considered a bumper for the 24.1
But I already look as 'bread truck' as I want to look.

[sdsstep545]

Hi,
Yes Thanks for the suggestion of the second bumper and taking slices out. Unfortunately the wife would not like to purchase another bumper. So I am going to have to put a curve in stock sheet metal with a floor press. I will be doing it in sections. I am not so worried about the weld lines. I started cutting last night, Then bad weather moved in(downpour).

[sdsstep545]

Hi,
I am always amazed when someone can weld something, then get it so smooth to be chromed and you don't see the weld lines, It is an art in itself.
Those are skills I don't have, wish I did, but don't.

[ducksface]

The outriggers on my little backhoe are used to bend and press things far more often than my press. They aren't precise like for a bumper but they're fast.They'll also break a tire off a rim pretty well.

Because you fab easily, you might want to glance at posts 86,143, 287 and 532 in my signature thread.

https://www.thorforums.com/forums/f2...n-18996-3.html

[Beau388]

Originally Posted by sdsstep545

Hi,
I am always amazed when someone can weld something, then get it so smooth to be chromed and you don't see the weld lines, It is an art in itself.
Those are skills I don't have, wish I did, but don't.

That why they make 4.5" 120 grit flap wheels to remove the messy welding splatter Most chrome places prefer they do the finish grinding to avoid weld contamination. The copper plating layer is where the finish is perfected. The artistry is buffer's ability to "flow" the copper. The chrome layer will not be any smother than the copper layer. The color is in the nickel and the chrome is simply to protect the nickle; otherwise, there would not be black chrome.

[sdsstep545]

Originally Posted by Beau388

That why they make 4.5" 120 grit flap wheels to remove the messy welding splatter Most chrome places prefer they do the finish grinding to avoid weld contamination. The copper plating layer is where the finish is perfected. The artistry is buffer's ability to "flow" the copper. The chrome layer will not be any smother than the copper layer. The color is in the nickel and the chrome is simply to protect the nickle; otherwise, there would not be black chrome.

I did not know much about chroming. Thanks for some info on it.
I was just going to go Black for the bumper to match the rest of the accent color on the RV. I can hide most of the welds with some grinding and painting.

[sdsstep545]

Originally Posted by ducksface

The outriggers on my little backhoe are used to bend and press things far more often than my press. They aren't precise like for a bumper but they're fast.They'll also break a tire off a rim pretty well.

Because you fab easily, you might want to glance at posts 86,143, 287 and 532 in my signature thread.

https://www.thorforums.com/forums/f2...n-18996-3.html

You are a very busy boy. All I hear from my wife is "can you stop with the modifications yet?" Based on your knowledge of mods and repairs - two things:
Sumo shocks - yes/no and how do you like them - one of my final major mods I want to do. My last major mod was the Track bar I built for the rear end.
And second one - I cannot get the cruise control to come on any more, I have trouble shot it down to what I believe is the clock spring possibly bad, but on a 2019? I have the wiring diagram. Just cant believe it has gone bad already.
Input on these two items would be great.
Thanks,
Scott

[sdsstep545]

I did get the Bumper ends cut off, after another trip to Menards to buy new cut off tool. I burned up the 5amp one that was given to me. Bought a 9 amp- went thru like butter. Weather finally broke here - lower humidity and temps.
Will be placing bumper in place to figure out mounting plates and size of steel plate I need to weld back in to extend bumper ends.
I will also trim some of the excess bumper top area as someone suggested to make it fit better.
Thanks for the suggestions from everyone. It is nice to know there are others who like to mod.
-Scott

[ducksface]

Sumo is a giant bumpstop, nothing more. A bumpstop is to keep suspension parts from crashing together during an out-of-parameter situation like a giant pothole or severe twist.
Like any bump stop. Sumo creates a frame to body attachment with a durometer rating designed to allow some cushion/slow down .
It interrupts body roll.
Personally I think they're not useless, but I think I'd rather
Know my roll
Than stop my roll.
Id play sping and shock and torsion long before I'd play 'make it stop'.

If constant contact bumpstops had a valid use, they'd be on every vehicle in the world.
They severely interupt what the springs are doing.

But, while no one says they have the stupidest kid in the entire third grade, they won't say they made a mistake buying sumos.

If sumos were the cat's-pajamas, they wouldn't come in different durometer ratings for the same application on RV. They allow choice. This means some choices wilI be wrong. Three durometer ratings means you'll settle for one, and dislike two. Which two?

I'd try them...last resort.
(They're a limit strap. If you can build a track-bar, you know why a suspension limit, sitting outside the parameters of the other suspension pieces, is something to question.).

https://www.thorforums.com/forums/sh...6&postcount=26 is an honest review.


No help from me on the cruise control. I haven't an ounce of ability.

Ps
I wonder if we could correlate mechanical Wall-slide failures to sumo/suspension changes?
Sumo and limit straps cause a suspension crash. One controlled yet still a crash, the other an abrupt crash.

[sdsstep545]

Originally Posted by ducksface

Sumo is a giant bumpstop, nothing more. A bumpstop is to keep suspension parts from crashing together during an out-of-parameter situation like a giant pothole or severe twist.
Like any bump stop. Sumo creates a frame to body attachment with a durometer rating designed to allow some cushion/slow down .
It interrupts body roll.
Personally I think they're not useless, but I think I'd rather
Know my roll
Than stop my roll.
Id play sping and shock and torsion long before I'd play 'make it stop'.

If constant contact bumpstops had a valid use, they'd be on every vehicle in the world.
They severely interupt what the springs are doing.

But, while no one says they have the stupidest kid in the entire third grade, they won't say they made a mistake buying sumos.

If sumos were the cat's-pajamas, they wouldn't come in different durometer ratings for the same application on RV. They allow choice. This means some choices wilI be wrong. Three durometer ratings means you'll settle for one, and dislike two. Which two?

I'd try them...last resort.
(They're a limit strap. If you can build a track-bar, you know why a suspension limit, sitting outside the parameters of the other suspension pieces, is something to question.).

https://www.thorforums.com/forums/sh...6&postcount=26 is an honest review.


No help from me on the cruise control. I haven't an ounce of ability.

Ps
I wonder if we could correlate mechanical Wall-slide failures to sumo/suspension changes?
Sumo and limit straps cause a suspension crash. One controlled yet still a crash, the other an abrupt crash.

10-4 I agree with the sumo being a bandaid. I have about two inches of clearance between the snubbers and the axle tube. What did you do to get some extra lift? We are not overloaded, and actually probably run a little on the lighter side now.
I could not find any solid info on suspension ride heights for this chassis anywhere.

I would like to see closer to 3" of clearance or more. We bottom out alot on bumps.
I would like to get over to the truck scales near my house and get an official front/back weight.
Thoughts?
-Scott

[ducksface]

Against all that is holy I have 4" blocks in the back.
My front leaf spring conversion and straight axle handled the front four inches.

You could always
Bag it
Like low riders do...but to raise, not lower.
I think it'll give you 3 inches on demand.

(Road/ride Height is often coded as
'Z'')
(Maybe. I haven't checked a z height in quite a few years. The code may have changed)

[sdsstep545]

Originally Posted by ducksface

Against all that is holy I have 4" blocks in the back.
My front leaf spring conversion and straight axle handled the front four inches.

You could always
Bag it
Like low riders do...but to raise, not lower.
I think it'll give you 3 inches on demand.

Hi,
Thanks. So that I understand what you did - You put blocks between axle and springs to give you about 4 inches of extra lift?
I had thought about that, but did not know if it was OK to do on an rv. I have done cars that way, but never did it to an RV. My sons Jeep Cherokee was the last one we did to level it after the install of a helper spring in rear.
Where did you get the lift blocks?
-Scott

[ducksface]

Rear blocks were fabbed.
Yup, just like the wrong way to do a 4x4 lift.
The front springs are stock ford leafs with perches welded to the frame to equal the rear lift.
The front drive axle is a custom built dana 70/60 mashup.

I had the blocks put in temporarily.
The Fab guy said
'Drive it a while. That rear end isn't some dumb s10 set up. If you think you need spring built, you'll be wrong, but hey, its your RV.'

I was all set to have Deevers build me 4" lift military wrap springs like on my zr2 blazer.
He was right, the Blocks don't spring wrap or wiggle.
I haven't changed the springs, I'll keep the blocks.

[sdsstep545]

Originally Posted by ducksface

Rear blocks were fabbed.
Yup, just like the wrong way to do a 4x4 lift.
The front springs are stock ford leafs with perches welded to the frame to equal the rear lift.
The front drive axle is a custom built dana 70/60 mashup.

I had the blocks put in temporarily.
The Fab guy said
'Drive it a while. That rear end isn't some dumb s10 set up. If you think you need spring built, you'll be wrong, but hey, its your RV.'

I was all set to have Deevers build me 4" lift military wrap springs like on that zr2 blazer.
He was right, the Blocks don't spring wrap or wiggle.
I haven't changed the springs, I'll keep the blocks.

The zr2 has 5 leaf, under axle springs with military wraps.
5 springs. About 300lb tongue weight squashes them...just as it should be.

I will look into some blocks. I can already hear my wife again "more mods?"
I just dont like hitting the snubbers.
-Scott