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04-02-2013, 11:03 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: da U.P.
Posts: 352
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$500+ for another plastic bumper?? I don't think so!!
My place of winter storage is at our local county fair grounds. You drop it off in the fall, they put it into one of the big buildings and they'll remove it come spring. I get an e-mail notifying me as to what weekend to come get it. It all depends on how soon the snow disappears. On the storage rental form, there is a statement you have to sign saying that you have insurance and the county fair board is not liable for damages.
A couple of years ago after winter storage, I found the rear plastic bumper on my 2005 Jay Feather LGT 27P was cracked. What was a 1 piece bumper was now at least 3 pieces. Close examination showed a mark mark where it got bumped. I called the dealer and found out a replacement bumper would be $500+, and that wasn't even with molded in color, so it would have to be painted. Overall, it didn't sound like a good deal, $500 for something as fragile and flimsy as the original.
My daughter's fiance it turns out, is a very gifted fabricator. I talked to him and he said he could make a custom bumper of diamond plate aluminum. After some fabricating and tweaking, here is what I ended up with.
You'll see the receiver tube hitch I previously installed for mounting a bike rack, not for towing another trailer. Not only is towing another ball hitch trailer behind a ball hitch trailer illegal, but the tube hitch isn't heavy duty enough for that. I only intended it to support maybe 80 pounds max of bikes and bike rack.
__________________
Kent
FAA licensed A&P aircraft mechanic, ex-RV dealer parts dept
Retired B-52 Gunner/Flight Examiner, B-52 Crew Chief
2016 Jayco Eagle HT 29.5 FBDS w/ 15,000 BTU AC, 50 amp service, upgraded counter top, thermal pane windows, elec. stab jacks, outside grill, backup camera and MORryde pin box.
2011 GMC 2500HD DURAMAX/ ALLISON
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04-02-2013, 12:21 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Mostly the US
Posts: 10,002
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Turned out nice!
__________________
Denise, DH, grandkids, and two rescue pups
-2016 Jay Flight 29QBS Elite
-2016 Ford F-250 XLT 4x2, 6.2L EFI V8, 4.30 Elec Lock, Heavy duty Alt
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04-02-2013, 02:43 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Friendswood
Posts: 917
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$500+ for another plastic bumper?? I don't think so!!
Looks good! Bet it will hold up better than plastic.
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04-02-2013, 02:49 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Camlachie
Posts: 146
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Hey Tail_gunner,
you want to hold on to that lad......nice job!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tail_gunner
My place of winter storage is at our local county fair grounds. You drop it off in the fall, they put it into one of the big buildings and they'll remove it come spring. I get an e-mail notifying me as to what weekend to come get it. It all depends on how soon the snow disappears. On the storage rental form, there is a statement you have to sign saying that you have insurance and the county fair board is not liable for damages.
A couple of years ago after winter storage, I found the rear plastic bumper on my 2005 Jay Feather LGT 27P was cracked. What was a 1 piece bumper was now at least 3 pieces. Close examination showed a mark mark where it got bumped. I called the dealer and found out a replacement bumper would be $500+, and that wasn't even with molded in color, so it would have to be painted. Overall, it didn't sound like a good deal, $500 for something as fragile and flimsy as the original.
My daughter's fiance it turns out, is a very gifted fabricator. I talked to him and he said he could make a custom bumper of diamond plate aluminum. After some fabricating and tweaking, here is what I ended up with.
You'll see the receiver tube hitch I previously installed for mounting a bike rack, not for towing another trailer. Not only is towing another ball hitch trailer behind a ball hitch trailer illegal, but the tube hitch isn't heavy duty enough for that. I only intended it to support maybe 80 pounds max of bikes and bike rack.
Attachment 7117
Attachment 7118
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__________________
Ron (Augie)
2015 Pinnacle 38FLSA
2013 Ram Laramie 3500 (Dually)
Curt Q20 hitch
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04-02-2013, 05:14 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: da U.P.
Posts: 352
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Raugustin
Hey Tail_gunner,
you want to hold on to that lad......nice job!!!
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He'll be around a while.
He put a ring on my baby girl's finger last December. They're getting married June 2014.
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04-02-2013, 05:34 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Louisiana (southeastern)
Posts: 468
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Looks nice.
He did a very good job.
__________________
Chipper
2006 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Duramax LBZ, CC, 4X4
2005 Jayco Talon ZX24-E Toy Hauler(SOLD).
2017 Forest River Hyper Lite XLR
Prodigy P2 Brake Control
12K Husky Straight Line WD Hitch
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04-03-2013, 10:10 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC
Posts: 1,261
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Nice!!
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04-03-2013, 11:02 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Forest
Posts: 634
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Looks really good.
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04-09-2013, 11:11 AM
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#9
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Clearwater BC
Posts: 4
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Looks great, ours has a similar rear bumper issue and I've been wanting to do something like this. Could you get a couple more pics for me? Maybe of the sides and from underneath? Thanks!
__________________
02 Dodge 3500 4x4 q/c Cummins w/ upgrades
05 Jay Feather LGT 26s Needs a lift
Plenty of toys for dirt and snow
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04-09-2013, 10:55 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: da U.P.
Posts: 352
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bnorth
Looks great, ours has a similar rear bumper issue and I've been wanting to do something like this. Could you get a couple more pics for me? Maybe of the sides and from underneath? Thanks!
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Don't have a pic from the underside, but here is one from the side.
The underside is totally enclosed like the original. It was made in two halves. Final width adjustment was made by trimming the ends of the two halves. I fashioned a gap/splice plate out of aluminum and used aircraft nutplates for the screws that joined the ends together in the middle.
It's a tad crooked on the right end, the left end is straight. I think of it as first time/prototype bugs.
But over all, I'm very happy with it.
BTW, I did some caulking after the pics were taken.
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04-14-2013, 08:46 AM
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#11
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Corona/Riverside CA
Posts: 25
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Congratulations!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tail_gunner
He'll be around a while.
He put a ring on my baby girl's finger last December. They're getting married June 2014.
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Congratulations on your new Son-in-Law! He is a talented fabricator! He might consider making a few of these and offering them to other trailer owners... I'm sure you are not the only person who has recognized that flimzy-ness of that original bumper. Just an idea in this entrepreneurial world we live in.
__________________
Regards,
Randy
"An army of asses led by a lion is better than an army of lions led by an ass" George Washington
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04-17-2013, 11:16 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: da U.P.
Posts: 352
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I found a few more pictures of the bumper being fabricated.
My grandson wanted to help 'fisk' grampa's camper!! LOL
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04-17-2013, 12:24 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Whittier, California
Posts: 298
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Everything looks better when made with diamond plate! Great work, and congratulations to your family!
__________________
~~eric.
2003 Ford F-250 XLT Lariat
6.0L Powerstroke V8
2013 Jayco JayFlight 24FBS
Equal-i-zer hitch
Tekonsha P3
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04-29-2013, 04:21 PM
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#14
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Clearwater BC
Posts: 4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MyBrokenJeep
Congratulations on your new Son-in-Law! He is a talented fabricator! He might consider making a few of these and offering them to other trailer owners... I'm sure you are not the only person who has recognized that flimzy-ness of that original bumper. Just an idea in this entrepreneurial world we live in.
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I would be in for one!
__________________
02 Dodge 3500 4x4 q/c Cummins w/ upgrades
05 Jay Feather LGT 26s Needs a lift
Plenty of toys for dirt and snow
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