Well I started on it today, took a little while to get off the stock bar, my tyre carrier, towbar and petrol tank skid. In the process I managed to snap the heads off a couple of bolts that go into a nutstrip that runs through the frame, this wasn't an issue as I was planning on making a thicker one anyway to add some extra support to the bar. I'll start with that.
This comes out of the frame after taking all of the above off. It is being replaced with the 6mm flat bar that is also in the pic, this is so the bumper bar will mount to 14 bolt holes instead of the stock 8.
This hole is at the end of the frame behind the bumper, I needed to get rid of the lip so I could extend the nut strip out and incorporate it into the bar. I also couldn't get the stock nut strip out if I didn't due to the snapped off bolts.
Before, full of mud as well.
After, you can also see the stock bolt holes the bar mounts to.
Here I've mocked up the bracket, 55cm of flat bar running into the fram along with a 6mm plate mounting to the stock holes and a piece of 75x50x5mm box for the mounts.
I was going to run one side of the box all the way through the bar but decided against it. So ended up cutting it down, the end will be welded to the back of the new bar after I mount the spindle (still waiting for it to arrive). Here is the finished mount.
And from underneath you can kind of see what the flat bar bolts through, the bolts from the towbar pass through it and will bolt into nuts that I'll weld on to the top of the flat bar.
Finally my welding is not only strong but looks OK as well
Best bit is I'm more consistant now as well.
Tomorrow I'll weld up the second mount, add the nut's to the back of the flat bar and hopefully the spindle will turn up so I can start on the main bar.
Cheers
Steve