Chevy truck rear bumper build

[oil pan 4]

Alright I have been back for a few days and hitting up the scrap yard and added another 70 to 80 pounds of stainless diamond tread and flat plate to my hoard.
I am not really finding any 3/8 or 10mm thick stainless diamond tread of flat plate. Mostly its 1/4 and 5/16 inch.
In the picture is all my 1/4 and 5/16 stainless, I still have some 1/8 inch but I am going to try not to use that.

I think I have enough to at least get started.

Plan is still to make it tough to where when I back into something or something backs into me it gets destroyed and later all I have to do is buff the paint, plastic or blood off. And bolt the bumper to the frame and hitch.
Looks like I am just going to have to use 1/4 and 5/16 (6mm and 8mm).
Welds will be left raw, only buffed with a red 3M pad scrub pad and maybe a light bead blasting.
I just ordered that 350 amps water cooled WP18 torch earlier today.
When its 100F out and you're in the sun the air cooled torch don't air cool very well.

[freebeard]

I'd think an flat end plate, like on a ricer wing but upside down and smaller.

It could align with the trailing edge of a future Turnpike-cruiser type fender skirt.

[gumby79]

Originally Posted by aerohead

I'd consider making a deeper bumper with the bottom aligning with a future 2.5-degree diffuser projecting off the bottom of the rear axle line.Rocker panel extensions behind the rear wheels would blend into the deeper bumper.

Like this.



Your hitch maybe in the way.
For this type of bumper I had a different hitch for evry chassi 'make,model of pickup. When I worked at U-Haul Merced, California back in 99-00.
Or just come through the bumper with the receiver for a clean finish on the bottom.
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Question
Is the shape of this low center more lending to maintaining a shallow assent sub3° as the diff would match the extra low center, and the axel hight matching the outer hight? (this you can adjust for ,as your the desiner) Would this shape rear belly pan also lend to Boat tail by nature of straight lins low point to low point.
As any quality brainstorm you must also identify the pit falls ...
Boat tailing is counter productive for a dedicated tow rig as you pull more air in closer to the center line of a trailer thats often wider than the truck. Resulting in an increase of frontal area, such as a 102" wide(for those considering a similar project on their dedicated tow rigs).
Dreem big chisel down to reality.

[oil pan 4]

Yes something like that, its kind of like the current pickup bumper I have that's rusting out. I may skip the center concave section since I don't need a place to put a ball hitch.
If I were going to put a ball hitch I would insist on at least 3/8 plate, but I don't have any.

[aerohead]

I'd consider a flat section across belly back there,then do a fairing for the differential's pumpkin if it sticks out in the airstream.

[oil pan 4]

Got the 3/8 flat plate.
Still waiting on the tig torch.