Chevy & GMC Vans

After numerous trip altering flats and gas pushing $6 a gallon in Death Valley I have finally decided to suck it up and build my rear carrier. (I also was getting annoyed at constantly dragging the hitch receiver in dips and the occasional forced removal of the bumper cladding)

Like most of my projects, I've made it harder than it needs to be. After months of research and indecisions, I came up with a plan based on what a lot of Jeepers build. Well, kind of a plan. It's evolving in the building and I still spend what seems to be an hour thinking for every minute building

Ideally I would have liked a fancy flat paneled, transformer style, modern bumper. But the fabrication of such, with only cutoff wheels for cutting steel, was too much. So I opted for the old school tube look.

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Can't wait to see it.

Yes, also me as well, too.

I almost stroked out when I saw those gas prices!

Stroverlander wrote:Yes, also me as well, too.

I almost stroked out when I saw those gas prices!

Indeed; I think it must be the Techron...

I knew I wanted a second spare and gas. I fretted way to long on whether I wanted to be able to open the top hatch w/o releasing the tire. After looking at it from a practical standpoint for our needs, it was OK to have to take the extra few seconds to release the tire. We don't have any middle or rear seats so our typical access is thru the slider except at camp. This allowed me to mount the tire plenty high and mostly out of the impact zone.

Due to the outward swing of the lower doors, all hinge and latching mechanisms need to be below door level. Even though I very rarely open the lower doors beyond 90°, I felt compelled to design it so the doors cleared for the full 180°. This of course made things a bit more complicated.

Most of the Jeeper carriers mount the hinge on the bumper. Well it was clear to me that I wouldn't be mounting anything on the tinny stock bumper, not to survive the rattly roads I seem to drive on. As well, I never felt confident about using the HiLift on the stock bumper either. Too, getting rid of the receiver meant losing the bumper brackets. This meant starting my build from the body back.

For materials I found that you can use DOM tubing (Dats O'lotta Money) or steel pipe. The DOM has a better weight to strength ratio, the sch 40 pipe a better greenback in wallet ratio. Sch 40 is plenty strong for this application. I opted for 2" id for the main bumper tubing as it seemed right esthetically (and I already had some).

Other materials would include some 1/4" plate, 2x3" angle, 2x2 square tubing and some 1 1/2 pipe

So I took the 'ol '81 down to the salvage yard; this is just the 2" pipe section.... These are the bumper bracket prototypes Borrowed this HF pipe bender from a friend and mocked up some bends with some thin walled pipe to match the curve of the body got pretty close

Looking good, I like where you're headed.

Got some work done this weekend

I like it too! Very nice design! Can't wait to see pics of it completed!!!!

Got a chance to work on it some more, closer!

Awesome!

Ready for paint!

Wow. such an excellent design ! Looks like it will work well and not rattle.
It hangs down less than the original bumper. Nice.
Will you be including a receiver hitch underneath?

Damn good work there, that thing is awesome!

Great for the great outdoors, not too good for the city if you had to do some parallel parking though!

But I love the table addition!

I rate it an A+

Nice work, very useful and I like the fold down stove table too!

Awesome!

Roof top gas storage.