So, what's everyone doing to their weenie front bumpers? I didn't realize how weak these things are until the other day, I started bringing my winch hook up to the short bar at the rear end of the front rack (the one that comes up off the main rack and looks like it was made to stick a winch hook on) so I wouldn't have to dig around in the mud for it. Boy what a mistake! You have to let off your winch just as you get tension on the cable or it will bend your bumper cross bars (mainly the lower one right above the winch) to beat ****! Looks like all of the aftermarkets bolt right to this junk too! Anyone know of one that dosen't? I've thought about welding one up that looks like the original, but, with heavier tubes. Problem is, I don't have a pipe bender, or pipe come to think about it. We'll see how long it lasts.
Front Bumper
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[email protected] try e-mailing that guy. He goes by Silver back 660 on the forums. He has started a company called Silver Back LTD and he has built a new heaver duty front bumper. Give him a try once, he has pics but I am not sure of his website.
Well, I finished 'er off today. That sucks, but at least now I have a reason to replace it. I was traversing about a 100ft. long, very narrow, very steep, uphill ditch this morning after watching a buddy fight it for about 15 minutes or so with his 500 Arctic Kitty (and he had two other friends helping distrbute weight, spot, etc.), I decided to demonstrate the benifits of a front locker in these situations. The grizz made short work of the ravine (I would say no more than 5 minutes with no assistance) but, at the end there is a tree right at the top of a particularly harry little verticle ledge where it is all or nothing with the trottle. The Artic Cat barely avoided it, thanks to spotters' warnings, but by the time I saw it, it was too late. My front tires were still in the air (from peaking the hill) and I couldn't steer, nor stop. The left side of my bumper smashed right into the tree, pushing the metal bar about 2 inches into my plastic and cracking the diagonal plastic piece at the vertical section. Upon trying to relieve the pressure it was putting on my plastic, I ripped the whole kit'n caboodle off. Now I am missing 1/3 of my bumper. I did e-mail that guy, xtremegrizz, hopefully he will have a suggestion for me. Later all!
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Well bluegrizz I was just in another post saying about the same thing. Wanting to possible make one similer to the oem but a thicker wall tubing.
If you find the pics of SliverBacks his bumpers are a little different design than the orginal, but still are not bad looking.
Maybe I will have to make the time and see what I can come up with on a stronger bumper, and keep it close to the oem looks.
**Was just on the HL forum and a guy on their just made a oringinal looking bumper but used thicker wall tubing plus welded on a clevis on the lower tube for his winch. Looks good and you would never know it was not oem without getting close.**
If you find the pics of SliverBacks his bumpers are a little different design than the orginal, but still are not bad looking.
Maybe I will have to make the time and see what I can come up with on a stronger bumper, and keep it close to the oem looks.
**Was just on the HL forum and a guy on their just made a oringinal looking bumper but used thicker wall tubing plus welded on a clevis on the lower tube for his winch. Looks good and you would never know it was not oem without getting close.**
Here, Check this out! http://www.mountainhightoys.com/bumper.html
That is awesome, huh?! That's more like it. just about what I had in mind. So, I see you're a welder, xtremegrizz. I haven't done it for years, but, a buddy has a wirefeed that he'll let me use if needed. I just don't know what to use for tubeing. Let me know what you come up with.... heck maybe you could kick a bunch of 'em out and sell 'em on e-bay! I know I'd be first in line. Guess until I figure something out, the grizz will not be used as a bulldozer! lol. later!
That is awesome, huh?! That's more like it. just about what I had in mind. So, I see you're a welder, xtremegrizz. I haven't done it for years, but, a buddy has a wirefeed that he'll let me use if needed. I just don't know what to use for tubeing. Let me know what you come up with.... heck maybe you could kick a bunch of 'em out and sell 'em on e-bay! I know I'd be first in line. Guess until I figure something out, the grizz will not be used as a bulldozer! lol. later!
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Yea not a bad looking bumper at all. If I was to pick on it at all it would have to be how it fads off at the ends. Not sure I really care for how it is finished on the ends, but I do like it. Did Silverback 660 get back to you yet?
Try using Sliver Back LTD in a Yahoo search and you might find his web site. I tried quick but could not seem to find anythink, maybe you would have better luck. C-ya, Mike.
Try using Sliver Back LTD in a Yahoo search and you might find his web site. I tried quick but could not seem to find anythink, maybe you would have better luck. C-ya, Mike.
Well I tried to post this last night and it would not go through, timed out at the server I guess, so here it goes today.
Just recently received a message from Mark, aka SilverBack660, concerning his bumper and it seems he was having some problems with his fabricator and has just secured another fabricator that he feels will build to the quality he is looking for. At that time he said they were still at least three weeks out and that was about a week ago. Unfortunately I do not have the link to his photos and it seems ATV Nation, where I was introduced to him and photo link was, has shut down for an upgrade(?) for a few days now! He is producing two bumpers that replace the original, one with headlight guards and the other without. The cost is $285 and $265 respectively plus shipping. My question to him, which he did not have an answer for, was if the Ramsey winch mount would work on the bumper. He used the warn winch and mount so that fits just fine and apparently no one with a Ramsey mount has tried one yet.
The only concern that I have with getting a bumper such as this is do you think that it could cause damage to the frame? Just think, if it is sturdy then any shock that the bumper sees will be transferred to the frame. Do we really want that? Wouldn't we all rather replace a bumper for a few $$$ compared to having a damaged or fatigued frame? Currently I have the stock bumper with the Yamaha/Warn steel bumper shield over it and the one side is a little tweaked with a crack in the bumper shield also. When I think about it that means that very little impact has reached the frame because it was absorbed by the bumper. As you can tell I am thinking that a solid bumper may not be better in the long run.
Jim
Just recently received a message from Mark, aka SilverBack660, concerning his bumper and it seems he was having some problems with his fabricator and has just secured another fabricator that he feels will build to the quality he is looking for. At that time he said they were still at least three weeks out and that was about a week ago. Unfortunately I do not have the link to his photos and it seems ATV Nation, where I was introduced to him and photo link was, has shut down for an upgrade(?) for a few days now! He is producing two bumpers that replace the original, one with headlight guards and the other without. The cost is $285 and $265 respectively plus shipping. My question to him, which he did not have an answer for, was if the Ramsey winch mount would work on the bumper. He used the warn winch and mount so that fits just fine and apparently no one with a Ramsey mount has tried one yet.
The only concern that I have with getting a bumper such as this is do you think that it could cause damage to the frame? Just think, if it is sturdy then any shock that the bumper sees will be transferred to the frame. Do we really want that? Wouldn't we all rather replace a bumper for a few $$$ compared to having a damaged or fatigued frame? Currently I have the stock bumper with the Yamaha/Warn steel bumper shield over it and the one side is a little tweaked with a crack in the bumper shield also. When I think about it that means that very little impact has reached the frame because it was absorbed by the bumper. As you can tell I am thinking that a solid bumper may not be better in the long run.
Jim
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