rear bumper brackets - metal composition ?

[Tom Bellfoy]

I want to extend a set of rear bumper brackets by mig welding for my 31 pick up truck (I realize the pick ups did not have rear bumpers)
Are the brackets a spring steel ?? and if so what precautions would I have to take when adding some metal to lengthen the brackets ?
Thanks

[Fullraceflathead]

I have wondered about this too.
Tig welding the extensions would put the least amount of heat in the parent metal.
I'm going to the same modification to my 1928 Roadster Pick up soon.

[CarlG]

I took the easy way out. Someone here on the Barn had a set of brackets that had already been extended out 6" and I bought them ready to install. This is what it looks like with a full bumper:

[Y-Blockhead]

Pretty neat, Carl.

[Tom Bellfoy]

Carl: nice looking bumper and bright taillights

[Mitch//pa]

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looks good Carl
do you have winter and summer tires

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by Tom Bellfoy

Carl: nice looking bumper and bright taillights

Tail lights are actually the original tungsten bulbs. Have since been replaced by LED's

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

looks good Carl
do you have winter and summer tires

Not yet, but I'm working on a plan. Already have the extra wheels.

[jkeesey]

I do not believe they are spring steel. They cut and bend fairly easily which is more a trait of plain steel rather than spring.

[Vic in E-TN]

I made a pair of brackets like CarlG has. I cut 6 inches from a junk bracket and had a pro cut and weld in the piece. When I cut the bracket the sparks told me that the bracket was not mild steel but an alloy - maybe low chrome. The welder said the same thing. He did not preheat the weld and did not post weld heat treat it. He let it cool slowly.

I am not too concerned because any applied stress would not be bending stress. I have a little concern about vibration stress but the rest of the system looks like it would dampen out the stress.

In addition to the 6 inch extension I will be using a bumper extension that I got from Snyder's earlier this year. This will bring the intended bumper a little behind the body of my Woody.

My next problem looks like I will need to raise the body a little to get the brackets attached to the frame rails.

Vic

[Tom Bellfoy]

Jkeesey and Vic:
Thanks for your reply. I'll be getting around to extending the brackets this weekend. If I have to raise the box to fasten to frame, it wont have to be raised very much
Tom

[CarlG]

On a regular Pickup you shouldn't have to raise the box at all.

[Tom Bellfoy]

Carl:
You are correct. Since my pick up box is already fastened to the frame, rear fenders, splash shields and running boards, the car brackets line right up with the frame and no lifting of the box is necessary. The mounting hole in the very front of the brackets line up with the hole in the frame however the 2X4 wood rail from the box prevents me from using that frame hole for mounting so I am in the process of welding a short extension to each of the brackets in the front (approx 3-4 inches) with a 7/16 drilled hole to match up with the next body mount hole in the frame. thats as far as I got today.

[CAPE A]

I am installing rear bumper on 31 ccpu also. Found i needed to notch the wood bunks for bed ,but bed is off so no problem. had not thaught of the 6" extention.but sounds like a good idea.

[Purdy Swoft]

A safe way to extend the brackets would be to over lap, drill and bolt the pieces together. This would have no effect on the temper of the metal. I would find an extra set of brackets , cut overlatp and adjust for length. Anybody should be able to do this with no special equipment or skills.

[CT AV8]

I believe the bumper brackets are vanadium steel. We cut ours and mig welded nerf bars to them with no issues. When cut, the material is whitish silvery in color and appears to be an alloy.