Frame-end modifications for 1998-2000 Tacomas

For those of you with 1998-2000 Tacomas who are looking to purchase an Elite Offroad bumper, here are a few pictures to help you with the modifications needed to the frame ends.

Once you have the grill and OEM bumper removed, you'll need to cut the frame back and remove the skid plate mounting crossbar (don't worry, the bumper has the skid plate mounting points already built-in). Then you weld the frame end plates to the newly-cut frame for strength and to add an additional mounting point for the bumper (see photo 3).

Here are the photos of the finished modification:

 

Where did you cut the frame? I'm at this step and kind of unaware where to go from here.

 

Have you pulled off your bumper yet? You'll see the frame ends sticking out on both sides of the radiator (see photos above). You need to cut those back so that they don't interfere with the mounting points of the bumper.

See in the second photo above, the two holes in the plate in the lower-left corner? Those are the primary mounting points for the new Elite bumper, but the frame horns stick out too far and won't let the bumper slide on and mount up to those points. Keep test fitting the bumper as you trim the frame down until you can line it up with those holes on the side.

Clear as mud?

 

I'm confused as to what welding the frame end plate onto the frame horns would do... does this provide some support somehow or is it meant to just seal up the frame

 

for my version of the bumper, it sealed up the frame and provided for an additional mounting point for the bumper. yours may be different...

 

Seal the frame and also give another support point for the bumper

 

Ah yeah that's what I figured out.
Did your guys' bumpers come with the hardware for the extra support?
I just got back from Home Depot and got some Grade 8 hardware but just curious if it was supposed to be provided..

 

My filler plates were bolted to the bumper, its actually my primary support point haha