BAMF FBRB (Front bumper reinforcement brackets)2005 plus bumpers

Will do, neighbor tossed the brackets into the powder coat oven late this past weekend, just waiting for him to call me over to put the wheel of death to the square one frame caps.

I know @geekhouse23 did this and posted them on the square one design frame cap thread...but here's what I "stole" for "learning curve"

 

Ditto

 

Can confirm these will fit the coastal offroad bumper with a little trimming and drilling one hole.

 

I went ahead and ordered these for my Hiline bumper. I have a question though, there appears to be not enough thread on the Tacoma's front bumper flanges mounting bolts to include the FBRB. For some reason, my mounting bolts appear less in length than other Tacoma's I have been viewing. My Body Armor bumper mounting brackets against the frame mounting flanges appear to be .280 in thickness, over .250 from what I have read that would be the maximum thickness allowed. Did you drill out your OEM flange bolts and replace them with longer lengths?

Here is a pic of the two mounting studs with the Body Armor Hiline bumper attached. There is minimal thread left for the new FBRB bracket. I REALLY want this bracket to work.

 

I don’t think it looks that bad. Especially if it’s not completely tightened.

 

The nuts are completely tightened though. I'm of the inclination to cut the two outer ones off and drill out the remains of it, and then use a longer grade 8 bolt and washer so I can use Bay Area Metal Fab's FBRB (Tacoma Front bumper reinforcement brackets). I really would like to install those brackets.

Has anyone crossed the Rubicon and cut/replaced those two outer OEM frame horn bolts with something longer?

 

I didn’t realize the BAMF piece wasn’t on in your pic. I just took a picture of mine mounted. I never realized the thread situation.

 

That doesn't look good.
Don't think that's a good @IdeaMan

 

I agree. Those nuts are not capturing enough threads on the bolts.

 

I am too impatient to read all 15 pages(I read the first post) Does anyone know if these will fit an ARB for a 12-15 Tacoma?

I'll read the pages later

 

You know...

I think that if one was to simply widen the front facing slots on Bay Area's Metal Fab BRFB; so that the two front frame horn nuts would still fasten directly on the Hiline mounting plate, the intent of the reinforcement bracket would still work. This way there is still adequate thread being used, and the gusseted design of the BRFB would still be effective as intended, regarding the prevention of the frame horn being bent during hard pulls.

What do you all say to this theory?

 

I think I am going to remove the two outer OEM bolts from each side. They appear to be M10x1.25 and I'll replace them with a longer grade 8 bolt (and possibly new nuts, with washers).

Looks to be fairly simple to remove, the mounting bolts are just spot welded in one place one the back of the mounting plate. Should be no issue to get a Dremel with a cutting wheel in there to slice the spot weld.



So it looks like I'll be able to still use the BRFB after all. Once I source the bolts, will be ordering the brackets (again).

This is the FOURTH time I have removed this BA Hiline bumper from my truck. Yesterday I removed it to uninstall the 22" LED light bar; I did not like the idea of not being able to see what the spool was doing on my winch. So now I have got to figure out where to remount the LED light. The only effective spot would be immediately under the hoop and using L brackets. I was going to try to install it behind the plastic grid under the hoop area but too much light would be blocked by the hoop.



Mounting it immediately forward and under the hoop makes it a little easier for someone to steal though. Not a huge problem in my 'hood but maybe elsewhere as I'm about and out.

 

I've changed my mind.

I think it would be better to modify the back of the BRFB, so that I can access the two bolts I am going to be installing in the outer frame horn area(s). I'm going to have two holes drilled in the back portion of the BRFB (see below pic - proposed holes are annotated with bronze circles). Holes will be just wide enough to insert a socket into them. My concern is that I will not be able to tighten the bolts properly once the BRFB is mounted over them. And I'm not going to have the new bolt heads spot welded onto the frame horns, like the OEM ones are.

Can anyone tell me how much space is there, between the back of the frame horn and the portion of the BRFB bracket that faces it?

 

I can see the available space now in the above pic, should've went upthread for more info.

Maybe I just need different fastening nuts instead, so I can capture what leftover thread is available on those OEM bolts. Just don't understand why some of us have such minimal thread available on our Tacoma's.

 

What is the height of the bracket from the center of the top front bolt to the top of the bracket?

How much vertical square tube extends above the top horizontal fin?

 

So I am working on modifying the BRFB's that I recently received from Bay Area Metal Fabrication. The Hot rolled pickled steel seems easy enough to drill through, though it's eating up the 13/16's Chinese drill bit I ordered from Amazon. And the resultant 13/16's holes are still not big enough to accept a 9/16's socket, which is why I am drilling these each out with two holes. I have ordered another cheap Chinese 7/8's drill bit from Amazon; hopefully it'll be here tomorrow.

These are HSS steel drill bits, maybe some oil will help when drilling? I'm trying to drill at a low speed, have been drilling pilot holes and gradually using larger bits until I get to the 13/16's drill bit.





I do not have a drill press. It is interesting to drill such large holes with only a hand drill.

 

Finally got both brackets drilled out. Getting ready to paint and the apply a little RP-342 to them. The holes will now accept a 9/16's deep socket with some wiggle room.



And now I cross the Rubicon. I will be cutting/removing the two outer frame horn bolts on each side of the frame horns, to be replaced with 3/8's bolts...

 

I tried to start cutting the weld on the first of the four frame horn bolts. It proved to be a little more difficult than I thought. Hard to get to and did not want to start taking material off of the back of the frame horn accidently.

I opted instead to cutoff each one and then drill it out. It was a bitch to get them drilled out with Harbor Freights drill bits. Need to go buy a replacement set of them tomorrow.

The first of the four drilled out and replaced:

 

Do yourself a favor and just go buy some quality drill bits to get the job done. You’ll save some time, energy and will never buy a cheap bit again.

looking forward on seeing your completed project.

 

So I got all four frame horn bolts replaced yesterday. I was going to mount the FBRB's, but am a little mystified at how they are fitting.

When I place either bracket against the side of the frame, they are not sitting vertically flush against the frame; meaning that I can slightly push in either the top or bottom of the bracket. It's like something under the middle of the brackets is keeping the brackets from sitting against the frame. I don't think it's the edge of the frame horns or the edge of the winch plate that bolts up against the frame horns. Can it be the outer raised horizontal weld bead that connects the two frame members?

For those of you that have mounted these brackets, did or do you have the same issue? I can't get the the very bottom rear bolt in when the side of the bracket is pushed in at the top. If I push in the bottom of the bracket, the very bottom bolt hole looks to line up.

Should I install the bottom rear bolt in first, and then install and tighten the two side bolts to pull the bracket against the frame?

Or would install and tightening the two side bolts first possibly bring the bottom rear bolt hole into alignment?

What is better? How is this actually done to make all of the bolt holes line up?