Bent Pelfreybilt Alu Front Bumper Advice

Hello!

So I recently had to recover a friend stuck in the snow. I had no choice but to pull in reverse, and had to give a bit of a bump to get him out.

I have an aluminum pelfreybilt bumper, and the mounting tabs have bent about 1/4" leaving a gap at the top of a bit over an inch.

I'm wondering if I should just chalk it up to lesson learned, or if I should pull the bumper off and bend the tabs back.

My reason for hesitation is that I don't want to over stress the aluminum and cause it to crack. The gap really bothers me though, even though it's not really affecting anything.

So all you metallurgy guys, do you have any advice?

 

@Pelfreybilt

 

I don't really see how it's bent ? My tabs are bent in a little since I used shims

 

Kind of hard to tell in the picture, but where the bumper is bolted to the frame, both inner bolts and outer bolts, the mounting plate is bent about 1/4"

 

Have you seen the reinforcement plates from relentless? I would bent them back and use those...I heard pelfrey has them too

 

I'd pull it off and bend it back. If it cracks take it to a metal fabricator and have em weld it. Then go buy a winch. lol.

 

You should prolly just give that bumper to me....

 

I 2nd this!

 

He's in BC, so shipping across the border would be a bitch. I guess I could dispose of it for him.

 

I have a winch haha, was just super quick to bump him out, just yanked a little harder than necessary apparently

 

I get it. Sometimes its more of a pain in the ass to break out the winch. Was it a snatch strap? I know those have a little flex to help prevent this stuff but it is an aluminum bumper. Good thing is you were able to recover your buddy with only minimal damage. Take care

 

The package said snatch strap, but after that yank I'm not so sure it really was haha

 

pull it and bend it.. call pelfrey and see what they have to say

 

I just had this happen from heavy winching. What did you end up doing?

 

Dont contact the vendor that's for sure

 

Thats too bad for you guys. Its always 'cool' to see how shit plays out in real life though.. obv steel is stronger, but I never thought you'd see something like this..

But to the original point, probably take it off and beat it back until its close. If you see some cracks forming might take it to a shop and have them drop a few extra welds over it. Not sure how easily Al work hardens, but I don't think its too bad..

 

No? I was going to put donw a deposit on a Dual swingout bumper soon...

I do see some small cracks near the top of the weld. My bumper is forward about an inch.

 

Cracks could be in just the powder coat .I basically did what these guys said, took it off and beat it back with a hammer. I wanted to weeks on extra gussets, but in the end couldn't be bothered. It's pretty close to straight, nobody would notice

 

It is interesting. I definitely regret going for aluminum, especially for skids, which now look like the surface of the moon, totally bent and dented. Weight savings is nice but I would rather have something reliable

 

You’re joking about the deposit right?