Trey

Alright so first time welding anything more than scraps. First time building any thing more than a hammer or very simple things.
had I known what I know now I would have bought a X not a sahara before i started beating the snot out of it and tearing parts off.

A few questions I am having a hard time finding clear answers to:
- how many feet on average of stock should I get to help me get started on the rear bumper + tire carrier?
- is 3/16ths average thickness required? I am trying to be aware of the weight added
- where do you find the parts such as d ring attachments, or hinges, etc
- any details that I should think about

Xodius

When I built my bumper I got some parts from AtoZfabrication. They have d Mounts and hinges.
As for stick, I have no idea I used a mig. For thickness that is preference IMO ad my rear was a chunk of 1/4" rectangle tube which was then modified. I personally would not use thinner than 3/16 but it all depends on what and how you build it. I like to over do my stuff as I generally abuse the hell out of it (trying to stop that )
Hope that helps some.

Trey

Is there a winch mount plate? I wanted to plan ahead for when I get one but I do not have a pattern to work with for fitment.

08RedRecon

Good luck. I recently did my first project as well, a front bumper. https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/show...t-Front-Bumper
3/16s is sufficient. I used 1/4 and it is pretty darn heavy but I got the 4x8 sheet of steel for free.
I used cardboard to cutout templates which was a huge help. Did a lot of grinding to smooth out my welds since I used a stick welder. Also used Raptor liner instead of paint and it covered up any additional imperfections.

mstrofpuppets

I made a bumper for my TJ out of 3/16" steel and it held up great. Also had a winch on it that got used a lot and no problems. Just make sure you design it right as far a gussets and supports for the winch. For an idea on this look at Poison Spyders's lite front bumper. They have a pic of the backside that should give you a good idea of how to support it for a winch. Hope this helps and good luck. I will also be building a front/rear for my JKU.

Pushrod

Yes you can buy a winch plate and the winch mfg use a standard size foot print. I would suggest visiting various winch and bumper mfg sites as you will find a lot of info on them. Some of the bumper sites have CAD drawings as stated above that will give you good ideas where to place your gussets and where to put doubling plates to strengthen your bumper. I would suggest going to an appliance store and getting a large cardboard box like a refrigerator is shipped in to use for mock-up and design ideas before ever buying steel to work out your plan and see how much steel you need. Also you will need a lot more than just a welder to accomplish a project like a bumper with a winch mount if you want it to turn out looking like something that you would be proud to mount on your Jeep. If you have a friend with a welding shop with hydraulic benders and hand tools and a cutting torch, clamps and such you stand a lot better chance of ending up with a bumper you can be happy with. If you have the time to invest in a build like this it can be a very rewarding experience. Good luck and have fun with your build.