Is the crash bar hollow?

Disclaimers:
1) I grabbed this pic from a quickie web search.
2) I'm not sure I'm calling this part by the right name.

Good morning, T4R friends.
I've been thinking on some additional lighting, and I wonder if this big aluminum piece is hollow or if it contains anything damageable.



My amateur machinist skill set tells me I could drill and tap that piece for the mounts I'm designing and be off to the races, but I wanted to make sure doing so wouldn't be a totally stupid thing.

What do we know?

Thanks!

 

You're close. Some call it the "Crash Bar", but officially it's the Bumper Impact Bar. It is hollow on the inside, to make it light weight, but that doesn't mean you can easily bend it or drill into it.

 

I believe it's primary purpose is to make access to the front valance clips infinitely more difficult.

 

It’s aluminum and mostly hollow. Easy enough to drill and tap. Or throw a nut on the back side

 

Man, I'd hate to have to try bending that assembly (intentionally).

No doubt!

- - - -

Thank you guys for your help.

Back to sketching!

 

Are you using steel fasteners? Steel and aluminum together?

 

I haven't decided on fasteners yet. Given the relatively light load, I may use 2024 aluminum bolts (McMaster). Or perhaps zinc-plated steel (link) or corrosion-resistant steel (another link).

 

There are several companies that make brackets out there to mount a light bar via the three holes on top of either side and I know at least Rago makes a crossbar to do pods. Either way you'll need something because the crash bar is pretty low but you should have no issues drilling it if need be.

And just use stainless, you'll be fine.

 

Since the OP is in Virginia where they still salt the roads, I'd be especially careful using stainless and aluminum without something to insulate them.

 

This is what The Rago Fabrications set looks like:

 

Thank you.
That uses bolts that are already tapped into the aluminum, right?

 

But... where does the winch go?

 

Correct. No drilling or tapping required.

 

Cool. That may ease my design process significantly.
Thank you.

 

The walls are too thin to tap in my opinion. Either use nuts inside or install rivnuts.

BTW most off-roaders junk the piece in favor of a steel winch bumper.

 

I want a sweet steel bumper for my 'Runner, but that's well outside the budget at the moment.

 

That’s not true. I used the Rago to install a 30-inch light bar. It screws into threaded holes on the aluminum bar, so you don’t need to worry about nuts. Just put the mount on and screw in the bolts and you are done.

 

Weird mine came with nuts in the hardware bag but I've yet to install it. Hope I have the right hardware kit but if not they're just down the street.

 

There's a black steel plate held in place by three screws. You remove the screws, remove the plate, put the Rago mount on, put the screws back.

From 03:18Mounting the Bracket

Super easy. Rago did a nice job on those brackets.