WarHorse Brace (The mod I didn’t know I needed)

[SHANUT]

Very slick. Now the strut mounting point above the bumper is the weak link.

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[popo_patty]

Very slick. Now the strut mounting point above the bumper is the weak link.

Guess we will find out how long it lasts!

 

[GroovyGeek]

Hey y’all, I’m back with another discovery. My friends over at Warhorse of Texas (competitors in the Rebel Rally and strong off-road enthusiasts) have partnered with Hammerbuilt to bring this cool new product.
Now it was designed as a tail gate limiter to protect your tail light from being smacked by gas cans, jacks or other shenanigans you may have mounted back there by your spare.
But I also found another use…

When I received mine, I went out to install it and noticed that my strut bolt going into my tailgate was fatiguing the tailgate, causing the metal skin to bend, almost to the verge of cracking. With time, I know that my strut would have snapped free of the tailgate, causing irreparable damage to my tailgate strut mounting location and possibly taking out my tail light.

This product relocates the strut to the angle iron and not only allows adjustability. But also adds strength by utilizing another bolt location in the tailgate to create two points of contact, strengthing your strut mount in the process.
I’m a huge fan so far, went and got mine powder coated (comes in stainless steel).
Works on both OEM strut and Hammer built strut.

Takes approx 2 minutes to install with a half inch socket and wrench (or 13mm), a flat head screwdriver and a T30 torx.

Warhorse Off-road has more stuff coming all sold through Hammerbuilt. I’m not associated, just big fan of supporting American made, small companies and good ideas.

It does not interfere with the tailgate or the interior space at all.

https://hpbuilt.shop/collections/bronco/products/war-horse-bronco-hd-tailgate-limiter

Yours has holes for the mounting points ,but the new version has slots. Any guess as to why the change? Slots seem to be less reliable.

 

[GroovyGeek]

Home Depot. I have a bunch of this in the garage.

I will try this over the weekend. An angle grinder to round the corners and a can of black Rust-Oleum will make it look real professional.

Anyone know what the thread size is for the strut mount? M8?

 

[popo_patty]

Yours has holes for the mounting points ,but the new version has slots. Any guess as to why the change? Slots seem to be less reliable.

I don’t know for sure but I know M2M sent them a cease and desist awhile back. I’m assuming M2M didn’t like their holes so they have to go to slots. Crazy what you can patent these days

 

[adcam]

Good thing I got one before the new change!

 

[GroovyGeek]

Home Depot. I have a bunch of this in the garage.

Tried this today, it is too wide and fairly unsightly. Anything more than 1" width is excessive. Turns out I had some leftover angle brackets from the garage ceiling shelves that were the perfect $0 solution, took 5 mins to install, see first inage. I had to drill a hole because the spacing of the mounting screws is around 12.5 inches. The thread is M8-1.25

For a cheap DYI solution.Inthibknthat a better solution is some 1" aluminum angle stock. Cut it to size, drill the holes as desired. Since it is aluminum you can just leave it unfinished. A 4 ft stock sets you back $20 and you will only use 13.5 inches of it.

PS My mounting bolt was also bent like the OP's and I only have 33" KO2s. I think that the problem is the poorly designed Hammer built limiting strut that we both used. It has a tendency to slam the gate against the open position which is probably why the sheet metal bends. The stock strut does not do this, you actually have to push it out against the fully extended position.

 

[Dialtone]

Tried this today, it is too wide and fairly unsightly. Anything more than 1" width is excessive. Turns out I had some leftover angle brackets from the garage ceiling shelves that were the perfect $0 solution, took 5 mins to install, see first inage. I had to drill a hole because the spacing of the mounting screws is around 12.5 inches.

For a cheap DYI solution.Inthibknthat a better solution is some 1" aluminum angle stock. Cut it to size, drill the holes as desired. Since it is aluminum you can just leave it unfinished. A 4 ft stock sets you back $20 and you will only use 13.5 inches of it.

PS My mounting bolt was also bent like the OP's and I only have 33" KO2s. I think that the problem is the poorly designed Hammer built limiting strut that we both used. It has a tendency to slam the gate against the open position which is probably why the sheet metal bends. The stock strut does not do this, you actually have to push it out against the fully extended position.

Is 1/8th aluminum going to be robust enough? Particularly if your attachment point is between the 2 bolts holding it on. I'm leaning towards no but am open to other opinions

 

[GroovyGeek]

Is 1/8th aluminum going to be robust enough? Particularly if your attachment point is between the 2 bolts holding it on. I'm leaning towards no but am open to other opinions

IMO this is more than enough. With the OEM strut the brace is nearly parallel to the strut in the 90 degree position so the force is along the beam. The sheet metal on the gate is likely to give out before the brace. The OEM strut also applies minimal force on the brace, probably by design. You actually have to push the gate against the stop point, unlike the Hammerbuilt strut which slams it against the stop.

 

[MFP2241]

Is 1/8th aluminum going to be robust enough?

I have about 18" of some 1" X 1" X 3/16" aluminum angle in my garage... I'll make one out of that this weekend for comparison sake and post some pictures.

The 1/8" would probably be fine though.

 

[Dialtone]

I have about 18" of some 1" X 1" X 3/16" aluminum angle in my garage... I'll make one out of that this weekend for comparison sake and post some pictures.

The 1/8" would probably be fine though.

So do I . I thought I had 1/8th but after your post I checked and I also have the 1x3/16th. have some lying around was the thinking behind me floating the question.
Thanks to @GroovyGeek as well.

 

[Dialtone]

Never put 2 and 2 together until you posted this. Your videos were one of my go to sources when researching the new Bronco a year ago. So thanks for the good intel.

 

[Lak34ers]

Hey y’all, I’m back with another discovery. My friends over at Warhorse of Texas (competitors in the Rebel Rally and strong off-road enthusiasts) have partnered with Hammerbuilt to bring this cool new product.
Now it was designed as a tail gate limiter to protect your tail light from being smacked by gas cans, jacks or other shenanigans you may have mounted back there by your spare.
But I also found another use…

When I received mine, I went out to install it and noticed that my strut bolt going into my tailgate was fatiguing the tailgate, causing the metal skin to bend, almost to the verge of cracking. With time, I know that my strut would have snapped free of the tailgate, causing irreparable damage to my tailgate strut mounting location and possibly taking out my tail light.

This product relocates the strut to the angle iron and not only allows adjustability. But also adds strength by utilizing another bolt location in the tailgate to create two points of contact, strengthing your strut mount in the process.
I’m a huge fan so far, went and got mine powder coated (comes in stainless steel).
Works on both OEM strut and Hammer built strut.

Takes approx 2 minutes to install with a half inch socket and wrench (or 13mm), a flat head screwdriver and a T30 torx.

Warhorse Off-road has more stuff coming all sold through Hammerbuilt. I’m not associated, just big fan of supporting American made, small companies and good ideas.

It does not interfere with the tailgate or the interior space at all.

https://hpbuilt.shop/collections/bronco/products/war-horse-bronco-hd-tailgate-limiter

https://www.warhorseoffroad.com/shop

 

[CalvinT]

It would probably take me 30 minutes or so to cut the steel to length them measure hole locations and drill them. Plus a trip to the hardware store to get the bolt and nut.

So it's down to what's my time worth, plus I live in the projects as it is. I have one project after another. I'll probably buy the Warhorse product. It would also look a bit nicer unless I spend even more time rounding corners where the steel was cut and polishing it.

 

[CalvinT]

I just installed mine. I didn't need to use a rachet to remove the strut from the tailgate. My combination wrench was thin enough I could unscrew the mounting stud without releasing the ball head.

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