[Automan]

Thanks Jerry: This is what i ended up doing. I went back and switched my rods to 3/8 and bought a box of 3/8 nuts. I threaded the the rod in the bumper and followed up with a nut locking the rod in place. I added a 3/8 washer and then the tube so that the tube was sitting on the washer instead of the nut. One the other end i added another washer and then the nut. The remainder of the threaded rod goes through the frame with a washer and nut to complete the assembly. Now with the last two nuts and washers between the frame is used to act like a clamp to hold the assembly in place. When its all assembled, the unit is very stable. I will let everyone know the result after my first few hundred miles.

Thanks again
Automan.