UCF and Savvy rear bumper questions

Kevin Q

Kevin Q

TJ Enthusiast
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Joined
May 11, 2020
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794
Location
Perkiomenville, PA
I'm trying to decide between the Savvy and the UCF rear bumper with receiver and D Rings. I want the receiver to put a cargo carrier on the back for trips down the Jersey shore and camping. First question, can the Savvy and UCF receivers handle that kind of weight? I'd say under 80#. Second, would it make sense to re-install my OEM tow hook as a 2nd retrieval point?
 
My understanding from reading Blaine's posts is that aluminum isn't great for holding a cargo carrier since it will fatigue with the constant bumps you will find on the road. If you are planning to put something in the receiver that isn't a recovery strap, it might be best to look for a steel bumper.

If you have recovery points on the bumper, I would use a chamfer bit to smooth them out so that a soft shackle can fit without issue. Then I'd forget about the recovery hooks. The Savvy bumper with the receiver won't have recovery points like the non-receiver version.
 
Are you looking at this UCF bumper?

https://undercoverfab.com/jeep-tj-lj-97-06/201-ucf-aluminum-rear-bumper-for-jeep-yj-tj.html
If so, this one is actually a hybrid, i.e it has a steel core with an aluminum bumper overlay.

I run the bumper on my LJ, with the tire carrier, and it can easily handle a carrier.

W38AHKV.jpg
 
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I've been running that bumper for 5+ years and it's a very good product. I originally bought it because I had a requirement to carry a basket or tow a small trailer.
 
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I just installed the UCF hybrid rear bumper with tire carrier a couple of weeks ago. It is a very well designed and built bumper. All of the support structure and hitch receiver is steel. It mounts using the stock rear bumper bolt locations. It also has 4 additional mounting holes on either side of the bumper. You have to drill new holes in the TJ rear frame crossmember to install the additional bolts.

I also installed the Rock Hard Rear Frame Brace Kit - https://www.rockhard4x4.com/product_p/rh-2001-tj.htm.

I pull a small camper (1600#) with no issues.
 
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Bigfoot-NM said:
I just installed the UCF hybrid rear bumper with tire carrier a couple of weeks ago. It is a very well designed and built bumper. All of the support structure and hitch receiver is steel. It mounts using the stock rear bumper bolt locations. It also has 4 additional mounting holes on either side of the bumper. You have to drill new holes in the TJ rear frame crossmember to install the additional bolts.

I also installed the Rock Hard Rear Frame Brace Kit - https://www.rockhard4x4.com/product_p/rh-2001-tj.htm.

I pull a small camper (1600#) with no issues.
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That's good to hear, I also plan on pulling something about that weight (in the future).
 
The only negative thing I can call out on this bumper is how far out it sticks. On my Jeep, it's 6.75" from the back of the tub to the end of the bumpers receiver. If departure angle isn't an issue for you, then it's not a concern.
 
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Irun said:
The only negative thing I can call out on this bumper is how far out it sticks. On my Jeep, it's 6.75" from the back of the tub to the end of the bumpers receiver. If departure angle isn't an issue for you, then it's not a concern.
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That's about what my current LoD bumper sticks out and it hasn't been an issue yet.
 
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If you run a spare tire on the back you really don’t want a minimalist bumper if you actually wheel the thing. The last thing you want to do is slam on the spare tire. Id rather hit the bumper which it was designed to do than jack up the tailgate and tub.
 
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Lou said:
If you run a spare tire on the back you really don’t want a minimalist bumper if you actually wheel the thing. The last thing you want to do is slam on the spare tire. Id rather hit the bumper which it was designed to do than jack up the tailgate and tub.
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are you referring to the the UCF bumper with the tire carrier or something else?
 
Irun said:
The only negative thing I can call out on this bumper is how far out it sticks. On my Jeep, it's 6.75" from the back of the tub to the end of the bumpers receiver. If departure angle isn't an issue for you, then it's not a concern.
Click to expand...


And in reality, it is only the receiver hitch that sticks out 6.75". The bumper itself only sticks out 4.5".
 
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