Fake receiver

Danarch

Danarch

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So our 31st anniversary is around the corner. Wife ask what I want for a present (she got new fenders). Not really sure so looking at rear bumpers. Found a few interesting ones. When reading the details on a couple this is in there. Who in there right mind adds a receiver to a bumper that isn’t made for towing? What is “recreational use”?
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Some of them mean that 100%, and the receivers are made strictly for bike racks, cargo racks, etc., and not strong enough to tow. Others may be strong enough to tow, but haven't been tested or built to a specific spec, and for liability reasons, the manufacturer tells you not to.

The only one I've seen that actually says it's tow rated and has a plate on it saying so is the Smittybilt.
 
Danarch said:
So our 31st anniversary is around the corner. Wife ask what I want for a present (she got new fenders). Not really sure so looking at rear bumpers. Found a few interesting ones. When reading the details on a couple this is in there. Who in there right mind adds a receiver to a bumper that isn’t made for towing? What is “recreational use”?
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Maybe as a bike rack/something like that is what they mean by recreational use?
 
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This doesn’t give you the go ahead to pull just anything, but for most companies that is a very economical path out of liability-

Just like saying off road/ competition use only exempts a manufacture from tons of government compliance.
 
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It has to do with the engineering costs of certifying a bumper as rated for towing and insurance costs covering potential lawsuits. Few bumpers that are well built and strong enough for towing will be certified as rated for towing that for that reason. Which is why Olympic who made a rated for towing bumper I installed 25 years ago removed the tow rating like 15-20 years ago even though the bumper design had not changed. My current Dirtworx bumper is way stronger and beefier than my previous Olympic but even with its heavy duty 2" receiver hitch they mention nothing about it being rated to tow anything.
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
It has to do with the engineering costs of certifying a bumper as rated for towing and insurance costs covering potential lawsuits. Few bumpers that are well built and strong enough for towing will certify that for that reason. Which is why Olympic who made a rated for towing bumper I installed 25 years ago removed the tow rating like 15-20 years ago even though the bumper design had not changed. My current Dirtworx bumper is way stronger and beefier than my previous Olympic but even with its heavy duty 2" receiver hitch they mention nothing about it being rated to tow anything.
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Stamps and certifications pay for a lot of college degrees for engineers....that can create more designs to stamp and certify.
 
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I wish I could find a bumper that I like without one. I don't understand the need for an off-road bumper to need a bike rack.
 
sab said:
Hey, man - don’t put this on the shoulders of engineers. Attorneys, bean counters, and government regulators have very tight handcuffs…
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Oh I have a lot of respect for them- it’s the engineers that keep us safe- a lot of good is in all that.

On topic, the dangers lie in skirting all that. That’s why buildings collapse. And why a trailer can break off a poorly designed receiver and go head on into a family’s mini van.

We are fixing a job right now that will bleed $400,000 out of a hard working professionals’ retirement account....all because no respect was made to proper methods.

All that said I cry as much as the next guy when it comes time to pay the Civil or Structural Engineer. But honestly it cost more not to pay them usually.

Might cost you everything.
 
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WVJeep304 said:
Some of them mean that 100%, and the receivers are made strictly for bike racks, cargo racks, etc., and not strong enough to tow. Others may be strong enough to tow, but haven't been tested or built to a specific spec, and for liability reasons, the manufacturer tells you not to.

The only one I've seen that actually says it's tow rated and has a plate on it saying so is the Smittybilt.
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My wife has the SmityBilt on her JK and it is holding up well. Overall it has been a good setup.
 
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Danarch said:
My wife has the SmityBilt on her JK and it is holding up well. Overall it has been a good setup.
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I have one as well. My buddy has the same one on his, but with a noisy swingout tire carrier. I opted for the plain bumper with d-rings. Only had it a year, but so far so good.
 
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