Is my rear bumper worthless?

deadbeat son

TJ Addict
Joined
Dec 28, 2020
Messages
1,033
Location
Denver, CO
I wanted a simple rear bumper with recovery points and a hitch to potentially tow a lightweight trailer (~ 600 - 700 lbs). I picked this one up after finding what seemed like generally positive feedback. However, I've been wondering if I made a bad choice. The bumper does tie in to the stock bumper's frame mounts, but as you can see in the photo below, with the only other mounting points being inboard of the frame rails, I cannot add frame tie-in brackets to this.

Without the tie-in brackets, is it suitable for recovery at all? What about towing up to 700 lbs?

IMG_6112.jpg
 
  • Wow
Reactions: Tob
Is that really only attached in three places ( i.e. left bottom, right bottom, and two center)? Based on what we can see, I wouldn't tow or recover with that bumper!
 
  • Like
Reactions: L J
Is that really only attached in three places ( i.e. left bottom, right bottom, and two center)? Based on what we can see, I wouldn't tow or recover with that bumper!

No, that pic only shows one side. There are attachments on each side: 4 attachment points, 6 bolts total. There is one bolt in each frame rail where the factor bumper mounted, and two bolts each side just inside of the frame rail.

The crossmember mounting points are directly behind the recovery points, as seen in the pic below.

64774248425__5DCF436E-BEB5-4DB4-9CE9-0EC559998530.jpg
 
Last edited:
No, that pic only shows one side. There are attachments on each side: 4 attachment points, 6 bolts total. There is one bolt in each frame rail where the factor bumper mounted, and two bolts each side just inside of the frame rail.

The crossmember mounting points are directly behind the recovery points, as seen in the pic below.

View attachment 275142
Sorry, now I see it. Two top bolts each side, directly over each other, and one bottom bolt each side. Not enough distribution of the load for my likes. Plus, is that grade 5 hardware?
 
  • Like
Reactions: deadbeat son
Sorry, now I see it. Two top bolts each side, directly over each other, and one bottom bolt each side. Not enough distribution of the load for my likes. Plus, is that grade 5 hardware?

Yes, exactly. And with the mounts in the crossmember being located inside of the frame rails, instead of outside the frame rails in the stock locations, I cannot add frame tie-in brackets.

As for hardware, I don't know what it is. It's the hardware the manufacturer included with the bumper, except for the lower frame rail bolts, which are OEM.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Irun
The cheapest tow hitch I could find mounts with four bolts in the frame, not the rear cross-member. If I was going to tow I'd just use one of these.

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitch/Jeep/Wrangler/2004/36238.html
As far as recovery a hard pull will bend the cross-member out a bit and pivot the bumper down at the lower tabs. Are you going to do a hard pull, who knows? Grade 5 is fine, they aren't going to be the weak link. If you are pulling the Jeep out of a ditch it'll be fine, if you are using a kinetic and trying to move a superduty I'd look for other solutions.
 
The cheapest tow hitch I could find mounts with four bolts in the frame, not the rear cross-member. If I was going to tow I'd just use one of these.

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitch/Jeep/Wrangler/2004/36238.html
As far as recovery a hard pull will bend the cross-member out a bit and pivot the bumper down at the lower tabs. Are you going to do a hard pull, who knows? Grade 5 is fine, they aren't going to be the weak link. If you are pulling the Jeep out of a ditch it'll be fine, if you are using a kinetic and trying to move a superduty I'd look for other solutions.

Thanks, but I'm not looking for a receiver hitch; I have one I removed from this Jeep. I don't know if I'll be subject to a hard pull either, but I'd rather plan for it and it not happen than to not plan for it and bend the crossmember when it happens.

I'm guessing all of the people who recommend this bumper don't actually plan to use it.
 
I wouldn't tow a bicycle with that bumper as is. If it were me, I'd take it off, take it down to a local welding shop and have them fab another set of brackets similar to what's already on it (looks like 2x4 square tubing) - and place them outboard where they could attach to a set of frame brackets. Boom, done. Or you could even just have the existing brackets cut off and re-welded outboard. ASS-U-ME-ing that the bumper itself is reasonably heavy duty, it should then be good for at least your 700lb proposed trailer.
 
I wouldn't tow a bicycle with that bumper as is. If it were me, I'd take it off, take it down to a local welding shop and have them fab another set of brackets similar to what's already on it - and place them outboard where they could attach to a set of frame brackets. Boom, done. Or you could even just have the existing brackets cut off and re-welded outboard. ASS-U-ME-ing that the bumper itself is reasonably heavy duty, it should then be good for at least your 700lb proposed trailer.

I've thought about that, but for the cost of the fab work and the frame tie-in brackets, I may as well just sell it and go with something better designed from the outset.

The Hyline OffRoad standard bumper includes the tie-ins and it mounts in the stock crossmember locations, the new spots I had to drill for this bumper (stock YJ location), and the OEM frame points on the bottom. Plus, it's actually actually rated for towing 3500 lbs (Class II).
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Zorba
I've thought about that, but for the cost of the fab work and the frame tie-in brackets, I may as well just sell it and go with something better designed from the outset.

The Hyline OffRoad standard bumper includes the tie-ins and it mounts in the stock crossmember locations, the new spots I had to drill for this bumper (stock YJ location), and the OEM frame points on the bottom. Plus, it's actually actually rated for towing 3500 lbs (Class II).
Looks like I run the same bumper, don’t remember the maker…I bought the tie in brackets for the ends and tow my M416 all over with it
 
I've thought about that, but for the cost of the fab work and the frame tie-in brackets, I may as well just sell it and go with something better designed from the outset.

The Hyline OffRoad standard bumper includes the tie-ins and it mounts in the stock crossmember locations, the new spots I had to drill for this bumper (stock YJ location), and the OEM frame points on the bottom. Plus, it's actually actually rated for towing 3500 lbs (Class II).
Looks like I run the same bumper, don’t remember the maker…I bought the tie in brackets for the ends and tow my M416 all over with it
 
I've thought about that, but for the cost of the fab work and the frame tie-in brackets, I may as well just sell it and go with something better designed from the outset.

The Hyline OffRoad standard bumper includes the tie-ins and it mounts in the stock crossmember locations, the new spots I had to drill for this bumper (stock YJ location), and the OEM frame points on the bottom. Plus, it's actually actually rated for towing 3500 lbs (Class II).

If you go the route of a new bumper, checkout https://www.thedirtworx.com/ . Pretty simple and well made. You do have to pant it yourself. Some would powder coat, but personally I’d spray some primer then black using spray cans.
 
If you go the route of a new bumper, checkout https://www.thedirtworx.com/ . Pretty simple and well made. You do have to pant it yourself. Some would powder coat, but personally I’d spray some primer then black using spray cans.
Yup. The bumper I have and the Dirtworx are very similar. Similar price, similar 2"x4" steel tube based construction, US made, etc. I thought they were pretty much interchangeable, with the advantage that the bumper I bought was available with powdercoat. However, I now see the biggest difference is in the mounting design. I wish I would have noticed that prior to purchase.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MountaineerTom