What do you think of these ideas I would like to incorporate into a rear bumper with tire carrier?

Heavy duty latch that won't pop open when bouncing around off road.
Hi Lift mount that allows it to be locked on.
Mounts for axe, shovel, and a pick/mattock with some kind of lockable feature.
Lockable Jerry can holders for gas or water.
License plate relocation bracket with wiring extension for the light bulb.
Zerk fitting to grease hindge for tire carrier.
3 D-ring (not welded on) points of recovery, one on each side and one above or below a hitch.
Class 3 hitch
Frame stiffeners for added strenght if necessary.
Wrap arounds with some type of step that doesn't stick out to get caught on obstacles.
CB antenna mounting hole.
3rd brake light mounting hole if stock light is blocked by the tire

Sounds like a Skid Row ++++ model

It's not the most original I admit. There's really only so many ways to make it different. It has a couple of extra things that I would personally like to have.

That is cool... sounds like another upgrade.

Actually - it sounds better than the skid-row, it includes wrap around protection, rather than just replacing the plate in the middle...that way, if you lean it on a rock, or roll it, etc...you don't crush the corners, and therefore help protect the rest of the body integrity, etc.

I do not know if this applicable to your situation with the tire carrier.

I think it would be a nice feature to have some sort of "mini-jumper" seat that is deployable.

Sometimes when tailgating and other situations, I would find that useful. Something to offer a bit more seat, while not having to lug stuff around.

The bumber you describe sounds loaded.

Noobie001

The wrap around idea has been talked about quite a bit. Depending on the design it may work. Ian made a good point when he said that if you do hit somthing the plastic bumpers wont damage the body where as if yu hit somthing with the metal gaurd it could possibly bend up into the body and cause more damage.

The plastic bumper ends are cheap to replace if the damage cant be popped out by just removing it.

I would love to have a rear bumper with side protection. Calmini at one time offered it but I dont believe it sold well.

One would hope that it would be built out of thick enough steel, that this wouldn't be an issue/concern. This concern is easily overcome w/ enough strength... Wrap around bumpers, both tube and plate, have been built for darn near every offroading rig out there; this really shouldn't be a concern.

I thought the same thing but after following the thread im talking about it made sence, also the area that would have to be covered is faily large. I took off my bumperets and saw all of the sheet metal that was hidden behind there. Unless one wanted to consider the possiblity of trimming the sheetmetal down.

There was a guy out of Arizona that was looking to make a bumper for the X and and after all these points were brought to light he decided against it.

Like I said I would buy one if the price/design was right.

I think the key will be sturdy side protection, rather than replacing/completely covering the bulbous rear fender areas.

This is the way most wrap around protection is done, the wings, bars, tubes, plates (Whatever) come around/extend to protect the side corners.

The point is not to protect the fugly plastic parts...its to provide a place for the truck to rest on its side, holding the windows and so forth further from what ever its leaning on....and to give the rear corners (There's a hatch back there for example...) some back up angle protection.

The fact that no one has done this well yet, does not mean that someone else couldn't.



Its like the senate budget member in the 1800's stating that government funding for research was pointless, as it was obvious that everything that was ever going to be invented had already been invented.

Calmini has done it. I understand that the plastic is not why I would put a big metal bumper on the rear of the X. The design I saw specific to the X had the rear plastic bumpers removed.

Yeah, I'm with you, If it were done right, I'd get one.

Calmini tried, and no one liked it...they tried to replace, rather than just protect the corners, and left the ugly exposed sheet metal, etc...hence the market rejection of their design.

Shrock's version, due by the end of summer '05, might be the next mass market attempt at the concept, and if he gets it right, he'll have a home run on his hands.

If SRTMO gets it right, his design will be cloned in short order too.

I am thinking that the bumperettes would be replaced by bent tubing to match the body lines. Cover the tubing with sheet metal or steel plate to blend in with the center section of the bumper so it looks nice.

What do you guys think about a step built into the wrap arounds like an '05? I am leaning toward no because I stand on the tire anyway.

If the tubing was done well, the plates/sheet metal might be superfluous.

I think just using thick enough bars, well braced to prevent collapse back into the truck on side/rear impact, or front to rear shear forces, would be aesthetically better balanced, and as functional if not more so, than a plated version.

The last thing an X needs is more visual rear bulk.

IE: Leave the bumperettes, just have the bar(s) extend out and come around a bit to give that side rest point, corner protection, etc.



Steps seem silly to me, probably because I am so tall, or I just stand on the tire, bumper, hitch, rock rails, etc...

Just using tubing would leave the none astecially pleasing sheet metal and air vent exposed. With tubing out past the bumperettes, it might hang up on an obstacle.

I was thinking about the step for our vertically challenged counterparts.

Well - The tubes/wings on the existing after market bumpers up front could also catch on something...backing up.

If the tubes foward edges were close to the plastic, the only thing they could catch on would be vertical vegetation...and, on a nice tread lightly trail...you should not be running over that sort of thing.



If by catch, you mean the edge of a rock face...a round tube should slide along w/o catching unless the foward facing edge is out like a scoop....

If the tubing is 2" around...that means the X is only 4" wider, total...how many places do you squeeze an X through that you don't have a couple on inches on each side?

My sliders stick out a few inches...my winch bumper wings stick out, etc...

And a sheet metal cover being dragged along like that would never survive anyway...so if the tube would be hit, so would the metal over it, etc.

I'm picking up what your putting down.

The vibes are resonating.

you guys are scaring me with your mid 80's jargon

Please stop before im forced to re-drink the 80's away

Bone, try drinking the '60's way.



Let's see, in the 60's....you were how old?

-20?



Yo Momma was an egg.

Edit to add- that's to much weight on the rear swing arm. You've gotta split it up man. Like my Hi-Lift and gas cans mount to my roof rack, it's just cleaner. A lot easier if you're in and out of your haatch often also.

DBAX - That's a huge Hi-Lift you got across the back there!



Mine fits laying flat across the cargo floor against the rear seat backs with room to spare (The spare tire is there too...).

I have a 48" Hi-Lift.

Yours starts at the lower corner, and extends past the opposite upper corner.

If the drawing was to scale, and Pythagorus was right, that would make your Jack damn near 70" long!



Hmmm....you drew a 60" jack, the std, plus the mounts...and the top extension...give or take some artistic license...



I gotta get some sleep, I'm getting delirious...

I don't need no sleep deprivation to be delirious ! Besides, I was just trying to conjure up something (my sketch) like what srtmo wanted. But it really is just too much stuff for one bumper. My lift's bolted neatly along-side my roof rack.