What do you carry on your bumper?
- Thread starter Funrover
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lugueto
Adventurer
I agree, let's call it a necessary evil.
It shouldn't be done without some serious consideration, or when it's the only option. However, there are ways to do so lightly, and compensating with proper suspension, vehicle handling is still bearable.
Metcalf
Expedition Leader
I will go as far as saying that if you have to mount stuff to the bumper or the roof, you probably have the wrong vehicle.
I will also admit that I am on the fringe of 'expedition' style vehicle builds, but even people like Tom Sheppard seem to agree in their writings.
lugueto
Adventurer
Well, that can be true for some, but as mentioned previously, it can hardly be a generalization. I realize now I didn't respond on my first post when saying this.
There is stuff you don't want inside your vehicle: fuel is one of them. There's two ways to carry fuel: A fuel can or two if you don't need much, or a fuel tank if you need a lot. Where can you carry fuel cans? Either a swingout or your roof, no other option.
When it comes to aux fuel tanks, the most usual place is where your spare sits under the car. This is the main reason why I install rear bumper and swingout. Get your spare out of the way, mount a fuel tank and be done with it.
Anything else will depend on your needs and vehicle, obviously, and it will be a compromise as with everything. But just because you can use a swingout as a tool doesn't mean you have the wrong platform or idea.
There is stuff you don't want inside your vehicle: fuel is one of them. There's two ways to carry fuel: A fuel can or two if you don't need much, or a fuel tank if you need a lot. Where can you carry fuel cans? Either a swingout or your roof, no other option.
When it comes to aux fuel tanks, the most usual place is where your spare sits under the car. This is the main reason why I install rear bumper and swingout. Get your spare out of the way, mount a fuel tank and be done with it.
Anything else will depend on your needs and vehicle, obviously, and it will be a compromise as with everything. But just because you can use a swingout as a tool doesn't mean you have the wrong platform or idea.
charlieaarons
Explorer
Box with all the gussets and supports weighs ~140kg. Contains 200kg of metallic type recovery gear like chains, Unimog sized shackles, pulleys, jacks, etc. Along with replacement of un-needed generator with fuel tank in front of rear axle (allows running with rear tanks empty) and switch from propane to induction cooktop (removal of 2x30 lb cylinders from behind rear axle), it improved weight distribution from 35/65 to 41/59. Beneficial effects on handling immediately noticeable.
Metcalf
Expedition Leader
Again, kinda the wrong vehicle for the task if you need to store a bunch of stuff on the rear bumper ( or roof rack )
My old jeep had a fuel tank under the drivers seat for the majority of it's life. When I rebuilt it the fuel tank moved to behind the front seats. Spare cans go behind that when I need them. Generally, I try and size the vehicle tank to greatly reduce the need for spare gas cans. There is always going to be a logistical limit either way. Not to beat a dead horse, but there are some highly regarded expedition travelers that carry fuel inside the vehicle.....
You can see the entire row of fuel and water cans behind the front seats to help maintain a better weight bias in Tom Sheppards G-wagon
If we can't put fuel cans in the vehicle, it might be more of a fuel can issue, than where we put it.
In general, a ton of people grossly overload vehicles with 'stuff'. I am going to stand by my statement that if you have to start carrying lots of gear on the rear bumper ( or a roof rack ), you likely have the wrong vehicle for what you are doing. The first indicator for when a vehicle will start to have significant issues, especially off road, is when I start to see stuff bolted all over the rear bumper and/or onto the roof rack. That is just my experience.
I have a double swingout. My must carry for long trips is gas and water. I also have a 5lb propane attached to my swingout. More water in roof rack and inside depending on how long offgrid we are.
I take them all off dailying. I could technically remove the spare but i cant fit in the garage without its added weight. Having the swingouts make the rear access cumbersome for grocery trips, according to wife haha.
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
I take them all off dailying. I could technically remove the spare but i cant fit in the garage without its added weight. Having the swingouts make the rear access cumbersome for grocery trips, according to wife haha.
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
85_Ranger4x4
Well-known member
I am kind of spoiled with a pickup/topper. I can carry fuel inside but it isn't really "inside"
Usually it is just like for the lawn mower or tractors though, I don't need to carry extra fuel on the trail for what I do.
If I happened upon a dual tank bed I was going to snag a factory rear tank just 'cause. After 15 years of searching the first nice bed I found within a reasonable distance was a single tanker and I jumped on it which kind of eliminated the dual tank retro fit side quest.
Usually it is just like for the lawn mower or tractors though, I don't need to carry extra fuel on the trail for what I do.
If I happened upon a dual tank bed I was going to snag a factory rear tank just 'cause. After 15 years of searching the first nice bed I found within a reasonable distance was a single tanker and I jumped on it which kind of eliminated the dual tank retro fit side quest.
86scotty
Cynic
I generally think carrying boxes of stuff on the roof of high vehicles is silly but people who drive Unimogs and/or live in Alaska get special treatment.
If I lived in Alaska I would probably just have a machine gun in a turret on the roof filled with whatever ammo kills bears and moose.
charlieaarons
Explorer
I hope you’re kidding. Yes I carry a firearm (a fairly big one) when camping in Alaska especially when hiking in “the middle of nowhere” with grandchildren. But I don’t de compensate when traveling in Canada or any other country when I don’t have one. Even in Southern Africa with lions, hippos, crocs and black mambas (all of which I’ve had “close encounters”).
I previously was carrying all the junk in the box in the rear storage compartment. But the truck is better moving a lot of weight from behind rear axle to in front of front axle.
Actually even in Alaska humans are a lot scarier than the Pleistocene megafauna that remains. On my unarmed daily 2 mile constitutional in my edge of wilderness neighborhood, I see bears and especially moose frequently. You just need to respect their space.
I previously was carrying all the junk in the box in the rear storage compartment. But the truck is better moving a lot of weight from behind rear axle to in front of front axle.
Actually even in Alaska humans are a lot scarier than the Pleistocene megafauna that remains. On my unarmed daily 2 mile constitutional in my edge of wilderness neighborhood, I see bears and especially moose frequently. You just need to respect their space.
Curtis in Texas
Adventurer
Haven't run into many Grizzly Bears in Texas, so no automatic weapons on my bumper. 
But, My Bumper on my Isuzu Rodeo is a lot different than many. When I built the bumper I made it out of 4"x4" square tubing. I ran the mounting plates all the way through it so my recover rings tie to the frame rails through it.
That left me with a lot of hollow tubing. I tapered the ends and that still left a lot of hollow tubing inboard between the frame rails. So, me being me, I made some lids and cut rectangular access holes in the top of the bumper. Had an old aluminum running board laying around so that's what I used for the lids, because it made a great traction surface for standing on the bumper. A few quarter turn "D" ring fasteners and it made 2 pretty nice storage places. I carpeted the insides of the compartments to keep the rattle low key! One side carries the Jumper cables and the other side stores the tree straps and extra winch pullys.
I recessed the license plate between the 2 compartments. Then put the license plate on a hinge so it swings down like the old cars from the 60'. Behind it I mounted a plastic cutting board and mounted my connectors for my trailer wiring , including fuses for the electric brakes and power lead to the trailer battery. Makes trouble shooting wiring issues on the trailer a breeze.
I then mounted a 2 inch receirver hitch under the license plate and a 4 prong trailer plug in and a 7 prong RV style plug in the hitches gussets. Like I said, for my camper trailers brake system.
Most people never notice that the traction plates are removable and that there are compartments under them.
And since I flat tow my Rodeo behind the RV a lot I added extra brake lights into the bumper that work when I'm connected to the RV's lights. Full Floating axles with dial out hubs on all 4 corners make flat towing simple and puts less wear on the expensive differentials and transmissions. I've actually towed it for over 60K miles so far.
In the picture the license plate is lowered to show the electric connection plate. Not all the connections were installed at the time of that picture, but that's where they are.
As for the rest of the back side of the Rig, there's a lot going on back there. I have a single swing out arm that has the spare on it. And two military styl can carriers. One I carry water for the kitchen sink, and te other I usually carry an old 60's German Military style food can. (It looks like a gas can only it's insulated and the whole lid pops off.) I use it as a dink cooler.
The tire carrier also has my ARB compressor in behind the spare so it's easy to work on and there is a air hose connector should I need it to air the tires back up. Especially if my CO2 tank runs dry.
And when the spare tire is swung out I have a kitchen complete with running water, 2 burner coleman stove and a cutting board table for food preperations. Then there is the slide out freeezer right there when the tailgate is down. I have a small portable water pump that plugs into the ARB's wirig harness so my sink was water pressure at the valve. I just drop the hose into the water jug, and Bob's my Uncle. I do have a hot water on demand heaster, but have yet to use it on the truck. We use it on the little pop up camper trailer.
Now as for how do I carry extra fuel you might wonder? Isuzus used the same frames on most all of their pickups, Troopers and Rodeos. The Rodeos and Troopers use a rear mounted 26 gallon fuel tank and the pickups use an 13 or 21 gallon fuel tank (depending on the truck) that runs under the passenger side between the driveshaft and frame rail. Most of the bracketry is welded on at the Factory, So it's not a big deal to mount build the one missing bracket to add a pickup fuel tank to the Rodeos or Troopers. And the Pickup ones have a skid plate uinder them just like the rear mounted ones.
So I run dual factory made fuel tanks under my Rodeo. Keeps the weight low.
And my fuel tank selsctor valve also switches between the 2 fuel gauge sending units, so I always know how much fuel in in each tank just by switching the fuel selector valve to either tank.
I built a "Y" filler neck tube that makes it easy to put fuel in either fuel tank from the same filler neck. Point the nozzle forward and fill the pickup tank. Point it rearward and fuel goes in the rear tank.
I have some better pictures on my other computer I'll try and load up from a little later, if anyone is interested in all that stuff.
Almost forgot, I have a back up camera that shows the trailer hitch so I can load up my camper by myself easier. SAves a lot of damage in parking lots too! Blind Spots like crazy.
It works for me. And I've been building and playing with this Truck since 1993. So yea, there's a lot going on.
But, My Bumper on my Isuzu Rodeo is a lot different than many. When I built the bumper I made it out of 4"x4" square tubing. I ran the mounting plates all the way through it so my recover rings tie to the frame rails through it.
That left me with a lot of hollow tubing. I tapered the ends and that still left a lot of hollow tubing inboard between the frame rails. So, me being me, I made some lids and cut rectangular access holes in the top of the bumper. Had an old aluminum running board laying around so that's what I used for the lids, because it made a great traction surface for standing on the bumper. A few quarter turn "D" ring fasteners and it made 2 pretty nice storage places. I carpeted the insides of the compartments to keep the rattle low key! One side carries the Jumper cables and the other side stores the tree straps and extra winch pullys.
I recessed the license plate between the 2 compartments. Then put the license plate on a hinge so it swings down like the old cars from the 60'. Behind it I mounted a plastic cutting board and mounted my connectors for my trailer wiring , including fuses for the electric brakes and power lead to the trailer battery. Makes trouble shooting wiring issues on the trailer a breeze.
I then mounted a 2 inch receirver hitch under the license plate and a 4 prong trailer plug in and a 7 prong RV style plug in the hitches gussets. Like I said, for my camper trailers brake system.
Most people never notice that the traction plates are removable and that there are compartments under them.
And since I flat tow my Rodeo behind the RV a lot I added extra brake lights into the bumper that work when I'm connected to the RV's lights. Full Floating axles with dial out hubs on all 4 corners make flat towing simple and puts less wear on the expensive differentials and transmissions. I've actually towed it for over 60K miles so far.
In the picture the license plate is lowered to show the electric connection plate. Not all the connections were installed at the time of that picture, but that's where they are.
As for the rest of the back side of the Rig, there's a lot going on back there. I have a single swing out arm that has the spare on it. And two military styl can carriers. One I carry water for the kitchen sink, and te other I usually carry an old 60's German Military style food can. (It looks like a gas can only it's insulated and the whole lid pops off.) I use it as a dink cooler.
The tire carrier also has my ARB compressor in behind the spare so it's easy to work on and there is a air hose connector should I need it to air the tires back up. Especially if my CO2 tank runs dry.
And when the spare tire is swung out I have a kitchen complete with running water, 2 burner coleman stove and a cutting board table for food preperations. Then there is the slide out freeezer right there when the tailgate is down. I have a small portable water pump that plugs into the ARB's wirig harness so my sink was water pressure at the valve. I just drop the hose into the water jug, and Bob's my Uncle. I do have a hot water on demand heaster, but have yet to use it on the truck. We use it on the little pop up camper trailer.
Now as for how do I carry extra fuel you might wonder? Isuzus used the same frames on most all of their pickups, Troopers and Rodeos. The Rodeos and Troopers use a rear mounted 26 gallon fuel tank and the pickups use an 13 or 21 gallon fuel tank (depending on the truck) that runs under the passenger side between the driveshaft and frame rail. Most of the bracketry is welded on at the Factory, So it's not a big deal to mount build the one missing bracket to add a pickup fuel tank to the Rodeos or Troopers. And the Pickup ones have a skid plate uinder them just like the rear mounted ones.
So I run dual factory made fuel tanks under my Rodeo. Keeps the weight low.
And my fuel tank selsctor valve also switches between the 2 fuel gauge sending units, so I always know how much fuel in in each tank just by switching the fuel selector valve to either tank.
I built a "Y" filler neck tube that makes it easy to put fuel in either fuel tank from the same filler neck. Point the nozzle forward and fill the pickup tank. Point it rearward and fuel goes in the rear tank.
I have some better pictures on my other computer I'll try and load up from a little later, if anyone is interested in all that stuff.
Almost forgot, I have a back up camera that shows the trailer hitch so I can load up my camper by myself easier. SAves a lot of damage in parking lots too! Blind Spots like crazy.
It works for me. And I've been building and playing with this Truck since 1993. So yea, there's a lot going on.
Todd n Natalie
OverCamper
charlieaarons
Explorer
And 10 minutes ago a family of a mama lynx plus 2 kittens sauntered by 30’ from my deck.