What do you carry on your bumper?

[Funrover]

Curious with all of the amazing builds out there. What do folks carry on the rear bumper? Are there items you do that are a must have? or are there items that are on there that you don't like so much? Currently looking into a build and I have a few ideas. I know for sure the spare is going on but I am looking at different options/ideas. For those with a single swing do you wish you had double? OR for those with double should you have stayed single? I like the double in my mind, I like the idea of a ladder, spare (w/backpack), and hi-lift. The ladder can be used for many other uses also. BUT I could be wrong. Please help guide! I know I want to upgrade from my current set up. Single Swing and tire only.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Double swing would be nice, much less leverage on the bumper if you are going to add (tire + fuel etc) rather than just a tire. But with a single access into the back of the vehicle is faster/easier. I also have mounting points for a dune flag and cb antennae on it if I need them down the road. I used the 4xInnovations latch and hinge when I built mine.



I do plan on adding a jerry can:

 

[NatersXJ6]

I’m pretty sure I don’t qualify as an amazing build, but my rear bumper on my JK is a single swing, Smittybilt Atlas, and I’ve done some modifications. It holds:

Spare Tire
CB Antenna
Dune Flag mount
Jerry can of gas
Jerry can of drinking water
Hi-lift (yes I can use it all the way around)
2 Clevis mounts
Trailer hitch
7 Pin wiring socket
40mm Ammo can with tow strap and jumper cables and gloves
Trasheroo (occasional)

Most of that stuff is permanently mounted.

Do I love the single swing? Not when I’m loading groceries and worried about hitting the car next to me. On the trail - no worries.

Advantage: I like the way it tucks in and protects the Jerry cans. Also, bought used off Craigslist for very cheap, $600 IIRC, I blew at least $200 trying to build my own that ultimately was just a learning experience.

Disadvantage: heavy, heavy, and really heavy. I ended up adding airbags when I added this bumper. It could be at least 50-70% lighter just by going thinner without really sacrificing anything in terms of bumper protection.

As far as your question “should you have stayed single?”... that ship has sailed and I’ll never know... so I convince myself that I’m happier now!

 

[4000lbsOfGoat]

Disadvantage: heavy, heavy, and really heavy. I ended up adding airbags when I added this bumper.

For this reason, I don't carry anything on the rear bumper except a license plate. Hanging out, levered over the rear axle is not the best place for weight...

 

[Thinman]

Daily:
37" spare
backup cam
license plate

Loaded:
+ 5 gallons of gas
+ Old backpack(-aroo) for trash
+ 20lb propane
+ 18" electric chainsaw

it's heavy enough that my wife had to go into the store and get a bagger to close it for her when she parked on an incline once.

LOD bumper with a stop, so no fear of an over-swing into adjacent car.

 

[Funrover]

. The hi-lift jack is not complete without WD-40 or some kind of lubricant. Carrying it in the back that is the dustiest place in, on or around the vehicle.

What else to carry in the back. If you are a biker then maybe a bike rack or ski rack. You could carry a trash bag of some sort. The spare tire would be the main item to put on the rear bumper. If you only have a need for extra fuel that could be carried in the back.

The only thing I would make sure of is a receiver and recovery points, beside the spare tire.

Da Frenchman

Use the hi-lift, have built brackets that clamp onto sliders etc. It's not my favorite tool but it does great when I need it. For all the reasons you mentioned I have hauled the lift inside my rig for years, but I want that space back for a build I am gonna do. Maintenance is part of owning a hi lift and I will keep up on it for sure. I figured the recovery points were on all bumpers folks built, but that is what I gat for assuming! LOL and I do bike and the rack will go in the receiver, however when we haul the tandem it goes up on the roof thus the ladder idea.

I’m pretty sure I don’t qualify as an amazing build, but my rear bumper on my JK is a single swing, Smittybilt Atlas, and I’ve done some modifications. It holds:

Spare Tire
CB Antenna
Dune Flag mount
Jerry can of gas
Jerry can of drinking water
Hi-lift (yes I can use it all the way around)
2 Clevis mounts
Trailer hitch
7 Pin wiring socket
40mm Ammo can with tow strap and jumper cables and gloves
Trasheroo (occasional)


As far as your question “should you have stayed single?”... that ship has sailed and I’ll never know... so I convince myself that I’m happier now!

Nice!!, glad ya like the single!

For this reason, I don't carry anything on the rear bumper except a license plate. Hanging out, levered over the rear axle is not the best place for weight...

That is also a concern I have, needed the tire out of the back and absolutely didn't want it on top. That's how it went to the back. I am hoping to stay minimal and thus I am asking on input!

it's heavy enough that my wife had to go into the store and get a bagger to close it for her when she parked on an incline once.

My wife being able to close it is a must!! LOL

 

[deserteagle56]

Custom made double swing on my van. One carries a couple gas cans, the other the spare tire. Gas cans mainly for the dirt bike or quad that's inside.

 

[NatersXJ6]

The design of the swing is just as important as the style if you tow a trailer. Mine makes the swing significantly wider (think longer tongue) and because the vertical distance from swing to hitch is low, you really have to think through tongue design to make sure you aren’t hitting it with the swing out all the time. No top mounted chains, wiring, etc... it was a bit of a pain really.

 

[billiebob]

Curious with all of the amazing builds out there. What do folks carry on the rear bumper? Are there items you do that are a must have? or are there items that are on there that you don't like so much? Currently looking into a build and I have a few ideas. I know for sure the spare is going on but I am looking at different options/ideas. For those with a single swing do you wish you had double? OR for those with double should you have stayed single? I like the double in my mind, I like the idea of a ladder, spare (w/backpack), and hi-lift. The ladder can be used for many other uses also. BUT I could be wrong. Please help guide! I know I want to upgrade from my current set up. Single Swing and tire only.

The rear bumper and wing out carrier place all the stress on a single point. I look for other points to load things other than the spare. Roof being the number one pick. Then comes security. A RAV4 with a spare tire won't attract a thief but a Wrangler or Taco loaded with overlanding stuff screams "Steal Me"

And then comes where you add he weight. The longer the overhang, the less weight you should add to the bumper. The extended body E-Series van was a hockey team killer in Alberta, Saskatchewan thru the 1980s, 1990s. Adding weight behind the bumper creates instability. Keep it all in balance with the original manufacturers design.

 

[billiebob]

The design of the swing is just as important as the style if you tow a trailer. Mine makes the swing significantly wider (think longer tongue) and because the vertical distance from swing to hitch is low, you really have to think through tongue design to make sure you aren’t hitting it with the swing out all the time. No top mounted chains, wiring, etc... it was a bit of a pain really.

yep, I relocate the jack on every trailer I buy to clear the Wranglers swing out door.

 

[Joe917]

You can use the front bumper too. Good spot for 600 lbs of spare tires!

Uyuni, Bolivia

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Yeah, the radiator needs all the air it can get, I basically have no roof and I wouldn't want to drag a tire thru the air if I did, a 31 won't fit under the truck on the stock carrier and I got tired of it eating room in the bed with no good place to put a rarely used tire. Plus no place for it with the camper in. One bolt, the carrier is off and it is a normal pickup again. Also makes my topper not look quite so freaking massive from the back. Spare tire sits as tight to the carrier/tailgate as I could to keep weight as far ahead as possible.

Hi lift lives above the rear passenger wheel on a rack inside the bed/topper. Passenger side to offset weight from the driver and fuel tank being on the opposite side. Keeps it clean and dry and is a good home for it so I am not tripping over it in the garage. I mostly use it for farm equipment as the truck doubles as a go-fer around the farm. It's forgetably out of the way so I do drag it along on trips.

With the custom bumper/carrier/spare mine doesn't really drive any different. I do have different rear springs but I had them before the bumper.

 

[BritKLR]

Single swing arm with dual locking pins
Full size spare
Worklight
Ham Radio Ant. mount
Third brake light
Ladder
Ladder rack holds fuel can
Shovel/Axe Carrier
Dual frame mounted shackle mounts
Receiver hitch
Rear lower quarter sliders mounted to the frame (Whole bumper will support the entire rig)

 

[lugueto]

just my spare tire. Trying to keep the bumper as light as possible.

Rear bumper weight is not desirable because its the farthest point aft of the vehicle, farthest away from the rear axle.

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

Here is a nice bumper build thread. I will be doing something similar but with two cans and a Titan Trail Trekker tank behind the spare.

Rodan's rear bumper build

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