Rear bumpers (was KMA)

[cbbryan]

Anyone think it would be worth while if we all contacted KMA (the company that built James' front bumber mostly) about a rear bumber and a swing rear tire carrier. They already make both products they just need to adapt to our platform. I know that some of us have the hitch mount folding spare carrier, but I would prefer swing away as well as a custom rear bumber to match the front eventually.

Also if you have a GMC Envoy they are looking for one to test fit to come up with products for it. You whatever they come up with free of charge you just have to be able to drop it off for a few days.

[Trail X]

I still strongly oppose contacting companies if you don't intend to buy something from them immediately.

Heard of the boy who cried wolf?

[janesy86]

Exactly.. I mean it would be nice to see stuff available but there is just no market for it. Those multi carrier rear bumpers they make sure do look nice tho. But they would prob need additional modding to make em right just like the front bumper, which JD made it 100x better.

[cbbryan]

I know; I actully just wrote on your bumper topic that I'm not going to contat until I have a design and intend for someone to build it. I know there are some members here though that are further ahead of me in the offroad mod process and this could benefit them, unless they are content with their vehicles.

[foosh]

I'm working on designing a front bumper using a basic cadd program to have a local offroad shop look at...he kma bumper is nice, but it lacks alot of features and gets quite pricey quickly.

[cbbryan]

This is the basic look I want for a rear bumper. The light gray on the bottom will be angled inward. The yellow is the lights I want for backing up because the stock ones just don't do enough. In the middle is the hitch reciever. The red are the d-rings.

[teebes]

Have you seen the mock-up we worked on over at the OS? Might be of interest to you...

[teebes]

ahh hell, here you go



Original Thread: http://forums.trailvoy.com/showthread.php?t=46429


A lil birdie told me roadie is making some progress on his I'm still hoping to get some of Neil's time in the very near future as well. I'm really thinking hard about whether to go with a dual swing. Also, I plan to incorporate gas struts to keep the swings from flying out of control (most useful when you are NOT on level ground )

[janesy86]

Now that is sweeet! Can't wait to see what Neil comes up with for you guys... his work is impressive to say the least.

[cbbryan]

WOW! That's really impressive. I would like to have some angled steel under it though for comming off of rocks and logs. That way it won't be a hard impact as much as a slide. I reall like the side steps though. If I don't make one before this is manufactured elsewhere I'll just mod this one like James did his front bumper.

I try to avoid the OS as much as possible. For me it's hard to navigate and takes forever to load. I know what I want in my head I just don't know how to use paint to draw it; I wish I had a scanner and my life would be much easier. I may end up building my own bumpers and such.

[teebes]

WOW! That's really impressive. I would like to have some angled steel under it though for comming off of rocks and logs. That way it won't be a hard impact as much as a slide. I reall like the side steps though. If I don't make one before this is manufactured elsewhere I'll just mod this one like James did his front bumper.

I try to avoid the OS as much as possible. For me it's hard to navigate and takes forever to load. I know what I want in my head I just don't know how to use paint to draw it; I wish I had a scanner and my life would be much easier. I may end up building my own bumpers and such.

Sure thing, just some tips of we had looked at a while back. Our own James Downing actually fine tuned that epic diagram. Some of the components probably wont make it into a production run due to the amount of time they would take: ie, side steps. But, ya never know. Neil is starting to get my attention in the world of tube, so I might go for a hybrid approach, too. Decisions, decisions..

[janesy86]

Tube bumpers do look sick... and it'll be a lil lighter. Plus it would match your Jeep bumper better as well, which I have to say is sweet.

[bgwolfpack]

That mock up is very well thought out. Any idea on the amount of weight it will be? Not that I would care, more traction that way.

[foosh]

This was one i sketched up last year...

[Philberto]

Tube bumpers do look sick... and it'll be a lil lighter. Plus it would match your Jeep bumper better as well, which I have to say is sweet.

I agree here... I'll probably be looking to Neil to fab me up a tube front similar to yours, but without the winch mount and with a little higher brush guard (I'm looking into limb risers between the front bumper and the front of a full-length roof rack, and I'm going to have a receiver winch mount). I agree on the tube rear bumper, keep the side steps, and just put steel plate on the areas you want to step on. Herculine the whole thing, and you should be set. The tube will let you attach all sorts of things to it really easily and keep the weight down. It also makes repairs much easier.

[teebes]

Another feature I've had in mind for a while now and we kinda mocked up in the original up top: dedicated hi-lift slot for tire changing or trail use:

[Philberto]

I just realized... in the photochopped photo, you wouldn't get decent reception on the antenna at all... you'd have to have something like a 5' antenna to get the top above the roofline.

[Trail X]

Another feature I've had in mind for a while now and we kinda mocked up in the original up top: dedicated hi-lift slot for tire changing or trail use:

Interesting... I wonder if that stabilizes it at all when lifting. If you've ever picked up both front or both rear wheels, you know the vehicle gets kinda scary with the side-side wobbling.

I just realized... in the photochopped photo, you wouldn't get decent reception on the antenna at all... you'd have to have something like a 5' antenna to get the top above the roofline.

Yeah, you may want to have the mounting tab a little higher... plus there may be an issue with grounding through the hinge. If I were to design it again, I'd put a hole directly on the bumper. Who cares if it's a 4 or 5 foot antenna? It would be sturdy, which is my main worry about my current mount. Not that it's had any trouble, but I always worry about hitting it too hard on a limb.

[teebes]

Interesting... I wonder if that stabilizes it at all when lifting. If you've ever picked up both front or both rear wheels, you know the vehicle gets kinda scary with the side-side wobbling.

Of yea Was going to post that on your other thread but didn't want to hijack it that much. Lifting in the center of the front/rear is not a good idea unless you're trying to reposition the truck TIMBER!

If I were adding these on my bumper, they would be located as far to the corners as possible with regards to strength, etc. Also, the lower on the bumper the better. Too high and you quickly run out of travel with the four foot hi-lift.

[Trail X]

If you have to lift both sides, lift the front, as you can E-brake the rear wheels to keep them from acting as a pivot point (at least when on dry pavement). It still didn't feel extremely secure...

If you lift the entire rear of a vehicle with a hi-lift, you've got to have someone in the vehicle with their foot on the brakes.