Replacement Bumper Questions

TX23

Wanna Race??????
Mar 5, 2008
354
0
0
48
San Angelo, TX
Hey guys, I was hit from the rear this morning by a 1/2 ton Z-71 (she was running about 55mph, and I was at a dead stop), and it totally destroyed my rear bumper, parts of the rear fenders, and the tow hitch. My question is, if you have a rear replacement bumper, how do you feel your towing has been impacted? I've seen the ones that have the cutout for a tow hitch, and I can go that route, but wonder if it makes it any less sturdy.

Any help you guys have to offer would be much appreciated. I need to get this thing in the body shop and back out by two weeks from now when I have to make a trip to Lubbock, and want to have all my ducks in a row.

Thanks,

JB
 

MAXLLY

No Lemming Here
Aug 15, 2007
1,063
0
0
San Diego
:) You use the bumper knock outs when you have a receiver hitch? Leave the shin busting rhino horn in and tow with it.

Like to help ya out but i don't get it? :)

Sorry to hear about your truck, that sucks. They'll prolly replace your bed if she was going 55!! Did it ding the back of your cab up to bad? Hope not.
 

LarryJewell

Back with his honey :)
Jan 21, 2007
10,152
0
36
58
San Angelo
your welcome to look at my bumper anytime, I dont have the receiver hitch, mines a bumper pull and the bumper is welded to the frame.
 

Duramax_JP

Active member
Jul 3, 2008
1,088
0
36
I have the frontier and i dont think its gonna effect towing any. Its got the cutout for the hitch and i dont think it bumper effects the integrity of the hitch. Id suggest going with this bumper since its not too expensive and from my experience can take a beating. Some lady parked under me on a real steep hill at a restaurant and i backed into her pulling out. It ruined her hood and grill, i cant even find a mark on my bumper though:D
 

LarryJewell

Back with his honey :)
Jan 21, 2007
10,152
0
36
58
San Angelo
I have the frontier and i dont think its gonna effect towing any. Its got the cutout for the hitch and i dont think it bumper effects the integrity of the hitch. Id suggest going with this bumper since its not too expensive and from my experience can take a beating. Some lady parked under me on a real steep hill at a restaurant and SHE backed into me pulling out. It ruined her hood and grill, i cant even find a mark on my bumper though:D


I fixed it for you :hello:
 

TX23

Wanna Race??????
Mar 5, 2008
354
0
0
48
San Angelo, TX
:) You use the bumper knock outs when you have a receiver hitch? Leave the shin busting rhino horn in and tow with it.

Like to help ya out but i don't get it? :)

Sorry to hear about your truck, that sucks. They'll prolly replace your bed if she was going 55!! Did it ding the back of your cab up to bad? Hope not.

Actually, I only use the rhino horn, and haven't taken the knock outs off. However, on a Ranch Hand, Frontier, etc... replacement bumper, some have a cutout at the bottom that will allow the receiver hitch to be utilized where others only have a 8" or 10" drop where you place a ball and tow from that.

These things are made from solid steel plating and/or pipe and are VERY durable, so I'm just trying to figure out if there's a problem towing with the drop bumpers as opposed to the hitch (which is now pushed into my spare tire and exhaust pipe.)

Bed is okay, but the right side is a little creased, and the back of the cab is still in pretty good shape. It's amazing what these trucks can take without really being torn up. I think I've decided on a Ranch Hand drop bumper and I'll do away with the receiver hitch. Seems like bolting it on, and welding it will make it stronger anyway.

Thanks for the info.

JB
 

fordt

Think Done Deals
Jan 3, 2007
377
0
0
43
Vero Beach, FL.
www.abcamping.com
On my Ranchhand drop rear bumper, I still have use of the stock GM 2" receiver. It is however "tucked" back from the bumper plate. So I can't go up with the ball height, only drop hitches. It has not affected my towing since the only tag trailers I tow are boat and airboats, which are all really low.

I will get pic today, because it will affect towing.
 
Last edited:

super diesel

<<<< Under Pressure
I'll get some pics of my Ranch Hand that I've got on with a 10" drop in a hour or so. I intergrated it to the hitch (bolt up). It's one beefy monster now. But I set it up because of the extention I use to pull stuff when I have the camper on and for sled pulling. It's big time stout. The stocker wouldn't never ever even come close to this babies toughness. I like to maximize my safety as mauch as possible reasonably.
 
Last edited:

wikdlmm

<-- OWFA
Jun 27, 2008
1,974
0
0
san angelo
Hey guys, I was hit from the rear this morning by a 1/2 ton Z-71 (she was running about 55mph, and I was at a dead stop), and it totally destroyed my rear bumper, parts of the rear fenders, and the tow hitch. My question is, if you have a rear replacement bumper, how do you feel your towing has been impacted? I've seen the ones that have the cutout for a tow hitch, and I can go that route, but wonder if it makes it any less sturdy.

Any help you guys have to offer would be much appreciated. I need to get this thing in the body shop and back out by two weeks from now when I have to make a trip to Lubbock, and want to have all my ducks in a row.

Thanks,

JB

not to be jacking but are you going to lbk for the dyno day?
 
Last edited:

TX23

Wanna Race??????
Mar 5, 2008
354
0
0
48
San Angelo, TX
not to be jacking but are you going to lbk for the dyno day?

Nah, gotta go to a Texas Tech College of Engineering Job fair to try and recruit some folks.

That would be a blast, but given the time constraints, I'll have to miss out.
 

TX23

Wanna Race??????
Mar 5, 2008
354
0
0
48
San Angelo, TX

Here you go. Hard to see it from these angles, but the bed is slightly creased upward in the middle on both sides. I'm guessing it'll be a little while before I get my truck back, but you never know.
 

Attachments

  • 100_0752.jpg
    100_0752.jpg
    604 KB · Views: 16
  • 100_0753.jpg
    100_0753.jpg
    677.4 KB · Views: 11
  • 100_0754.jpg
    100_0754.jpg
    644.8 KB · Views: 12

super diesel

<<<< Under Pressure
OUCH!!!

I had to order a 12" longer reciever tube from Northern Tool. I just plasma cut the old short one out, and then just welded the new bottom bumper mount plate on to the new tube, bolted it up, and then welded in place to the old hitch. This is one STOUT hook up now.

Oh, by the way. You can do this with a 8" drop, but you will need to do a 2" spacer to get it up to the new bumper. I liked the 10". Lined right up.
 
Last edited:

TX23

Wanna Race??????
Mar 5, 2008
354
0
0
48
San Angelo, TX
Thats not as bad as I thought it would be, Who's doing the body work

Yeah, I actually got pretty lucky. Her truck took the brunt of the hit since she was lower in the front than I was in the rear. I guess on the body work, I have to wait on Progressive(her insurance) to tell me who they'll let me use. With Allsate (my insurance) I could go to anyone in town, but I have never had to deal with the others, so I guess it's a wait and see game for me. :(
 

TX23

Wanna Race??????
Mar 5, 2008
354
0
0
48
San Angelo, TX
OUCH!!!

I had to order a 12" longer reciever tube from Northern Tool. I just plasma cut the old short one out, and then just welded the new bottom bumper mount plate on to the new tube, bolted it up, and then welded in place to the old hitch. This is one STOUT hook up now.

Oh, by the way. You can do this with a 8" drop, but you will need to do a 2" spacer to get it up to the new bumper. I liked the 10". Lined right up.

Looks great. I'll see what the insurance company will allow regarding replacement, and if I have to add a little to it to get what I want, I can do that.
 

LarryJewell

Back with his honey :)
Jan 21, 2007
10,152
0
36
58
San Angelo
Yeah, I actually got pretty lucky. Her truck took the brunt of the hit since she was lower in the front than I was in the rear. I guess on the body work, I have to wait on Progressive(her insurance) to tell me who they'll let me use. With Allsate (my insurance) I could go to anyone in town, but I have never had to deal with the others, so I guess it's a wait and see game for me. :(

I wouldn't let them tell you who to use, you have no ties to that insurance company. If it were me, I'd go get 2 or 3 estimates from the company's I would want to do the work and then tell them who you wnat to use.:D