Over the next month, DeMello Off-Road will be building a rear bumper for my 3rd gen 4Runner. I've had a few ideas about what I would like to have built into the design, but would appreciate your input. I'm sure Jason and John at DeMello Off-Road have alot of experience, but so does the crew here at Yotatech.

After looking at the DeMello, Rockware, Stout, and RockStomper bumper designs, I've settled on a few items I think will make a good design. I'm shooting for a light (under 120 pounds?), yet strong, functional design for the trails of the Sierra and Santa Cruz mountains.


Possible features:

off center tire rack
ammo can for recovery gear storage (DeMello feature)
back up light(s) - location?
tow receiver
shackle mounts
lighted license plate bracket


Possible design:

3/16" wall steel
Improve on stock departure clearance
Multiple frame attatchment points (DeMello design)
Possible other attatchment points?
Straight sides panels
Spacing between rack and body?
Two locking points for the swing gate (DeMello design)
Power coated


So what do you think I'm lacking in design or features?
What would/did you include for your rig?

DeMello is not currently making a production rear bumper for the 4Runner, so this will be the first one out of the shop. The bumper will run about $1000+ out the door. Good deal?

 

$1,000

It it was me and I had a grand burning a hole in my pocket and needed to cover the back end of my rig I would buy a nice welder $500 some steel $300 and then some welding classed and make one myself. But thats just me.

Then after I messed it up, I'd buy some beer for my neighbor to finish the job for me.

 

Even though I do have some Mig welding experince and would like to get a welder, I don't have the location for one. I've consider installing an on board welder, but that won't happen for awhile. I've got a trip to Canyonlands in April and would like to have the spare up and out of the way to climb Elephant hill.

But your right! That would be the way to go. Then I could build exactly what I want. What do think about the design though?

After contacting Rockware, I thought this was a good deal. They want $1500 and I'd have to drive the 22 hours to Denver to leave the truck with them for the build.

 

First I would seriously consider using tubing for everything and little plate to cut the weight. All the things in your features are doable and will need to be carefully coordinated. I'd include a place to mount your Hi-Lift behind hd the spare tire. You can mount lights and the tag on the sides where the tire is not and possibly in front of the ammo box. I'd make as much as possible removeable so you don't get limited on usability and I wouldn't load it up for everydat use, just on wheeling trips so something doesn't walk off when you park it. IMO powder coating is a wasted expense, buy you a gallon or two of line-x and paint it yourself and then touch-up is easy later on. $1000 is about right for good custom work.

DeMello makes some killer custom stuff so you shouldn't be disappointed regardless.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

You might want to look at some of these threads: (just did a quick search on "rear bumper")

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/any-new-info-out-there-3rd-gen-rear-bumpers-41930/
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/2nd-3rd-gen-bumpers-we-need-them-27852/
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/showthread.php?p=498396
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/hanson-enterprises-3rd-gen-rear-bumper-24446/

Those links should give you some idea of other designs out there and you'll be able to use the ideas from existing bumpers to see what you want.

Good luck!

 

Ooh, this looks interesting.

I too plan on working with Demello on a 3rd gen rear bumper. I've been wanting to for a while, just waiting for the right time now, hopefully 2nd quarter 2005.

I really like the rear bumper BruceTS designed for himself. This one:

Some of the features I want in mine:

-maintain the stock plastic trim
- a hole for exhaust pipe
- backup lights
- two shackle hangers
- hitch
- angled corners

 

price seems in-line with other 3rd gen bumpers out there. demello has cranked out some pretty nifty tacoma rear bumpers with tire carriers that actually replace the tailgate. they were more than $1,000 thought to my knowledge.

 

To name some options I'm thinking about for my bumper that haven't already been mentioned...

Lockable HiLift Holder
Jerry Can Holder
CB antenna mounting point

 

Now this is all just hear say, but the general consensus is that a 3rd Gen frame is not up to the task of holding a rear carrier. You will experience a lot of vibration along with the loss of visibility with the tire taking up most of the rear window.
Again, this is only things I have heard on the web, and Schaefer, Cheese, and SteveO (among others) had them on their rigs and guess what... they took them off for various reasons as I stated above. So it's something to think about.

just my $.02

-Casey

 

Have you thought about the Kaymar? www.man-a-fre.com has them and they are sub $1000.

 

Thanks for the suggestions and ideas.

I hadn't considered using line-x instead of power coating. This is the same stuff used to line beds with? Maintaining the stock plastic trim wasn't something I had considered either.

Mounting the Hi-Lift and CB antenna are great ideas. I'll add them to the list.

Jason DeMello brought up the issue of mounting strength, and plans to mount it to as many locations as possible, including multiple frame locations. It should be beefy. He has fabricated and installed rear bumpers on Tacomas with some issues along these lines. The 4Runner frame is stronger with box steel, so it should be OK?

To maintain visibiltiy out the back, I'm thinking about mounting the tire off center to the left so I can still see over my right shoulder. There is definitely a trade off here, but where else do you put the spare tire? Putting it up top in a rack moves the center of gravity up quite a bit?

 

The rear tire carrier bumpers Demello makes for Tacomas are awesome. Considering the cost of a similar bumper runs around $1800 for a Landcruiser, I'd say you got a good deal.

 

That's been my idea all along! I almost bought a welder about a year ago to start building bumpers and sliders.

 

to build a functional, dependable, strong bumper takes more than a welder and a desire...

 

 

I have to disagree, I have the welder and the desire when I took on my project:My Rear Bumper

The rear frame section isn't as strong as some think, I've seen them crack and they flex quite a bit. Eventually I'll get around to building a tube frame that will bolt onto my bumper that will hold the spare tire.

mtnmuse, Jason should be able to recreate my bumper, I've given him full permission to copy it. Been by his shop a few times, so he could see how it was done.

During my build-up, the decision to go with 11 guage sheetmetal, same as the TJM, instead of 3/16" was to keep the weight down and reduce the chance of the frame bending during an accident. I've beaten it against the rocks on many occasions and only sustained a few minor creases, one occured while going up Sledgehammer in Johnson's Valley , that prevented serious body damage and the other when a came off a ledge and landed hard. It'd take me about 30 minutes with body hammers and a sander to fix them.

I have never had a chance to weight it, but it is lighter than the stock bumper with trailer hitch assembly and can easily be handled by one person.

 

Don't misunderstand. What I meant was that just getting a welder and some steel isn't going to cut it. I have both, but lack the skills required to pull of a funtional, real-world bumper. Hence my comment. I appreciate people like you with the desire. As a matter of fact my rear bumper is being made as we speak(based on yours) and will have pics later today. Thanks BruceTs

 

The key word was desire, with that in mind, anything is possible, but then again being FilthyRich will compensate for any lack of knowledge or skillz

I agree, buying the metal and a welder won't make you a bumper, without the knowledge on how to use it. all this can be learned, I've been welding since I was 15 with my fathers ox/acet set-up. Actually taught myself, through trial and error. One of my first projects was a mini-bike sidecar, had so much fun in that thing. Eventually becomming a body/chassis man on a NASCAR southwest tour team.


Cool! can't wait to see how your bumper turns out, did you give the link to my build-up to the fabricator? Just curious on what he had to say or if he had any problems. Once I take my bumper back off, I need to snap a few more photos, showing the braces that aren't on the site. I just haven't had the time, working 10 to 16 hours a day, 6 days a week. I finally took a day off to get some personal stuff taken care of

 

bruce... lemme know when you do that and update the page. i'd like to get some measurements for some simple cad dwgs as well. once done, i could provide you w/ a copy if needed or post them for public use. i'm looking at probally at least a month out on the possibility of getting one started.

 

Once I take the bumper back off, I'll be able to get some extensive measurments and will post them on my site. Hopefully within the next week or two.