2016 TBS Bumper size

[charleschapman]

Our 4x4 bumper was done at the factory and not the dealer. BTW the I have driven over a 1000 miles with bikes attached and haven't had an issue.

[pinstriper]

[quote source="/post/24537/thread" author="@charleschapman" timestamp="1473547782"]Our 4x4 bumper was done at the factory and not the dealer. BTW the I have driven over a 1000 miles with bikes attached and haven't had an issue.[/quote]This ^^^^^ is the correct way to address the need for rear bumper carrier.

[jimt]

OK it is hard to explain what has been done and I did my best with images to show what's been done.
Bottom line this thing is going to hold more weight than I ever thought. The bracket system and welds they came up with are great and well executed. Using the bumper and frame and steal . They put it through some testing with 300lbs of weight
and pushed down with a tow motor on it too. It did not even start to give. The big guy ( about 350 lbs ) jumped up and down on it and the camper bounced up and down , but the bracket system held firm. You just can tell it is not going to give way.
It was not however cheap. I now have $250 in to it.

Here are the images best I can do with it. Maybe I can do a short video later.
 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/45000801@N03/albums/72157674018993336

Sooner or later I'll figure a way to post images on here. The link to my Flickr account will have to do for now.

Jim T

[admin]

Are those brackets tied into the frame rails? Are any of the welds tied into more than just the bumper? I think this concept has potential I just can't see what it's attached to and as others have shown if it's just the face bumper then it always has a chance of failure.

[pinstriper]

[quote timestamp="1474329438" source="/post/24753/thread" author="@admin"]Are those brackets tied into the frame rails? Are any of the welds tied into more than just the bumper? I think this concept has potential I just can't see what it's attached to and as others have shown if it's just the face bumper then it always has a chance of failure. [/quote]You can't weld aluminum to steel. The frame, bumper and carrier are aluminum, but he showed and mentioned steel straps/plates. To me that's a bolt situation. Which is fine, if sufficiently sized and designed. Can't tell from the photos.

[admin]

[quote source="/post/24753/thread" author="@admin" timestamp="1474329438"]Are those brackets tied into the frame rails? Are any of the welds tied into more than just the bumper? I think this concept has potential I just can't see what it's attached to and as others have shown if it's just the face bumper then it always has a chance of failure.

You can't weld aluminum to steel. The frame, bumper and carrier are aluminum, but he showed and mentioned steel straps/plates. To me that's a bolt situation. Which is fine, if sufficiently sized and designed. Can't tell from the photos.

[/quote]
I assumed the rack frame was a aluminum rack which I hoped was welded to the frame. I did see what looked like the steel brackets bolted to the attachment points which is why I said tied into the frame rather than welded to the frame

[jimt]

All the steel is bolted to the frame and a long running part is bolted to the bumper on the inside and that long part is welded to the part bolted to the frame under the jacks. This in turn makes the bumper even stronger than a double up bumper would be. As I said. It is very hard to explain , but also, so it is clear to all, NO it is not supported in any way buy the bumper. It may look like it , but it is not. It is just a added touch to have welded the bracket to the bumper.  The angle brackets are welded to the long part and as they pass under the bumper 2 bolts were screwed in to the bumper for a more stable support , but not for weight support. The big plate you see is sitting under the jack stands and run past about 3 inches. The jacks were bolted back in place along with 4 more bolts on that plate.
Bottom line the entire rear frame will have to give way now for it to fail. It will never see such weights as to cause that.

Again I saw what this thing can hold in weight and it is way way more than I will ever use it for. 300lbs it held and bounced around easy enough. It will never see more than maybe 125lbs.

It is over kill for what I needed.


Jim T

[jimt]

Another better way to explain it may be this. Think of it as a steel bumper that has been bolted to the frame underneath and on the side of the frame. That bumper is steal and now supports the aluminum bumper and more. A 2nd bumper built in so to speak made of solid steel.

Hope maybe that helps.

Jim T