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Dissappointed...for those with Rigidco Rear Bumper - PLEASE READ

W

woodkrawler

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Charlotte, NC
So after waiting since the middle of Jan. i finally got my Rigidco Rear bumper/tire carrier a few weeks ago. The bumper looks great on the XJ and went together without a snag.

However I am a little dissappointed with the tire carrier and the end caps...preferably the amount of Sagg or droop it has when you swing it out. As you guys know with the Bumpers the center portion is extremely strong and solid, however the end caps just bolt right to the 3/16" steel allowing it to flex quite a bit when the tire carrier is open.. from the d-ring tab outward my entire bumper flexes when open, twisting the end cap over a 1/4" inch. I've included some pics so you get the idea. It just doesn't feel very solid when open. Its so flexy that Im afraid my wife or someone will come by and try to sit on it or pull down on it when open and rip the whole end cap, tire and bridge off!

My question to you that are running this bumper does your's do the same thing?

PLEASE note i really like the bumper and Terry is great guy and im not bashing the bumper at all i just want your imput....do i have a bad bumper or is this just the way its going to be? i have tried to contact terry this week multiple times via email and phone but he must be out of town or really busy.

thanks

CLOSED

rearbumper003.jpg


OPEN

rearbumper001.jpg
 
Mine is the same way. I am planning on welding a plate on the back side to box it. Hopefully that will fix it because right now the spare is still on the roof. It flexes quite a bit with the carrier cloed too.
 
I would say thats normal, thats a shitton of wieght to hang out there. I am sure he could totally eliminate that problem but it would require more install work which most customers would bitch about. I have a Durango bumper and tire carrier and it does the same thing. But I understand why..the tire is freaking heavy and its hung way out there when its open. My whole jeep sits crooked when I have my carrier open even.
 
Yeah, I would bet Janel's fat butt would definetly break it off...

I wonder if Cruzin Illusion or 53GUY's flexes with the different style endcaps.. more steel = less flex? (You could also easily add a brace to the unibody w/ this version)

They way it's sitting now there isnt much you can do w/ it to help the problem it's just going to be that way..

Also it's not beasue of the swing out bearing not being tight..

I really would like to know through from Cruzin or Nick is theirs flexes with the wrap around endcaps...


EDIT: Lincoln, I"ll trade you my ARB and a little $$ for it????
 
Last edited:
A formed plate bumper doesn't have the structural rigidity of something like a TJ 2x4 tube bumper, so it is going to have some flex like that, unfortunately. My Liberty rear bumpers "did" the same thing, and my carriers are a short swing arm design and most of my customers run 32's and smaller. To correct the problem, I put a 2x2x3/16" tube from the mount to the carrier spindle receiver welded to the mount and along the bottom side of the top plate of the bumper, and added a plate that bolts to the bumper quarter plate and the rear quarter of the bumper at the wheel well. The extra plate at the wheel well is covered by the fender flares on the KJ, but I'm thinking of Terry made his bumper corners into a full quarter guard like what you already have on your jeep, or like the CRock or Detours, it wouldn't flex anywhere near that much. The more weight you put further from the hinge, the more stress there is going to be. Here is a picture of my rear KJ bumper, which doesn't show the inside structure, but the mount for the bumper is what the shackle tab is welded to. The 2x2x3/16" tube runs from the mount along the top plate to the spindle. The second picture shows the plate that also helps keep the corner from twisting, and is covered by the stock flare when in place. So, maybe Terry will read that I had the same problem, and perhaps be able to use some of my info to strengthen his design to make his awesome looking XJ bumper even better.

100_4193.jpg

100_4200.jpg



Here I mounted up a 35 to test the added reinforcement, and it is many times better than before and shuts a lot easier.

100_4196.jpg
 
GottaBeJeep said:
A formed plate bumper doesn't have the structural rigidity of something like a TJ 2x4 tube bumper, so it is going to have some flex like that, unfortunately. My Liberty rear bumpers "did" the same thing, and my carriers are a short swing arm design and most of my customers run 32's and smaller. To correct the problem, I put a 2x2x3/16" tube from the mount to the carrier spindle receiver welded to the mount and along the bottom side of the top plate of the bumper, and added a plate that bolts to the bumper quarter plate and the rear quarter of the bumper at the wheel well. The extra plate at the wheel well is covered by the fender flares on the KJ, but I'm thinking of Terry made his bumper corners into a full quarter guard like what you already have on your jeep, or like the CRock or Detours, it wouldn't flex anywhere near that much. The more weight you put further from the hinge, the more stress there is going to be. Here is a picture of my rear KJ bumper, which doesn't show the inside structure, but the mount for the bumper is what the shackle tab is welded to. The 2x2x3/16" tube runs from the mount along the top plate to the spindle. The second picture shows the plate that also helps keep the corner from twisting, and is covered by the stock flare when in place. So, maybe Terry will read that I had the same problem, and perhaps be able to use some of my info to strengthen his design to make his awesome looking XJ bumper even better.

100_4193.jpg

100_4200.jpg



Here I mounted up a 35 to test the added reinforcement, and it is many times better than before and shuts a lot easier.

100_4196.jpg
Click to expand...

thanks for the info....

i guess my confusion is terry mentioned he had customers running 37" tire on the carrier, that must sagg like crazy. again i really like the bumper but am just a little dissappointed with the amount of flex.... after multiple conversations it with terry it sounded like they put a ton on design and engineering into it.....but you would think with all the time and design this issue would have been addressed...??


side note: my rocklizardFab front bumper is holding up GREAT!!
 
My 2 cents.

I don't run his rear bumper on my rig. I do run his front. One of the best items I bought for this rig really.

Anyhow, I have yet to see a rear bumper swing that doesn't flex on an XJ. I run a Garvin Wilderness and have modified the rear bulkhead to make it stiffer due to flexing. At the time I was running 31's! Now I'm running 36s and it takes some effort to even get it swong open and closed. The Jeep leans big time also. Par for the couse I guess.
 
One of the problems with mine is the flex even when the tire carrier is closed. If I have my 32" tire on the carrier and hit a big bump in a road I can feel the whole jeep move from it. I have an idea I might put a stop so it can move so much when closed.

Other than that the bumper is great! I towed a Uhaul trailer from MA to CA with the built in hitch receiver with no problem!!!

Kris
 
Onkover said:
Anyhow, I have yet to see a rear bumper swing that doesn't flex on an XJ
Click to expand...

I have run the DetoursUSA bumper with carrier for over 3 years! I have ran 31's and 33's. I get no noticable flex with tireswing open, though I am sure there is a little. I have mounted a 35 on it too see and it is heavy as heck, but looks the same with 33', meaning no noticable flex.

I ahve also kept an eye on the mounting areas for the bumper and they are holding up just fine.

I wanted Terry's bumper, as I run his front, but I did not want to wait. I found Mark at Detours and I have never regretted it!

Here's a pic:
with 33's:
PICT0179.jpg


With 31's:
Flex1.bmp
 
anyone else see the irony? Rigidco/flexes........... anyways, my 35 maxxis hangs just fine from my home built job, no noticeable deflection fully open:
IMG_0121.jpg
 
Well, I love this bumper and I dont believe I will let this affect me buying it. I suppose Ill run 35's and just open the tire holder only when I have to.
 
No flex on my homebuilt either, but I do only run a 32. In saying that a little flex when opening and closing is probably no big deal as long as it's held solid most of the time so fatigue cant set in over time.

Cheers
Steve
 
Steve F said:
No flex on my homebuilt either, but I do only run a 32. In saying that a little flex when opening and closing is probably no big deal as long as it's held solid most of the time so fatigue cant set in over time.

Cheers
Steve
Click to expand...

That's my biggest concern...
 
uncc civilengineer said:
Yeah, I would bet Janel's fat butt would definetly break it off...

I wonder if Cruzin Illusion or 53GUY's flexes with the different style endcaps.. more steel = less flex? (You could also easily add a brace to the unibody w/ this version)

They way it's sitting now there isnt much you can do w/ it to help the problem it's just going to be that way..

Also it's not beasue of the swing out bearing not being tight..

I really would like to know through from Cruzin or Nick is theirs flexes with the wrap around endcaps...


EDIT: Lincoln, I"ll trade you my ARB and a little $$ for it????
Click to expand...

Mine has the same flex on the ends when open. I also get some tire shake (forward and aft) when going down a bumpy road. I thought that portion of the bumper could be improved. But that is alot of hanging weight when the tire carrier is open. I have thought about what could be done for a solution but the only thing I could come up with is rebuild the ends with thicker material and possibly weld on the end caps. I also thought on a design like mine to build a piece that went from the end of the slider portion of the end caps to the uni body. That might reduce the amount of rocking that you get when driving down a bumpy road or trail.
 
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