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xj rear bumper

M

MasterShakeXJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
VA
i recently purchase a jcr rear bumper and it looks pretty good. havent had to use it to pull or get pulled but i dont like the way it sits. it looks good its just not even, and i was only able to install one nut strip, so im not sure about how strong it would be. i was thinking of getting a stock bumper reinstalled and going with a hitch as it may be stronger. not sure though, any thoughts?
 
GettinMuddy said:
i recently purchase a jcr rear bumper and it looks pretty good. havent had to use it to pull or get pulled but i dont like the way it sits. it looks good its just not even, and i was only able to install one nut strip, so im not sure about how strong it would be. i was thinking of getting a stock bumper reinstalled and going with a hitch as it may be stronger. not sure though, any thoughts?
Click to expand...

Well, have you called JCR with your concerns? I guess that would be my first inclination. OTOH, I just might be willing to swap my OEM bumper and hitch for your bumper ;-)
 
no i havent, but i dont think its a problem on their end. theres nothin wrong with the fab. of the bumper, just how i installed it. i think id take it to some sort of shop cuz it was a pain gettin the old one off and the new one on. what year is your xj? just not sure how strong itd be with just one strip.
 
eek, i don't think i'd want to pull on it with only one nutsrip. without that strip for reinforcement there's not really a lot of strength in those "rails". i've seen some nasty looking mangled/torn framerails from people pulling a trailer with a hitch bolted straight on without any nutstrips. but, as they say, "your results may vary". :dunno:
 
yeah i dont wanna take any chances with it, i could only imagine what kind of damage that would cause. it looks good and what not, but to get the other strip on id have to take the whole bumper back off and thread the bolts through, as well as buy different hardware. i think a hitch would be cheaper and a better fit for me since i dont go crazy when i wheel.
 
im with the other guy, one strip is not safe. When I put my hitch on I had no weld nuts in the frame, So I welded a 1in strip of metal with studs on it to the frame, worked great. Anyhow, if you feel like getting rid of the jcr bumper let me know, Va is nto a long drive for me
 
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if i do sell it i need to have a stock bumper off an '01(green preferably) IN MY HANDS before i sell the jcr. any suggestions as to where i could pick one up? junkyard/scrapyard perhaps?
 
Picture958_1.jpg
 
Whats so hard about putting the strips in ? Biggest problem will be having a couple of extra hands around to drop it and put it backup so you can bolt it in.
Consider that not only will you be able to pull with it but how much damage will get done to the ricer who runs into your azz... and if you get a skid plate under there the only thing you may have to do drive off his hood when he goes under.
 
haha yeah i know specially those tabs. it was such a hassle gettin it on in the first place. and with a hitch you can bolt it directly to the frame rail. it does look good though, its annoying that its not straight however. amd theres nothing in between the bumper and the back so its easier for water to get in. maybe i'll switch it out and keep it if i decide to put it back one sometime, cuz i dunno if i really need it cuz i dont do like crazy extreme wheeling. a hitch might be more practical too.
 
GettinMuddy said:
haha yeah i know specially those tabs. it was such a hassle gettin it on in the first place. and with a hitch you can bolt it directly to the frame rail. it does look good though, its annoying that its not straight however. amd theres nothing in between the bumper and the back so its easier for water to get in. maybe i'll switch it out and keep it if i decide to put it back one sometime, cuz i dunno if i really need it cuz i dont do like crazy extreme wheeling. a hitch might be more practical too.
Click to expand...

I'm getting a hitch this weekend. I'll trade ya =D
 
Hitches don't bolt directly to the framerails. They use the same nutstrips. You'd still have to pull the JCR bumper off anyway. Just pull it off, and install it correctly.

Fred
 
I also found that the nutstrip tie ins weren't straight. The right one isn't quite lined up with the frame rail, and while the holes in the tie in bracket matches the holes on the frame rail. The holes to bolt the bracket, and the bumper together don't quite line up.

I hate to say it, but I'm a little consurned with the way it mounts as far as downward pressure strength. I've been thinking of having a bracket made of square tube with a plate on the end to actually bolt the bumper to that will fit in the end of the frame rail (where the nutstrip would go) to tie it all in better. You would have to cut out the end of the rail for it to slide in, and then drill, and tap through the existing holes to the tie in brackets.

EDIT: On that note JCR pulled there 5X10 inclosed utility trailer full of goodies from Kalamazoo, MI to Flat Nasty off road park in Salem, MO with a Stage three, and a 31' tire hanging off it with no problems. So maybe it's nothing to worry about.
 
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I too had a problem with the strips not matching the holes. I drilled the hole that goes to the bumper larger so I could get it to fit. I have never towed with it, but I have hit it hard on some AZ rocks and it has been just fine.
 
Fred said:
Hitches don't bolt directly to the framerails. They use the same nutstrips. You'd still have to pull the JCR bumper off anyway. Just pull it off, and install it correctly.
Fred
Click to expand...

X2, your not saving any work going back to stock.


BTW, where in VA are you?
 
Where in Va are you? I probably have or can get you a green bumper and hitch if you wanna work out a deal for the JCR bumper.
 
northern va. i think i'll try and get that other nutstrip in and see how it looks/feels and go from there. i just dont want serious carnage if i try and pull /get pulled off of it.
i'll keep that in mind azndrgn.
 
Just put my JCR bumper on a few weeks ago and everything lined up really well. My xj already had a nut strip on the passenger side, but none on the drivers side (like many). I plan on doing some towing with it and felt like the actual factory nut strip looked pretty flimsey and I didn't want to just use the supplied bolts and fender washers. I just found some 3/16" flat stock, drilled it for the frame rail holes, and welded on some nuts. Slid them inside the frame rails and bolted it up. Seems pretty solid to me and alot easier than trying to fish around inside there with loose nuts and washers.
 
havent posted about this for a while, but how do you think a hitch would work with my aftermarket bumper? id obviously need to just mount the bumper with the factory 8 holes and not use the tie in brackets right?
 
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