Custom Front & Rear Bumper with Spare Tire & Gas Cans

[Stan@FourWheel]

Here is a good link if you want or need a custom bumper made for your truck & camper.

We saw several vehicles at the Expo show with his bumpers on them.

He does really good work !

All aluminum, very light weight, custom designs available.

Aluminess Products, Inc.
9402 Wheatlands Ct #A
Santee, CA 92071
Phone: 619-449-9930
Fax: 619-449-9932

http://www.aluminess.com





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[Stan@FourWheel]

Pictures (part 2)

Pictures (part 2)

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

Pictures (part 3)

Pictures (part 3)

 

[CJ8Rockcrawler]

Those are pretty sweet... I'll have to check them out. Thanks for sharing.

Kyle

 

[DirtyDog]

I really like the looks of those rear bumpers. Two questions - is it legal in most states to carry fuel on the rear bumper, and wouldn't you have to disassemble the rear bumper attachments to remove the camper (so that the jacks could clear)?

 

[Scootr74]

These are sweet.

I went with a good friend who had front and rear bumpers put on his SMB just last year. They were super light (I could pick up either bumper by myself) and pretty easy to install with two people. Keep in mind they are NOT cheap - buddy paid close to $5500 for front + rear + boxes + ladder. But if you have the means they do make a great product.

 

[keith]

I have a buddy who has these bumpers on an Expedition and I must say they do look great. He has had some problems with the rear. Both the part that bolts to the truck and also the swing out hinges. I'll have to check on the details. I'm pretty sure he's happy whith the customer service. Hopefully they have taken steps to beef up the parts that failed as needed. I think the hinges are a shoulder bolt, so it would be easy to remove the swingouts to remove the camper.

DD, a lot of jeeps out there are carrying jerry cans (I have in the past) and have never been hasseled and have never heard of anyone getting hasseled.

 

[brett13]

Pictures (part 2)

What's that high lift holder under the camper hangover off the side?

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

It was something the customer had made, or made himself, not sure ?

Pretty tight clearances between the jack and the side of the truck bed.

Sharp customer though, very creative mind for thinking up new ideas.



These are the only pictures I got of it ...


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What's that high lift holder under the camper hangover off the side?



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[pods8]

Whats this upper vent cover, which I assume is the fridge?

 

[brett13]

It was something the customer had made, or made himself, not sure ?

Pretty tight clearances between the jack and the side of the truck bed.

Sharp customer though, very creative mind for thinking up new ideas.



These are the only pictures I got of it ...


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Is it ok for 50# to hang off the side of the camper like that? I imagine it stresses the camper frame a bit more? Maybe its no big deal?

 

[chnlisle]

I'm reminded of Pat's bumper. Granted his was steel but you start putting all that stuff on even aluminum and somethings gonna go south on a bumpy road.

 

[EdoHart]

I'm reminded of Pat's bumper. Granted his was steel but you start putting all that stuff on even aluminum and somethings gonna go south on a bumpy road.

Yeah, and the way aluminum fails, it appears to break all at once. Because aluminum is fairly rigid, it develops many micro fractures around the point of stress, until enough damage is done that suddenly a break appears. Steal on the other hand is somewhat mailable, therefore it will usually develop one break at the stress point, which will continue to grow. This can at least provide some visual warning that a break is imminent.

 

[chnlisle]

Well said Ed. Thats why I like steel wheels. They can beat beaten back into submission. Even T-6 will fail with enough washboard fatigue.

 

[Aluminess]

Just a quick note for those of you who had a question about the Aluminum and potential failures. Aluminum does not like fatigue that is why design is so important along with the quality of workmanship. We have been making these products since 2001 and they have been used extensively off-road in Moab, Colorado and Mexico. We have customers available for references or it may be easier to check out www.sportsmobileforum.com where many customers discuss our products. There are a lot of good quality products and steel is an excellent material for many applications. Our approach in making lighter weight aluminum bumpers and accessories was to maintain the best possible performance with regard to suspension, alignment and brakes. We appreciate all the support and comments that help us make better products for the off-road community!

 

[chnlisle]

Aluminess,
Thanks for your reply. I am questioning hanging all that extra weight on the bumpers. If steel fails with jerry cans, tools, and any number of other toys on the bumper what is to keep aluminum from failing and sooner rather than later?

 

[EdoHart]

That's my concern too.

Aluminess,
Thanks for your reply. I am questioning hanging all that extra weight on the bumpers. If steel fails with jerry cans, tools, and any number of other toys on the bumper what is to keep aluminum from failing and sooner rather than later?

I have no experience with Aluminess products and I hope my comments weren't interpreted to mean they aren't a worthy addition to a truck. Like Jay, I wonder about hanging that much weight on the bumpers. I had an aluminum bicycle that failed much as I described. I still have my older Specialized, Rock Hopper, built of chromium-molybdenum, bicycle which I haven't been able to break after more than 23 years. The first 10 years it saw very rough service, the last ten years, it's seen too little service.

Our trucks are a little different from a Sports Mobile in that we take our tailgate off in order to mount the camper. I have thought about building a custom bumper that uses the stock bumper mounting locations on the frame, as well as, the tailgate hinge and latch tabs in the bed of the truck to help spread the stress.

 

[chnlisle]

OOPS Y'Got Me Ed

My road bike is a 20 yo klein. I love this frame and I have had plenty including deRosa, Giro, Pinarello and CIOCC. It weighs about 17 lbs with the new carbon fork and cranks. I had the BB tapped to accept a regular set up since the old Klein stuff was pressed in. This bike has well over 10,000 miles on it and was raced for 10 years. My mt bike is also an old non suspension Klein. The dif being the weight is not cantilevered on the bike like it is on a bumper. On a bike the weight sits directly over the seat tube and is suspended between the axles. And I tip the scales around 270. Also I believe tubing can take more abuse than bar or plate.

Having said all that I have seen aluminum chain stays break at the BB welds when ridden a lot of miles by very strong guys crunching big gears. You can actually see the frame flex and its common under those circumstances to flex a gear. That is shift a gear from flexing the frame.

And Now I'm guessing that was TMI. And since I'm not buying new bumpers anyway this is another way of mentally abusing myself.

 

[Phird05]

chnisle,

I just had to respond when I saw DeRosa in your last post. I am still riding my circa 1988 DeRosa. A second set of wheels and a couple transmissions later, it still rides like a dream. I was a USCF cat. 3 rider in the 80's & early 90's. Mainly raced in Colorado, but made it to a few surrounding states as well. Now I ride on the road a couple days a week with some local folks. I too have an old Klein "rascal". I don't ride that any longer, I ride a Gary Fischer "Big Sur". Anyway, I just don't hear about the old DeRosa's much anymore so I just thought I would let you know there is still someone out there who is still riding one......and enjoying it.

Good Riding

Paul

 

[mtn-high]

I don't ride much anymore (but should) but am the owner (2nd owner) of a 1971 Frejus Campione De Mundo....all vintage Campy Neuvo Record, 531 Columbus with all chrome lugs....fiamme rims/etc. I bought it for $225 when I was 13 and raced for 3 years. I can flex that frame sideways a good half-inch if I get on it (or could!) I also have an old '86 Stumpjumper...pre-suspension with the Biopace cranks.

My son works Summers in the local bike shop and bought an all carbon Orbea last year. WOW....incredibly light stuff. Makes my Frejus feel like a brick. Dat carbon is amazin stuff....but holy crap...it ain't cheap!

When I was racing Colnago, Bianchi, Eddy Merckx, Schwinn Paramount, Fiorelli (my brother had one of these), Gitane were the big names......

ah...youth....