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Originally Posted by theesotericone
Guess that answers the question about after-market steel bumpers and impacts. I can't believe that's all the damage that you got. Rad.
Does the swing out still swing freely and level through it's range of motion? If so I wouldn't even bother with a new swing arm. Just cut off the tire carrier. Have it plated and re-welded in the correct position. Any decent welder could do that in under an hour.
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I am sure that the extra tire volume of a 315/75/16 spare helped play a part in absorbing energy, but the bumper, hell, mostly the swing out ate that other vehicle like a champ! In my mind, I thought that if I ever got rear ended, I didn't want it to be a truck or other high-contacting vehicle that would be level with my swing out, (the least supported part of the bumper.). I figured that a sports car would hit the more stout main bumper portion and I'd be better off. I am not sure how fast he was going when he hit me, but he wasn't crawling along. Like I said, I didn't hear any brakes or tire screeching.
The anchor points for the swing out are just the hinge and the latch / handle peg. That's it! Not to mention the rectangular body of my particular 4X Innovations swing-out only flexed enough to push one of the table latches, (I removed the actual drop-down table after the noise annoyed me), ever so slightly into the rear hatch.
I'd say it did a pretty damn good job. It might have been different if it was a heavier / higher sitting vehicle. I am running 861 springs and a 1" BL, so my runner isn't exactly a low-rider. Something like a F150 would have done more damage. I'm glad this dude that hit me without insurance couldn't afford an F150. LOL.
I might have to look into possibly just getting the part rewelded. Maybe I'd want it raised up an inch or two. We'll see what insurance says after they get the quote.
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Originally Posted by Blue109
Id like to thank you for this post as my wife has been minorly rear-ended 3 times in the last few years and me once in my pathfinder. She gets anxiety driving on the highway and is afraid to drive my runner anywhere during normal traffic hours because she knows its my baby and is afraid to get it smashed. This post has her thinking a nice set of bumpers could be a good investment ;)
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I really think they are a great investment. I am a believer in vehicle armor. Bumpers and rock sliders offer some piece of mind that other people's stupidity has consequences. I love coming out from the grocery store and seeing a new, thin vertical scratch on my sliders where someone flung their door open and left a bit of their door paint on my sliders. Serves you right A-hole. LOL. If I only had a stock rear bumper, my vehicle would probably not be drivable. The stock bumpers don't do anything. The rear stock bumper is the worst. It's only connected to the body and really is only cosmetic.
The best thing that stock runners have going for it is the stock or aftermarket rear hitch. The rear hitch IS stout and IS connected to the frame. In essence, the rear hitch IS your bumper. I wouldn't take that thing off unless you had a rear offroad bumper. But... Even the hitch alone would not have saved me it this type of collision. That bumper and tire carrier saved the day.