Rear steel

Looking to possibly do a steel bumper for added protection against distracted drivers. Had a close call tonight and almost got rear ended by a young girl texting on her phone. How do i know, i watched her as she was charging up behind me.

any thoughts and personal choices on the best looking and easy to install rear bumpers? Thx!!

 

Guess no one is running rear steel bumpers on this forum. :-(

 

There is literally an whole section just for armor.

https://www.4runners.com/forums/armor.84/

If you are worried about getting rear ended I just suggest a tow hitch and leave it on. You would be amazed how much less people like to ride your ass when they see that thing.

 

Like @Dillusion said, almost anything sticking outta your hitch will deter people from staying too close…that is, if they’re capable of common sense

something out the hitch all the way to full bumper…small$ upto +/– 4500…

pending on how your gonna get hit(hopefully not but…)

pretty n easy to install might not be what you want, but I get it

read up on how certain bumpers attach to your truck to help understand how they’ll disperse impacts

again like @Dillusion said, whole armor thread is based on the fact there are wayyyy toooo many options that are legit, or just cosmetic bash-me-please junk

side note:
Wish a teeniebopper would tap my rear for a quick insurance check to partially pay for such a bumper n a chance to “educate” this, putting it lightly, lost generation

 

Your bumper is designed to absorb and transfer energy. A "steel" bumper may not.

 

I don't have a steel rear bumper, but only because I can't find one that I like or one that DOES NOT get in the way of the BSM/RCTA system. Instead I have this (and a lot of insurance - including under-uninsured motorist):



When people who aren't paying attention or tailgaters see this, they back off REALLY fast.

 

I have a rhinohitch and that big ass thing seems to deter enough people.

Not that I drive slow on purpose but don't ride my ass when I'm going ~10 over in the right lane.

 

i currently have this tri- hook but that wont stop distracted drivers, but i get it

 

The armor thread has little on rear bumpers, been through it (unless i missed rear armor) that is why I started this thread.

 

i’ll take the hit, but i want the car that hit me to be destroyed for being stupid.

 

I would want both cars to collapse as designed. You never know who is in the car behind you, regardless of how stupid they might seem. I wouldn't want someone to lose life or limb to my 'armor'.

 

i understand, but honestly my priority is protecting my family, passengers and vehicle. I could care less about the idiots around me.

This CBI will do nicely.

 

Ok, but maybe research whether an unforgiving bumper is as safe for the occupants. I believe it's not.

 

Rear bumpers options are generally really expensive. It get’s to a point that replacing the rear bumper cover 3 or 4 times over may make more sense to anyone dragging them.

I’m not sure how well a steel bumper holds up in a rear end collision. I guess it totally depends on its construction and how it structurally ties into the frame rails.

This is a valid point, but I doubt this compares that well to the “cushy” crumple zone of a unibody car. There’s a few inches of impact foam over, and after that, it goes into the rear crossmember. The crossmember looks pretty stout in terms of resisting a hit from something that contacts the entire width of it. It’s gonna hurt before that crossmember starts to deform. But, it’s better than not deforming.

But, if you’re willing to depend on the crush zone of the car hitting you, I can see the reasoning for a steel bumper. A well designed one might protect the frame crossmember from getting bent in more common slow speed collisions. However, I’d be concerned it all goes out the door once you have spare tire swingouts. as I can imagine the body/hatch door will probably take damage in a collision more easily.

Driving around with a hitch installed might scare people off tailgating, but if it gets hit, those forces are concentrated directly on the crossmember, and could cause frame damage that can get a car totaled pretty easy. That said, there are bumper options out there that require the entire crossmember to be cut out lol

 

There is a gazillion manufacturer's listed in the armor section.

I suggest going to each web site and taking a look. Then asking specific questions. Asking which armor is best is going to get everyone "opinion"

 

When you look how old-school SUVs like the 4runner fare in significant rear end collisions, it’s all pretty bleak. You either get cars riding under you and tossing you on your side, or the body takes most of the hit (which are weaker than a unibody), or you might get lucky and the collision fully engages the rear crossmember and gives you a little bit of energy absorption. If I were a betting man, a strong rear bumper will make one of those situations worse…and that’s if the bumper get’s fully engaged by the colliding vehicle. There would be very little energy absorption in that case, and it would hurt! The best way to keep passengers safe in a 4runner is to drive defensively, like you would on a motorcycle. In other words, driving as if you have “sub par” crash protection.

 

Front to Rear:

Nguyen Works
Coastal Offroad
Brute Force Fab

 

The hitch punches a hole in the front end of the vehicle that hit you, and it pushes the rear cross member down. A stinger is a bad idea.

 

well thats what I want, “everyones opinion”.

 

Good luck and happy shopping. I do like the CBI bumper even though I don't have one.

 

I would love to do the Victory 4x4 bumper, just the bumper alone and not the carrier, but too pricy for me right now. Also, the install seems like a pain for a solo guy.

 

i spied that one as well. Not too shabby.