Rear bumper with hitch or bumber with hitch and spare tire carrier?

[Redsoxski]

Hi - need some advice once again. I need to add a receiver hitch to my 06 TJ and I'm thinking of getting one that's integrated into a rear bumper. A lot of choices - some come with just the bumper/hitch and some come with the bumper/hitch/spare tire mount and I don't know which version to get. Right now I'm stock but will eventually be increasing tire size (32" - 33" max). If I go to the bigger tires will I be able to use my factory spare mount or will I have to end up getting a different mount? Thanks...

 

[JeepMonkey]

LOD Off-Road. That's where I got my bumper/tire carrier/hitch. It's held up pretty stout so far. No rattles. Doesn't sag. Little bit heavy I think since it has sagged the rear just a hair, but that won't matter when I put the winch on the front. Plus, if it were lightweight it probably would be crap.

http://www.lodoffroad.com/Xpedition-tire-carrier-rear-bumper.htm

This is the exact model I have. Gas cans and ice-chest rack included!

 

[jfrabat]

Hi - need some advice once again. I need to add a receiver hitch to my 06 TJ and I'm thinking of getting one that's integrated into a rear bumper. A lot of choices - some come with just the bumper/hitch and some come with the bumper/hitch/spare tire mount and I don't know which version to get. Right now I'm stock but will eventually be increasing tire size (32" - 33" max). If I go to the bigger tires will I be able to use my factory spare mount or will I have to end up getting a different mount? Thanks...

I have seen lots of people hanging their 33's on the stock carrier without much problems. You just gotta make sure that the tire presses firmly into the stock carrier's bumpstops so that it will not rattle. If you are planning to go bigger than 33's, however, then you do need a tire carrier.

I am also planning on going to 33's (I currently run 31's, and will keep those until they wear out), and I plan to keep the stock carrier and use the Best Top High Rock 4X4 rear bumper because it includes the welded D-Ring tabs as well as the integrated hitch receiver into the bumper itself (so you do not loose any ground clearance on the departure) and allows for towing up to 4,000 lbs. (while running for $300 in 4wd.com). Investmentwise, the tire carriers are MUCH more expensive than getting only a rear bumper with a hitch receiver.

Just my 2 cents... Oh, and does anyone own this bumper? Comments on it?

 

[jps4jeep]

Garvin industries wilderness bumper, you pay a little more, but the fit, finish, and quality is amazing. I have driven mine into rocks trees you name it... still looks good. finish is pretty strong for what i do to it.

 

[Redsoxski]

Thanks for the suggestions. What I was really after though is why do folks pay the xtra $$ to get a bumper with an attached tire mount as opposed to just getting a bumper without the mount as JFRABAT is thinking of doing. I'm guessing it might have something to do with the weight of the bigger tires and the factory tire mount not being able to handle the xtra weight but I don't know for sure. Experts??

 

[JeepMonkey]

Thanks for the suggestions. What I was really after though is why do folks pay the xtra $$ to get a bumper with an attached tire mount as opposed to just getting a bumper without the mount as JFRABAT is thinking of doing. I'm guessing it might have something to do with the weight of the bigger tires and the factory tire mount not being able to handle the xtra weight but I don't know for sure. Experts??

Departure angle clearance. Before I bought the carrier/bumper/hitch combo I had a seperate hitch that bolted to the frame under the bumper. While rock crawling I was always draggin it over the rocks and whatnot. If I was coming down off a rock too fast I'd know when it hit because it would sound/feel like I was rear-ended.
Now that I have the combo set-up I have more clearance. I have yet to even come close to hitting the bumper while wheeling.

 

[jfrabat]

Thanks for the suggestions. What I was really after though is why do folks pay the xtra $$ to get a bumper with an attached tire mount as opposed to just getting a bumper without the mount as JFRABAT is thinking of doing. I'm guessing it might have something to do with the weight of the bigger tires and the factory tire mount not being able to handle the xtra weight but I don't know for sure. Experts??

Also, larger tires can wreak havoc on the on the tailgate because (1) they wiegh more, and (2) when you use a wheel with a different backspacing, the tire does not make contact with the rubber bumpstops on the tailgate, increasing vibration on the spare tire, which eventually leads to everything either becoming loose or breakage. But you can still use a stock carrier for a 33" tire from what I have seen without much issues. If you go larger, though, you should get a tire carrier.

Felipe