Rear Bumper options?

I searched around a little but have not found the information I need.

I recently upgraded to 255/85R16s on my 2008 Tacoma TRD with slight lift from Bilstein 5100s and AAL pack in rear.
All that works great.

However the full size 255/85R16 spare does not fit in the standard spare tire spot under the rear part of the bed.

I can cram it in there but it is touching the rear axle and the heat shield near the exhaust.
Needless to say that is a no go.

The truck does have the tow package and it looks like removing the factory tow hitch would free up enough space to fit the full size spare.

I was thinking that replacing the rear bumper with one with an integrated receiver hitch would give the room needed.

I am looking for a bumper that does not add any length to the truck. I already have less than an inch clearance to close the garage door.

Anyone have a similar situation? other solutions?
Any recommendations on aftermarket or custom rear bumpers?

I would prefer not to have a bumper mount spare tire carrier as that would add additional length. And be in the way accessing the back of the truck.

Right now I have the full size spare strapped down in the back of the truck. but it takes up a lot of room.

I could use one of my old 265/75R16s as a emergency spare to limp to the closest tire shop.

 

This is what I am thinking about...

.C4 TACOMA OVERLAND REAR BUMPER / 2ND GEN / 2005-2015

 

I like the 4xinnovation bumper plus they are not that far away and I would save on shipping. Honestly some of the bumper look the same so I would just buy one from a shop that is close to you.

 

Axle is in the front. Can't change that.
Exhaust is on the right. That you haven't cut shorter. You can put exhaust wrap on it.
Leaf spring hanger is on the left. That you haven't replaced with Archive Hammer Hangers yet that would remove the spare tire space anyway if you get them with the cross brace bar.

Hitch is to the rear.
If the ratcheting cable box pulling the spare up to hold it is not moved, you still have all those things to the sides and up front being close.

This is why people get swingout rear bumpers for 35" and bigger to mount, if not mounting elsewhere.
Whether the bumper is swingout, or you weld on a swingout later, or a Coastal DIY plate kit where you weld it all with one.

Consensus is that many people have shoved 33" in the stock location through one effort or another, including bending or cutting the mount tabs.

 

Indeed, I had a 255/85/16 Maxxis MT in there for quite awhile but have recently been running a 285/75/16 AT in there now. No real problems getting either to fit... the key is that when you are lifting the tire into place with the chain, you have to help guide the tire into place otherwise it can catch on tabs and come out in a wonky position. Mine rides against the heat shield ever so slightly and if I completely case my rear end I can get the diff pumpkin to barely touch the tire but in 99% of scenarios it is good to go. I honestly don't know how bad it is to let a tire stay against a hot exhaust heat shield but my SUVs stock setup has the spare even tighter against its heatshield and the tires haven't experienced anything bad from it 20k miles later... I do rotate my spare in every couple oil changes so maybe that makes a difference?

You definitely should not have to change your rear bumper to get a 33 to fit in the spare location.

 

I currently have a 255/80/17 on mines with no issue. If you move the spare tire hoist it'll fit perfectly.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/relocating-the-spare-tire-bracket.558723/

 

looks like that company did a blatant rip-off of Warfab’s Phantom rear bumper design

except they made it uglier and shittier
but for the same price

 

Thanks for the options.

I have been thinking about getting a rear bumper anyway. Just need a good reason and see what the options and costs are.

For $1K plus tax and shipping I probably can look at local fab shops and see what they can do.

 

I'm pretty sure with a $1000 budget you could buy all the tools and bare steel needed to make this yourself

 

I'm seriously considering this one as well, but I'd like to hear more personal experiences with it.

 

anybody have this bumper yet? curious on what peoples thoughts are.

 

Agree... but at some point I have decided that my time is worth something as well. 1k is cheap for alleviating the stress of fabricating my own...

 

Indeed, same here, which is why I got a Brute Force Fab, for the money cannot be beat

 

Lol yes, I love Donut Media. I have tons of steel bending experience, and that really hurt to watch them struggle so badly. It's not that complicated. But props to them for giving it a go. It actually took them 4 days to do what they did.

 

Do you have a trailer hitch installed? I think that is what is taking up room to shift the spare toward the rear away from the Axel / Differential.

 

Yesr. Its the OEM tow package. Its hard to get decent pictures down there but you can see roughly how it is situated. A rough view of the rear of the diff to the front of the tire clearance is shown also. Like I said, it will contact it barely if the suspension is fully compressed.

 

Get a coastal offroad weld together rear bumper
https://www.coastaloffroad.com/product-page/2nd-gen-tacoma-high-clearance-rear-bumper/

 

Thanks for the options. I will attempt to cram in it in there tomorrow and get some pics to see where the problems are.

hopefully I don't need to go this far. I am more thinking of the replacing the tow package and rear bumper vs Exhaust swap.

Fitting a 33" Spare - aka 2012+ Exhaust Swap | Tacoma World