what's the best plate rear bumper?

Which one is the best and why?

Aluminess looks the best but I'm not 100% sure...


why?
-upgraded reverse lighting
-stock tow hitch compatability
-minimal weight change due to light aluminum
-larger flat surface for standing on (maybe can add grip tape)
-might still have crumple zone in big crashes but is hopefully strong enough to hold up to parking lot love taps
-hopefully can still be welded and repaired as needed with time, despite added difficulty of skill required to weld aluminum
-protrudes farther out, to protect other truck parts (such as trunk lid) from impacts
-already comes powder coated

 

I love my Aluminum Pelfreybilt with integrated hitch. Obviously they aren't around anymore. I hunted for it for a few years on the used market.

 

+1 for the forbidden Pelfrey. I love it.



You don't want aluminum for a rear (does anybody even make one?). A steel aftermarket bumper is actually a few lbs lighter than the stock bumper (w/ tow) - so it's not like you need to save weight.

I believe most/all aftermarket bumpers have a hidden hitch option.

Lots of reputable options out there.

 

I love my steel big country customs rear bumper

 

I was looking into that actually.
So Aluminess claims their bumper is still much stronger than stock, despite only being aluminum.
And while people say aluminum tends to cost way more, their aluminum bumper (without swingouts) seems to be similar to the price of steel.
If anything, they might even have a faster build time. Some bumper build times I've seen project the wait out to about 4 months for it to be made, which seems like a lot.

Originally wanted an aluminum Pelfreybilt because they look good, until learning the company no longer exists.
Searched the forum classifieds up to 2 months back posting date, and didn't see any.

Recently saw a few posts about weight:
-one said stock bumper setup is 89lbs, with a portion of that coming from the hitch/tow package
and some of these steel ones that integrate a new hitch with them (not all of them do) are a similar weight if not lighter, with ATHfab's claiming to be 85lbs for example

Am scared that steel could transmit more impact force and damage to the frame in a collision (possibly bending it) vs. aluminum,
and I don't know how insurance companies would argue such a thing,
for example, what if somebody else crashes into your truck and totals it,
but then insurance(s) notice a steel aftermarket bumper and start trying to argue that technically you caused the damage to your truck with the bumper, because it would not have bent the frame with a stock bumper that's weaker and crumples more

 

I am not an engineer, but the stock steel bumper on 2nd gens does not seem to be designed to absorb impact, that role being instead taken up by the rear frame where the bumper mounts. I looked at many salvage title tacomas before I bought mine, and the majority of ones that were involved in rear end collisions simply had the rear frame bent down (usually leading to the truck being totaled due to high cost of frame replacement/liability of frame repair). On mine, which I repaired after a low speed rear end collision, the bumper itself was basically untouched. Again this is an unprofessional opinion based on observation, so an auto body pro may have more insight.

 

You may be right

for a truck valued around $17k, I'm surprised insurances write them off for bent frames when frames are a thing that Toyota replaced for free due to rust for years
Hopefully a frame is only $4-5k, and maybe it's the hourly cost of labor (when paying a body shop to install it) that raises the total cost significantly closer to ACV (Actual Cash Value)

Not even sure how ACV works or why it is the way it is with Tacoma's,
You'd think if you bought a Tacoma for $17k that holds it's value and has others for $17k listed for sale, that insurance isn't going to hit you up with a "well the ACV is lower" line, but they do
despite good maintenance and little miles put on it
Not sure if it's just some trick they use to reduce total payouts
Would suck to be paid lower amount than the truck value and still owe money on it, because of "ACV"
Not sure how gap insurance works or if it can even be obtained on used vehicles (I heard it can't)
a bit off topic here, sorry