Rear frame mounted tow hooks?

I’ve never been a fan of armor over plastic. It’s like the front bull bars, you run into something which smashes the bar and pushes into the plastic bumper and breaks that, too.

I’m also not a fan of all the safety features on an off road vehicle, really defeats the purpose and more electronic parts to stop working in a few years.

Again, no disrespect to the OP, just letting everyone know what I’ve seen and spent a ton of money on wasteful mods in my time.

 

No offense taken. Just trying to be honest with myself with this "build." It's an Off Road, sure. But most of the time, it will be rolling on pavement. My wife drives it as well and 2 kids--yep, safety features are welcome and justified. It's interesting you say parts will stop working in a few years. This isn't FCA made product. No Toyota I've owned with auto climate control, sonar, etc. has ever stopped working. Even after 200k miles. Knock on wood.

We'll be seeing plenty of dirt in southern Utah, which we like to do throughout the year. Look, I've done builds already with lifts, 33's, sliders, etc. I have a ton of miles exploring the deep backcountry roads in the southwest. I think I've got a really good idea of what I really need for the areas we go. I really don't need to be armored up head to toe--we're not tackling Metal Bender or Rubicon. Just a slight lift (OME), 32" A/T's, and maybe sliders, and I'm good. The concern, and the purpose of this thread, is there are places where my tail would probably drag. It's to mitigate damage in those instances. As I said in the OP, I will be using something like a Skidmark hitch skid plate. I am looking to protect the area where the BSM sensor sits. I may have to go custom or modify that Avid OR bar.

 

I’d go custom it’s most likely worth it. Plastic just doesn’t hold up. The armor to protect the plastic bumper may cost the same as an aftermarket bumper.

After I bought my truck I backed into some bushes (as in soft shrubs) and scratched up the plastic bumper end piece and almost tore it off. Couldn’t believe it. That’s when I bought the aftermarket metal bumper. Plus you can get welded shackle mounts and still have a 2” hitch for everything imaginable.

 

I realize that, but I don't want to lose BSM. Cost is not the issue. Again, I'm not bushwacking or rock crawling. Been there, done that. The bumper cover itself will be fine, except on some rocky ledges. I've been able to successfully avoid scuffing up or tearing off the bumper in the past. Adding extra protection will just ease my mind as we wander the roads.

 

Sounds like a plan

 

Its a travesty that Skidmark product is red.... should be brown. duh.

 

I get you completely. BSM is a very nice feature on the highway. Little lights when I check my mirrors to tell me "Yup something's here" are great. I don't have the parking sensor on, I don't like the beeping as I backup I can use my mirrors and backup cam, however the alert BEEP from the BSM when backing has alerted to me of cars or people coming when backing out of a somewhere before I could see them. (Imagine backing out of a parking spot next to a cargo van. You can't see some kid coming at you from that side, but the BSM can.)

 

How has this gone for two pages without someone mentioning C4 Fab?

https://www.c4fabrication.com/produ...erland-series-rear-bumper-system-bsm-support/

/thread

 

Sigh. It was already alluded to. Search under that manuf. People are reporting finicky performance. I even called them and they admitted that it is a hard piece of equipment to integrate.

 

Yup. Ton of kids around, and with a long truck (compared to the wife's car anyway), it is helpful, especially when she takes the wheel.

I may ask a custom fabricator to weld something like the Skid mark together. Bolt it up to the frame, where the hitch is mounted to. Something like that to either side.

 

Looks like this post is pretty old now, but it looks like that aftermarket bumper has holes drilled in it to put the BSM sensors. And it looks like the controller is bolt on, so you can just move it to the back of the bumper and bolt it in wherever you can fit it, where the wires still reach. Worse case bolt to the bottom of the bed. Doesn't seem like it would be a big deal. What did you end up doing...asking from 3 years in the future, and possibly doing myself whenever I get an excuse to.

 

Did you read the bumper manufacture's web page?

Brand: Fab Fours
Part Number: TT16-W3651-1
Product Type: Rear Bumper
Vehicle Fitment: Toyota Tacoma 2016-2022
Condition: New
Note: Includes sensor holes
Note: Blind Spot Monitoring will not work

The holes you are referring to are for back up sonar sensors, not BSM (Blind Spot Monitoring). See the note in bold in the sentence above...

 

Bummer. I wonder if now 3 years later there is a BSM compatible rear steel bumper, now there is so much support for the 3rd gen. I can imagine that sonar doesn't penetrate through a steel bumper all too good, so that might not be feasible. Anyone find one?

 

Whoa whats this

 

OP, correct me if I'm wrong, but you are just wanting to protect the sensor, right?

If thats the case you could look into getting a couple custom wiring harness made and moving the mounting point for each side. Move the sensor in to the rear fender area.

Again, you mentioned it being highly calibrated and very finicky, so not sure how well that would work, but a couple wiring harnesses would be alot cheaper than a whole new bumper

 

Supreme Suspensions makes a Hitch skid plate with Tow shackles (Amazon Prime -$159.00) has a step too..T
Protects the bumper and hitch …
Only thing is I had to drill out the inside hole to flush mounted the Hitch skid plate…

heavy duty for sure…great for Tacoma with long beds… got one on my 2019 Tacoma TRD off road…

skid plate will not protect the ends of the bumpers…but it protect the center and hopefully as it slides..because it sit below the hitch ( skid) it will lift the bottom of bumper higher…as it slides…
The hitch skid plates does have a hole to install one shackle…easy to reach and will not drag on the ground!
Aloha