Thoughts on Body Armor Desert Series Rear Bumper

Hi Guys,
Recently got into a rear bumper accident and looking into other alternatives besides the oem. Stumbled across this bumper by Body Armor, dig the styling and installation seemed pretty simple enough. Noticed there was no license plate lighting space and curious on if anyone has experienced with this product and what their thoughts are, along with a solution for the license plate lights

Body Armor 4x4 Tacoma Desert Series Rear Bumper TC-2962 (16-23 Tacoma) - Free Shipping (extremeterrain.com)
Thanks,

 

Did you ever find anything out? I am looking at this same bumper right now and not liking the idea of cutting the factory harness for a license plate light.

 

Like I said I have this bumper. It was a breeze to install and I used license plate lights that act as screws for the plate. Yes I had to splice the wires but for me that wasn't a big deal.

 

I'm not comfortable splicing wires. Sorry didn't realize this was your post, you did reply on the what have you done to your 3rd gen today thread.

I have been trying to find a plug and play adapter of some sort to no avail.

 

I can do a plate light T or feed, no big deal. I have a bumper without plate lights myself. The kinda imperfect part for me is I am running the harness through the hitch receiver right now which is kinda janky. Figure if I were towing the plate won’t be visible as it’d be flipped up and obscured so I’d just disconnect it for that.

Another option could be simple feeds off the plate bulb adapters. I went with the intercept as I have no BSM so I could use a direct feed instead of a T.

 

I don't have BSM on my truck either. But everything else you said above is like reading German to me. I just don't understand it. Lol

I'm not a complete idiot, I did install my auto tail gate lock, but it was plug and play. Totally not comfortable cutting into wires.

How much would something like this cost?
Was hoping to be able just use the same lights SomeTacoDude mentioned.


Or find something that would work in this hole beside the plate.



Thanks

 

Those plate lights are what I use.

I did click through and noticed the hole after I posted. That helps with routing but it’ll show the wire vs through the receiver which is hidden by a flip up plate bracket.

the only two decisions are:

1. plate intercept (4 way connector) or bulb adapters (two 2 way connectors where the bulb bases connect to wires
2. Length (since I don’t have this exact bumper you’d have to tell me how long.

I went with the intercept since these plate stud lights have small gauge wire so it made sense to marry up the L and R into a single crimp.

price wise, $30 would be the general ballpark for whatever solution, but it’s important to understand the options.

It’s basically this (same connector)

https://fbchs.square.site/product/t...namics-ss3-backlight-parking-light-harness/41

for the two feeds off the bulb adapters or the long end of this for a plate intercept T or feed:

https://fbchs.square.site/product/taco-3g-dir/2

 

I haven't bought the bumper yet so I don't know the length. Thanks for your help, when I get it I will hit you up!

 

I don't have this one, but my 3-4 year old Body Armor bumper rusts ever year from (I guess) a shitty powder coating job. Still love and touch it up every spring. It has the license light holes, so that isn't an issue, however the the trailer plug is slightly in a different space than the oem bumper, hence the factory wiring doesn't reach.

I will have to add an extension one of these days, something like this.

$28 CURT 55384 Replacement Vehicle-Side Custom USCAR 4-Pin Trailer Wiring Harness, Black, 6 x 3 x 9"es

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009FJ38Q?_encoding=UTF8

But saying all that, I am happy to have it, especially when Mall Crawling!

 

Alternatively the VLED LPR / LPX w universal harness can work for the needed extension. For those who might want more bling.

 

I have the BA desert series bumper. I used the bolts with the lights in them mentioned above. I've had the bumper about 3years, I think, and I really love it. Light weight but solid as can be and I just love the way it looks.

 

I really like the look and weight of this bumper too and it's on sale right now.
@CaptainBart45 did you have to cut and splice the wiring for the license plate lights?
That is the only thing holding me back from dropping the hammer on buying it.

 

I did have to splice the wire going to the license plate light to wire up the "bolt lights." I just used a lineman's splice and some shrink tubing.

 

Here's what I did, only I used liquid electrical tape first, then once it dried put heat shrink tube over it.

https://youtu.be/f0Gierk4SCw?si=jSovA7hZxVBv2Kp9

 

I think it would look better without the corners

 

I talked myself out of buying a bumper, decided it was more of a want than a need.