Towing capacity decrease with aftermarket bumper?

Help! Bought a Pelfrey off-road rear bumper and don't get me wrong it's sexy and functional...but now I want a boat. Any thoughts on how the bumper could have decreased my towing capacity?? Went from tow package to...
http://www.pelfreybilt.com/#!2005-tacoma-rear-standard-plate/cmmw
Did I screw up here??

 

Generally the rear bumpers with hitch weigh about the same as an aftermarket bumper. So what ever extra the difference between the two are has theoretically decreased your towing capacity. Maybe about 10 to 20 lbs with your set up. Really it comes down to your GVWR and curb weight. When you add aftermarket stuff you add to that gvwr which takes away from towing capacity.

I have been fine with my set up and I am heavy with skids and what not.

I think you will be fine with your boat.

EDIT:
You are not adding to the GVWR you are subtracting the extra weight you add on. So if your GVWR is 10,000lbs and you add an extra 200lbs to your vehicle, now your at 9800lbs GVWR

This is to be legal of course and to keep the truck within safe operating conditions based on the factory specification, even thought the number they give is generally conservative.

may want to give this a read if you are very concerned about it.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-tacoma-towing-bible.4031/

 

Yeah, they offer a receiver hidden behind the licence plate, kind of awkward if you trailer a lot. Maybe they can retrofit one to your bumper. I wish their bumper incorporated the stock hitch and the stock plate lights because it looks great.

 

Yea i know the new receiver is behind the plate, it just seems too simple lol. I put the new bumper on so I have more ground clearance in the rear without the stock hitch. I was just kicking around the big bulky hitch and was worried since that thing is giant! Structurally, it uses the same interface as the Pelfrey so it may be fine...but if they really are about equal then why is the stock assembly so much more elaborate?!?

 

I can second the awkwardness of the hidden receiver. However for the amount I use a trailer, its not even a worry. Definitely sucks when hooking up in the snow.

I don't know what you mean with regards to the stock being more elaborate. Its been a long day so sorry if i am missing the obvious.

 

I do not believe any aftermarket bumper hitch combo is rated. If you are pulling heavy things I would say you need a class 3 receiver

 

Call them up, my guess 3,500 max.

 

You have to sell your truck.

 

I figure I'll just scrap the whole thing, not even worth trying to sell ! What good is a truck that can only tow 3500 lbs?!?! Such a tragedy lol

 

there bumper is probably not dot approved, but if it bolts in using the same mounting holes as the hitch I'm sure its plenty strong. My aftermarket bumper has held up fine. It has a main tube just like the stock hitch that is behind the plate that is all gusseted and everything. How do you think they can put recovery point on it....has to be plenty strong in the case of a recovery. Towing shouldn't be a problem.

 

Awkward of you trailer ANY. But that seems to be the way most all of the big manufacturers are doing it. Or they are placing the hitch below the bumper which sort of defeats the high clearance aspect of their product. I've never understood why they don't simply retain the high center hitch penetration and just move the plate to the left or right. Best of both worlds. There was a TW vendor that made one like I described that looked really good but turned out to be a flake.

 

This. The difference is negligible.

 

No.

End of thread.

 

For liability reasons, I doubt you would find any aftermarket rear bumper with an integrated hitch to have a class rating listed and you would shouldn't have any issues. It's solid steel bumper mounted to the frame. Isn't that similar to what a factory hitch is?

 

I'm madly in love with the Pelfreybilt rear bumper, but the hitch design is a deal-breaker for me.
If they ever design a model that uses the factory hitch, I'll be first in line, but between a boat, camper, and two trailers, I'm always towing something, and I leave the tow hitch connected to the receiver. Not really an option with their bumper.

 

The only after market rear bumper that uses the OEM hitch is made by Body Armour, to my knowledge. Its a great looking bumper, and has the right idea with the license plate mounted to the side. Someone on here posted, though, that the license plate light is a problem - I'm not sure what that is. But why make a great bumper that isn't totally plug and play? I don't get it. Schrockworks also makes a great bumper that has the best non OEM hitch I've seen. It looks like it might work. But again, by being non rated, you take a chance. If it ever came apart pulling a trailer and killed someone, you could place a pretty safe bet that Schrockworks wouldn't be responsible for the liability.

Back in the old days when my perception of risk was different, I made my own hitches, and they worked fine. Not today though. I saw a big landscape trailer separate from its truck for whatever reason, loaded with tractors and lawn mowers bounce across a median into oncoming traffic. It was a miracle that no one was injured. It ended up in a parking lot on the other side of the road. In life, sometimes shit happens. So with that in mind, I've become a little more conservative about my toleration of risk, and my concern for safety.

 

ArmorTech Off-Road offers an aftermarket DOT Class 3 approved rear bumper. I think they offer it as a hidden hitch mount or a standard style under the license.

I think that is the only rear I have seen that is actually DOT approved. But I think most of the other big fabricators design their rear bumpers to tow at the Tacoma's rating... It's just not DOT certified.

FabFour also offers a Tacoma rear bumper that uses the stock tow hitch. Plus I think it looks a ton better than the body armor bumper... And you can add a swing out tire carrier to it. I don't have any experience with either so I can't attest to quality, fit, or finish though.