Towing with stock rear bumper

Anyone tow a light trailer with their stock bumper.

I have an 09 reg cab 4cyl manual and no tow package. I was given a small boat and I'm looking for a trailer to put it on. I have towing experience but when I bought my new tacoma I never expected to tow again.
I can add the wiring easy enough but I need to keep cost as low as possible so thats why I'm considering just a ball on the bumper and coming up with chain attachments someplace.
The boat is a little 12ft aluminum feather craft and the ideal trailer is out there The whole set up shouldn't weigh more that 1000 pounds if even that much.

So anyone just using their bumper to tow ???

 

Grab a used original equipment hitch for the most strength and cheapest price. They usually go for $100 on here. The aftermarket hitches don't even compare to the OE tow package hitches. The OE hitches tie the whole frame and bumper together where aftermarket hitches don't add any support for the bumper.

I wouldn't tow anything utilizing the bumper and I wouldn't ever buy a aftermarket one.
Get under your truck and look at the mounting for the bumper. It's scary - just 2 pieces of 1/8" stamped steel.

 

While that trailer wouldn't be too heavy for bumper towing. The problem you run into with the Tacoma is that the hitch is too high. You pretty much need a drop hitch to keep the trailer level.

Here's mine with a 4.5" drop hitch towing my 16' john boat. Granted I have a 2" lift in the back I still needed to drop it pretty far to get the trailer level

 

Other than the rake of the trailer I'd have no problems doing that.