Kaymar rear bumper rear quarter panel protection
- Thread starter lenross1
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the sides of the kaymar bumper are not supported/tied to the frame. place much a lever against a high side protection hoop and it will bend. This scenereo is why slee, hannah, and 4x4labs tie the wings of the bumper into the frame
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- #23
Sorry, all the other backside pics I found either have my old 35s or my winter 33s. I'll try and find a better pic later...
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- #25
Exactly.
Really?Someone should tell my rear Kaymar that. I've leaned it into rocks, dropped it off countless ledges, backed it into things, etc. If it were one of my kids I treated that way, I'd be in jail.
OBTW, aside from scratched up powder coating, I've yet to bend anything on it aside from the hooks on the underside........
You must be extremely lucky or not carry much weight, I've banged mine a few times before the OME lift, loaded up for camping in Canyonlands, coming off ledges, and although it held up quite well, you can tell from underneath that the wings are not up to that kind of punishment. I'll admit, the wings are tucked in close to the body so to damage a wing by catching them on a rock would be highly unlikely. But heavy contact from sliding sideways into solid objects or unavoidable heavy contact in tight places is not what this bumper was made for.
I read the thread that Dave Zartman (4WD Toyota Owner Mag. Publisher) posted for the trail update for the Wild West hoops ( https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/177968-trail-update-kaymar-bumper-hoops-wild-west.html ) and his pics and story are compelling. I'd be tickled pink if that's all it took to get that kind of protection 'cause I loves my Kaymar. I'll have to study my bumper some more and see if I can figure out why this works.
The thing that bothers me is the leverage that is working against the wings, due to no direct frame support, that far forward of main part of Kaymar.
So you bent yours?
Pics please.
I go to Moab at least three times a year, and as you know from going to Canyonlands, Moab is just one ledge after another. The difference in trail ratings there is the size of the ledges. My rig is a fat pig (arb w/ M12000, Slee Sliders, Kaymar w/ dual swingouts, 42g long ranger aux fuel tank, AO drawers loaded to the gills with tools, parts, etc., full length roof rack, two kids, a wife, and my modest 220lbs
). There is no powdercoating left on the underside of my Kaymar from coming off ledges. That being said, I do it as gently as possible. My brakes work well, my tires grip, and I set her down as gently as possible. I normally go with another 80 that also has a Kaymar (not as much weight though). I've seen bent up ARB fronts, but not a bent Kaymar. That being said, I'd like to see what it takes to bend one (on someone elses rig of course
).I'll post up pics of my bumper tomorrow following some work tonite.
Kinda fugly. Looks like it should fold out into a step or something...
Well, now maybe not bent to some peoples standards, but let's say tweaked. From your activity schedule and description of mods and gear that you carry:
....I go to Moab at least three times a year, and as you know from going to Canyonlands, Moab is just one ledge after another. The difference in trail ratings there is the size of the ledges. My rig is a fat pig (arb w/ M12000, Slee Sliders, Kaymar w/ dual swingouts, 42g long ranger aux fuel tank, AO drawers loaded to the gills with tools, parts, etc., full length roof rack, two kids, a wife, and my modest 220lbs
I'd say you're getting your money's worth out of it.
.....There is no powdercoating left on the underside of my Kaymar from coming off ledges. ......... I've seen bent up ARB fronts, but not a bent Kaymar. That being said, I'd like to see what it takes to bend one (on someone elses rig of course
I've got some nicks and dings, but the following pics show how an obviously minor looking hit tweaked the wing up & contacted body sheet metal. No big deal, but this is where I arrived at my opinion on my previous post:
Here's the pics:
The 1st pic shows the (DS) corner ding, 2nd & 3rd show where the brace contacted the body. If you sight along the bottom edge of the bumper, (looking out from underneath the truck) there's a mild stress bend in the metal. I tried a couple of pics, but they don't show this very well.
This one even helped smash up my exhaust.
This one gives you a better idea. It looks tighter than it is, but if the
can manage, it's definitely manageable.
Sounds like a good idea for clearance sake, but the receiver is what takes the brunt of the abuse coming off ledges, and what keeps the entire thing from folding up like a piece of origami. I also wouldn't be able to tow with the thing anymore. Looking at the picture, it appears I took a little Moab with me.
Tweaked? Definitely. Polished underside? Sure. Money's worth? You betcha!
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- #33
one of the main reasons i wanted to get a kaymar for its ability to tow. it was the only bumper at the time that was actually rated to tow over 5000lbs. which suits my needs perfeclty.
Same for me. Now Slee and I believe Luke both have tow options, tho neither is rated because of $$ to certify. Both look as beefy if not better than Kaymar. I think if Slee's had the towing when I originally purchased a rear bumper, I'd have gone with it. Much nicer, beefier and the swing out w/hi-lift carrier is far superior to that of Kaymar. Kaymar's hi-lift option sucks.
The Slee bumper will tow just fine. It isn't tated because of the money/liability factor, but I've seen them in action towing just fine. Same with some of the 4x4labs which have much better ground clearance/departure angles.
The Kaymar suits my needs as it protects my longranger well.
The Kaymar suits my needs as it protects my longranger well.
my bad. ive always thought kaymar was no supported at the wings.
id still get rid of the low hanging tow hitch if i was wheeling the rig as hard as you seem to be. it isn't protecting anything. your bumper could be made of cardboard and it would never be compromised out back as the rear crossmember is bombproof. i have no rear bumper. i use only the rear crossmember. it is dinged to death but not bent
i have towed a 3500lb trailer off road with my 80 using just the 4 bolts in the rear crossmember holding on an aftermarket tow assembly-did great. with such a set up you can remove the hitch quickly when not needed and you still have much better clearance even if you leave it on
id still get rid of the low hanging tow hitch if i was wheeling the rig as hard as you seem to be. it isn't protecting anything. your bumper could be made of cardboard and it would never be compromised out back as the rear crossmember is bombproof. i have no rear bumper. i use only the rear crossmember. it is dinged to death but not bent
i have towed a 3500lb trailer off road with my 80 using just the 4 bolts in the rear crossmember holding on an aftermarket tow assembly-did great. with such a set up you can remove the hitch quickly when not needed and you still have much better clearance even if you leave it on
- Thread starter
- #37
Not sure what direction i want go yet with my 80. i know i want to be able to wheel level 3-4 ( 5 being the hardest)trails. It was my daily driver but it doesn't have to be anymore 
So i am thinking several option from mild to wild. I have Dusty to thank for the wild thought pattern
I have my Samurai for level 4-5 trails.
still have figure a way to mount to a small hoop.
the 2x2 tube would be cut on an angle and capped off.
in the 2nd pic the 2x2 tube is cut on a 45 degree angle.
simple
So i am thinking several option from mild to wild. I have Dusty to thank for the wild thought pattern
I have my Samurai for level 4-5 trails.
still have figure a way to mount to a small hoop.
the 2x2 tube would be cut on an angle and capped off.
in the 2nd pic the 2x2 tube is cut on a 45 degree angle.
simple
Look at my first pic again from post #32. If I didn't have that hitch there, dropping off ledges, I'd have a good chance of denting up that rear tank. Abuddy of mine did that once in his scrambler. Dropped off a ledge right on his custom tank, and gas came out the fill. Good news was his gas gauge went from 1/2 tank to nearly full.
Nice meeting you at CM09. Hope you make it next year, and maybe we'll be on a trail together. This was from the day after you ran Hells.
Euclid - nice job on the mods to the Kaymar. First time I've seen anyone tuck a hi-lift BEHIND the tire carrier. Didn't think one would fit.
Just be damn sure never to get rear ended by a vehicle high enough to smack that tire carrier with the hi-lift in place. I did by a 100 series cruiser in a chain collision. Me in front, 100 series behind me that was plowed into by a ML320. 100 series smacked my stock Kaymar tire carrier and pushed it right into the tailgate. IIRC abour $1200 worth of body damage to the hatch. I'd imagine if there were a hi-lift back there too, the damage would have been much greater, to the hatch and probably to the tailgate.
Regardless, your mod to the side wings is great! Kaymar should take notice!!!
Just be damn sure never to get rear ended by a vehicle high enough to smack that tire carrier with the hi-lift in place. I did by a 100 series cruiser in a chain collision. Me in front, 100 series behind me that was plowed into by a ML320. 100 series smacked my stock Kaymar tire carrier and pushed it right into the tailgate. IIRC abour $1200 worth of body damage to the hatch. I'd imagine if there were a hi-lift back there too, the damage would have been much greater, to the hatch and probably to the tailgate.
Regardless, your mod to the side wings is great! Kaymar should take notice!!!