New Rear Bumper

[War Eagle]

Just installed my Smittybilt SRC Gen 2 rear bumper. Took my time, had to move parking sensors from OE bumper to steel bumper, so a good 4 hours, but good therapy from work!
Installation went fine. Good instructions. Damn that bumper is heavy as compared to OE bumper
Just not sure about license plate relocation. I’ve got a nice spare wheel and tire and hate hiding it??
What are your thoughts on license plate location?

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[jbird55044]

Just installed my Smittybilt SRC Gen 2 rear bumper

Looking good David. Like you, I spent my weekend installing the JCR Offroad rear bumper. That too was a night and day difference in weight compared to the OEM Plastic bumper. I did a first impressions video that I will post after the front, and tire carrier get's installed. I rang in about 4 hours as well. Would have been a little faster but it took about 30-mins to do a little grinding to get 2 of the frame bolts to comfortably fit without sending them in on a slant.

Needed to go without the back-up sensors for now as I didn't order the grommets. They should be here this week. And I have some small rock lights that will go in next weekend as well.

I have the same license plate bracket thing - still not sure how I will approach the plates. I'm going to wait until I get the tire carrier and get that installed so I don't have to redo work. Plus ordered a new brake light on Amazon (returnable) just in case I wanted something more than the little one that came w/ the bumper.

Are you installing a front as well?

 

[War Eagle]

Looking good David. Like you, I spent my weekend installing the JCR Offroad rear bumper. That too was a night and day difference in weight compared to the OEM Plastic bumper. I did a first impressions video that I will post after the front, and tire carrier get's installed. I rang in about 4 hours as well. Would have been a little faster but it took about 30-mins to do a little grinding to get 2 of the frame bolts to comfortably fit without sending them in on a slant.

Needed to go without the back-up sensors for now as I didn't order the grommets. They should be here this week. And I have some small rock lights that will go in next weekend as well.

I have the same license plate bracket thing - still not sure how I will approach the plates. I'm going to wait until I get the tire carrier and get that installed so I don't have to redo work. Plus ordered a new brake light on Amazon (returnable) just in case I wanted something more than the little one that came w/ the bumper.

Are you installing a front as well?

 

[War Eagle]

Front bumper was one of my first upgrades but I let local aftermarket co install that, with lights and all, didn’t want to take all that on myself.

 

[cosine]

david, love the arb classic bumper and most likely what i'm going to get for my jl. not sure what i want to do with the rear bumper. one question about the plate. what did you use for the mounting plate. also how did you mount the light for the plate and is the wires long enough to reach up to the spare tire.

 

[War Eagle]

david, love the arb classic bumper and most likely what i'm going to get for my jl. not sure what i want to do with the rear bumper. one question about the plate. what did you use for the mounting plate. also how did you mount the light for the plate and is the wires long enough to reach up to the spare tire.

The rear bumper (Smittybilt Gen 2) came with the bracket/light to mount plate on spare. You will have to add wire and unless I’m missing something I will need to put a quick disconnect up by the bracket as you can’t remove the spare without disconnecting the light wire? I have not yet run wire, which looks challenging as guess I’ll need to take panels out of back area and tailgate in order to run wire.
Other place for tag is under driver side taillight, but this bumper doesn’t have that option nor can I find a light/bracket that fits there on its own? Anyone know of one?
Good luck with your bumper upgrades!

 

[War Eagle]

The rear bumper (Smittybilt Gen 2) came with the bracket/light to mount plate on spare. You will have to add wire and unless I’m missing something I will need to put a quick disconnect up by the bracket as you can’t remove the spare without disconnecting the light wire? I have not yet run wire, which looks challenging as guess I’ll need to take panels out of back area and tailgate in order to run wire.
Other place for tag is under driver side taillight, but this bumper doesn’t have that option nor can I find a light/bracket that fits there on its own? Anyone know of one?
Good luck with your bumper upgrades!

 

[KansasJL]

The rear bumper (Smittybilt Gen 2) came with the bracket/light to mount plate on spare. You will have to add wire and unless I’m missing something I will need to put a quick disconnect up by the bracket as you can’t remove the spare without disconnecting the light wire? I have not yet run wire, which looks challenging as guess I’ll need to take panels out of back area and tailgate in order to run wire.
Other place for tag is under driver side taillight, but this bumper doesn’t have that option nor can I find a light/bracket that fits there on its own? Anyone know of one?
Good luck with your bumper upgrades!

This is the biggest hang up for me going to an aftermarket rear bumper. I have the stock steel one and will probably just keep it so I don’t have to move the tag to the spare tire. Running a trasharoo on the spare going to the river, lake and softball games I really don’t want to give the cops a reason to pull me over on my way home.

 

[War Eagle]

This is the biggest hang up for me going to an aftermarket rear bumper. I have the stock steel one and will probably just keep it so I don’t have to move the tag to the spare tire. Running a trasharoo on the spare going to the river, lake and softball games I really don’t want to give the cops a reason to pull me over on my way home.

I’m not crazy about the spare tire plate position either. I have not done the wiring yet. I am going to order the LOD JLP1801 plate relocation bracket. It is a under the drivers side taillight position but specific to the LOD steel bumper, which I don’t have. However in reading the reviews someone bolted it directly to the top of the bumper, otherwise it fit perfectly. It can be returned so I will get it and see how it will look and for. Check it out at Quadratech.com
And it has spots for bolt lights, so no need for a separate light kit. Bolt lights can be purchased thru Quadratech as well. Rugged Ridge 11233.10 is part number.
And the best thing with all this is the wiring! Just add a little wire to existing tag light wire and routing is easy as it will go up between the bumper and body and hidden by the plate. Much easier than trying to get wires to the spare tire!!

And I think it will look better, right?
Pics of my Jeep with tire position and pic of Jeep with the bracket I just described.

 

[KansasJL]

I’m not crazy about the spare tire plate position either. I have not done the wiring yet. I am going to order the LOD JLP1801 plate relocation bracket. It is a under the drivers side taillight position but specific to the LOD steel bumper, which I don’t have. However in reading the reviews someone bolted it directly to the top of the bumper, otherwise it fit perfectly. It can be returned so I will get it and see how it will look and for. Check it out at Quadratech.com
And it has spots for bolt lights, so no need for a separate light kit. Bolt lights can be purchased thru Quadratech as well. Rugged Ridge 11233.10 is part number.
And the best thing with all this is the wiring! Just add a little wire to existing tag light wire and routing is easy as it will go up between the bumper and body and hidden by the plate. Much easier than trying to get wires to the spare tire!!

And I think it will look better, right?
Pics of my Jeep with tire position and pic of Jeep with the bracket I just described.

If you do end up trying that out let me know. Hopefully it is something that works.

 

[Fouts]

I just ordered the Rockhard rear bumper, a big part of the choice was it had the license plate holder. Not my jeep, picture is from their website.

 

[TJ2018]

The @motorcityaftermarket M1 rear bumper comes with the plate relocation bracket and light. The plate bracket is just as strong as their bumper (built like a tank). Very happy with their product and excellent customer service!

 

[War Eagle]

I just ordered the Rockhard rear bumper, a big part of the choice was it had the license plate holder. Not my jeep, picture is from their website.

Good looking bumper! I see it’s got a trailer hitch and electrical hook up for trailer. Assume that hitch is made for towing? Just a note on the hitch on my Smittybilt SRC Gen 2 bumper. The hitch on mine is part of the bumper, not directly attached to frame, and manual says it’s not made for towing but for bike rack or other non-towing purposes. I don’t plan on towing anything with it, so I’m fine with that but didn’t want any of you to assume you could tow with it. I guess cause it’s attached to the bumper and not directly attached to the frame like other true tow hitches? Just FYI

 

[Notorious]

I just ordered the Rockhard rear bumper, a big part of the choice was it had the license plate holder...

That’s great! Congrats! Will you do a write up with pictures of the install? I REALLY like this bumper but can’t seem to find anything on it beyond the vendor’s pictures.

Also, not much info on how well the backup sensors integrate into the bumper. I know getting this functional without errors has been a real challenge for vendors.

@War Eagle, pics don’t do justice to how good that rear bumper is. Congrats and thanks for sharing!

 

[Fouts]

That’s great! Congrats! Will you do a write up with pictures of the install? I REALLY like this bumper but can’t seem to find anything on it beyond the vendor’s pictures.

Also, not much info on how well the backup sensors integrate into the bumper. I know getting this functional without errors has been a real challenge for vendors.

@War Eagle, pics don’t do justice to how good that rear bumper is. Congrats and thanks for sharing!

Just got a call, delivers tomorrow. When I ordered it they told me up to 6 weeks, took a week.

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