Bumper/nerf bar/rock slider design exercise

[boywonder]

Originally Posted by Glider

- This one might not be very popular or generally needed, but someday I'm going to have a rear tire mounting system that allows me to lift/winch my spare tire up or down--given that the spare tire weighs about as much as I do, I don't have many options for grunting it into place.

This could be a rear brushguard (in lieu of swingarms) that flips down (instead of swinging sideways) with the spare tire mounted...then perhaps a simple setup like the Ford OEM method for lowering the tire to the ground...use a gas spring for damping when the brush guard is folded down loaded with the spare. This gas spring would also assist when folding the assembly back to the vertical position.

This idea could also potentially apply to the front brushguard...perhaps a front mounted spare will be in style for 2017.

[86Scotty]

Mike, I think my humor was misunderstood. All I was saying was "I'm with you fellers!"
It's always weird how stuff can be misinterpreted online. I'm loving this thread, trust me!

So, here's an idea for useless voids in bumpers: water storage.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Glider]

Originally Posted by boywonder

This could be a rear brushguard (in lieu of swingarms) that flips down (instead of swinging sideways) with the spare tire mounted...then perhaps a simple setup like the Ford OEM method for lowering the tire to the ground...use a gas spring for damping when the brush guard is folded down loaded with the spare. This gas spring would also assist when folding the assembly back to the vertical position.

This idea could also potentially apply to the front brushguard...perhaps a front mounted spare will be in style for 2017.

Very cool ideas, boywonder! Thank you! If I do a front-mounted spare, does that run the risk of restricting air flow to my cooling system?

[boywonder]

Originally Posted by 86Scotty

So, here's an idea for useless voids in bumpers: water storage.

Put a Shraeder valve on the bumper and Viola! shower!

[Glider]

Originally Posted by boywonder

Put a Shraeder valve on the bumper and Viola! shower!

And if the bumper is painted black, it's a hot shower!

[MountainBikeRoamer]

Originally Posted by 86Scotty

Mike, I think my humor was misunderstood. All I was saying was "I'm with you fellers!"
It's always weird how stuff can be misinterpreted online. I'm loving this thread, trust me!

So, here's an idea for useless voids in bumpers: water storage.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Haha! Thanks for that 86Scotty....
....and right on man.....GAME ON!!!

Another idea I would like to see:

Since so many items are currently developed/sold in the aftermarket to plug into rear receiver hitches (bike racks, storage trays/racks, extra-cargo carrier boxes, etc.....) --- and yet they end up effectively "blocking" the rear door access when they are installed....

How about a bumper that incorporates a twin set of swing-away-to-the-side arms --- but designed such that each swingarm **only has a standard Class III hitch receiver built into them** ? Such that the owner of the vehicle can plug in whatever left/right standard hitch-mount "storage modules" they want for each trip, and still enjoy the kind of dual-swing-away functionality that Aluminess owners already enjoy with their single-function swing arms?

As one of many possible scenarios:
An owner could opt, on the left side, to "plug in" any number of inexpensive aftermarket hitch-mounted tire carrier racks.....and then on the right side could opt to plug in any number of currently-available, vertically-oriented hitch-mount bike racks of some sorts.

Or we could make any number of super-simple plug-in modules for those swing away arms. A simple storage box. Or a way to mount a cheap, readily-available storage box from a trailer supply dealer or some place like Harbor Freight.

I'm just a huge fan of the Class III hitch receiver standard, and of all the unlimited items you can plug in to 'em.

Would really give serious flexibility to the owner to reconfigure the swingarms however they needed to, and to keep their potential costs down by allowing then to re-use any hitch-mount accessories they currently own with the new swingarms.

Would be really cool to "democratize" kickass bumper/storage options for the masses with something like this..... such that any number of current accessories can be brought together cost-effectively and in a stylish/rugged/badass way that yields new functionality.

[Glider]

Dude, that is an AWESOME idea! I'll take two.

[marret]

Originally Posted by MountainBikeRoamer

Haha! Thanks for that 86Scotty....
....and right on man.....GAME ON!!!

Another idea I would like to see:

Since so many items are currently developed/sold in the aftermarket to plug into rear receiver hitches (bike racks, storage trays/racks, extra-cargo carrier boxes, etc.....) --- and yet they end up effectively "blocking" the rear door access when they are installed....

How about a bumper that incorporates a twin set of swing-away-to-the-side arms --- but designed such that each swingarm **only has a standard Class III hitch receiver built into them** ? Such that the owner of the vehicle can plug in whatever left/right standard hitch-mount "storage modules" they want for each trip, and still enjoy the kind of dual-swing-away functionality that Aluminess owners already enjoy with their single-function swing arms?

As one of many possible scenarios:
An owner could opt, on the left side, to "plug in" any number of inexpensive aftermarket hitch-mounted tire carrier racks.....and then on the right side could opt to plug in any number of currently-available, vertically-oriented hitch-mount bike racks of some sorts.

Or we could make any number of super-simple plug-in modules for those swing away arms. A simple storage box. Or a way to mount a cheap, readily-available storage box from a trailer supply dealer or some place like Harbor Freight.

I'm just a huge fan of the Class III hitch receiver standard, and of all the unlimited items you can plug in to 'em.

Would really give serious flexibility to the owner to reconfigure the swingarms however they needed to, and to keep their potential costs down by allowing then to re-use any hitch-mount accessories they currently own with the new swingarms.

Would be really cool to "democratize" kickass bumper/storage options for the masses with something like this..... such that any number of current accessories can be brought together cost-effectively and in a stylish/rugged/badass way that yields new functionality.

Like.

On the water subject, I was thinking it would be nice to be able to have a rear bumper mounted exterior shower pan that drains into the bumper.

[boywonder]

Instead of holding water..bumper could have compartments to hold sand as ballast for winter driving.......get stuck...use a little bumper sand to get un-stuck........

As we continue on.....we'll make a list of ideas, sorted into categories....

The rock sliders/side steps/running boards aren't getting much love yet......Nick has been the only one to mention these so far......keep the ideas coming.

[86Scotty]

Originally Posted by boywonder

Instead of holding water..bumper could have compartments to hold sand as ballast for winter driving.......get stuck...use a little bumper sand to get un-stuck........

As we continue on.....we'll make a list of ideas, sorted into categories....

The rock sliders/side steps/running boards aren't getting much love yet......Nick has been the only one to mention these so far......keep the ideas coming.

I'll take almost any steps or rocksliders, regardless of features........for $200 or less.