Rear Bumpers?? Aftermarket Sugestions Please...Make "Skid Plate"???

[04e46conv]

Hey guys,

I like keeping my vehicle clean and in perfect condition...

My rear bumper is all scratched up by the door from loading the roof and trunk...

A new OEM bumper is like 205 and the steel ones are like 500 right?

So I am looking for another solution because this section is just going to keep getting messed up...

I am thinking about something like a skid plate to mount over the black plastic part or maybe cut it out and mold in a different material or some sort of metal section...

Any Suggestion??

[LandCruiserSteve]

Obviously, replacing your currently-scratched OEM bumper with a brand new OEM bumper will only result in history repeating itself with yet more scratches.

If an after-market steel rear bumper is out of your price range, there are several things you can do to refurbish your current bumper.

One of which is repainting the scratched area. (Easy to do, even with the bumper still on the FJ.) But, it too, will eventually become scratched.

Another tactic would be to add some sort of durable coating (i.e., Herculiner) to the area that keeps getting scratched.

A third option would be fabricating a step plate (perhaps out of a piece of black diamond plate) to protect the top of the bumper that's getting all of the abuse. Of course, it would have to be securely attached to the top of the bumper as not to come loose when stepping on it.

[LandCruiserSteve]

As far as your skid plate replacement, unless you're a decent metal fabricator with access to the needed materials, it would probably be easier (and maybe even less expensive) to simply buy an after-market skid plate that best suits your needs.

[Toledo FJ]

I haven't seen much as far as steel rear bumpers in the $500 dollar range. The Warn is a good option as it is only around $700 or $800, and it is rock solid. No fancy swing out tire carriers or the like, but it is simple, functional, and imo it looks good. It also gives you a larger platform to stand on for loading the roof. If you want to get one with a rear tire/jerry can rack, expect to pay more like 1,500 to 2,500 bucks. I know FabFours makes a nice one, and Allpro I think does too. Although I've talked to some who don't like the thinner steel used by allpro.