Richard J Kinch

twaldron writes:

> On that note, the added 'tail' to the vehicle reduces departure angle.

The frame-mounted receiver hitches are much worse in that regard.

Grumman-581

"Richard J Kinch" <kinch@truetex.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9756BE3F3DDE8someconundrum@216.196.97.131. ..
> I wonder if people buying all those macho aftermarket bumpers understand
> that they've *given up* a lot of their crash protection?

Depends upon the severity of the wreck... My experience has been that it
caused thousands of dollars of damage to the other vehicle and just knocked
some dirt off my bumper... Turns out that *his* vehicle was acting as the
crumple zone for *my* vehicle... <evil-grin>

Grumman-581

"Richard J Kinch" <kinch@truetex.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9756BE3F3DDE8someconundrum@216.196.97.131. ..
> I wonder if people buying all those macho aftermarket bumpers understand
> that they've *given up* a lot of their crash protection?

Depends upon the severity of the wreck... My experience has been that it
caused thousands of dollars of damage to the other vehicle and just knocked
some dirt off my bumper... Turns out that *his* vehicle was acting as the
crumple zone for *my* vehicle... <evil-grin>

Grumman-581

"Richard J Kinch" <kinch@truetex.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9756BE3F3DDE8someconundrum@216.196.97.131. ..
> I wonder if people buying all those macho aftermarket bumpers understand
> that they've *given up* a lot of their crash protection?

Depends upon the severity of the wreck... My experience has been that it
caused thousands of dollars of damage to the other vehicle and just knocked
some dirt off my bumper... Turns out that *his* vehicle was acting as the
crumple zone for *my* vehicle... <evil-grin>

Mike Romain

Good lord, how much do you weigh if you think 'you' can test the
strength of a bumper by jumping on it?

You 'are' talking towing something the legal limit for the vehicle, on
your website, 'not' a trailer and load under 1000 lb at all, but a 1000
lb boat 'plus' a trailer and most folks put gear in the boat.....

I got pulled over in Canada using a real DOT 'certified' trailer hitch
that wasn't rated heavy enough for the trailer I was pulling and I was
forced to drop the trailer on the road and wait for a tow truck at 3:00
AM. The cop luckily knew my passenger so didn't write me up the
$1000.00 in tickets he itemized for me....

You are talking about an unrated homemade hitch on a bumper that is not
tow rated at all. Phone your local DOT or highway patrol and ask about
that...

I don't really care, but a little shot of safety reality has to be
mentioned before too many people go out and copy your bad idea. This is
a world wide web after all.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Richard J Kinch wrote:
>
> Mike Romain writes:
>
> > If you get pulled over by the highway patrol, you will/should get
> > busted for something as dumb as that. Not meaning to be a jerk or
> > anything but Wow...
>
> Jerk or not, your legal opinion is baloney.
>
> http://www.google.com/search?q=florida+statutes+316.530
>
> Show me where hitch ratings have any legal significance in traffic laws.
>
> > The bumper isn't rated for towing or even jacking up under so
> > technically that is an illegal hitch, let alone an unsafe one.
>
> The stock bumper is essentially a 3 x 4.5 inch 3.5-sided 13 gage steel
> box beam 50 inches long. Maybe someone can calculate the strength of
> this member.
>
> We're talking about towing a small rig under 1000 lbs, not dragging the
> universe behind.
>
> My mechanical intuition is that it is plenty strong when properly
> fitted. It doesn't visibly flex when I jump on the step.

Mike Romain

Good lord, how much do you weigh if you think 'you' can test the
strength of a bumper by jumping on it?

You 'are' talking towing something the legal limit for the vehicle, on
your website, 'not' a trailer and load under 1000 lb at all, but a 1000
lb boat 'plus' a trailer and most folks put gear in the boat.....

I got pulled over in Canada using a real DOT 'certified' trailer hitch
that wasn't rated heavy enough for the trailer I was pulling and I was
forced to drop the trailer on the road and wait for a tow truck at 3:00
AM. The cop luckily knew my passenger so didn't write me up the
$1000.00 in tickets he itemized for me....

You are talking about an unrated homemade hitch on a bumper that is not
tow rated at all. Phone your local DOT or highway patrol and ask about
that...

I don't really care, but a little shot of safety reality has to be
mentioned before too many people go out and copy your bad idea. This is
a world wide web after all.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Richard J Kinch wrote:
>
> Mike Romain writes:
>
> > If you get pulled over by the highway patrol, you will/should get
> > busted for something as dumb as that. Not meaning to be a jerk or
> > anything but Wow...
>
> Jerk or not, your legal opinion is baloney.
>
> http://www.google.com/search?q=florida+statutes+316.530
>
> Show me where hitch ratings have any legal significance in traffic laws.
>
> > The bumper isn't rated for towing or even jacking up under so
> > technically that is an illegal hitch, let alone an unsafe one.
>
> The stock bumper is essentially a 3 x 4.5 inch 3.5-sided 13 gage steel
> box beam 50 inches long. Maybe someone can calculate the strength of
> this member.
>
> We're talking about towing a small rig under 1000 lbs, not dragging the
> universe behind.
>
> My mechanical intuition is that it is plenty strong when properly
> fitted. It doesn't visibly flex when I jump on the step.

Mike Romain

Good lord, how much do you weigh if you think 'you' can test the
strength of a bumper by jumping on it?

You 'are' talking towing something the legal limit for the vehicle, on
your website, 'not' a trailer and load under 1000 lb at all, but a 1000
lb boat 'plus' a trailer and most folks put gear in the boat.....

I got pulled over in Canada using a real DOT 'certified' trailer hitch
that wasn't rated heavy enough for the trailer I was pulling and I was
forced to drop the trailer on the road and wait for a tow truck at 3:00
AM. The cop luckily knew my passenger so didn't write me up the
$1000.00 in tickets he itemized for me....

You are talking about an unrated homemade hitch on a bumper that is not
tow rated at all. Phone your local DOT or highway patrol and ask about
that...

I don't really care, but a little shot of safety reality has to be
mentioned before too many people go out and copy your bad idea. This is
a world wide web after all.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Richard J Kinch wrote:
>
> Mike Romain writes:
>
> > If you get pulled over by the highway patrol, you will/should get
> > busted for something as dumb as that. Not meaning to be a jerk or
> > anything but Wow...
>
> Jerk or not, your legal opinion is baloney.
>
> http://www.google.com/search?q=florida+statutes+316.530
>
> Show me where hitch ratings have any legal significance in traffic laws.
>
> > The bumper isn't rated for towing or even jacking up under so
> > technically that is an illegal hitch, let alone an unsafe one.
>
> The stock bumper is essentially a 3 x 4.5 inch 3.5-sided 13 gage steel
> box beam 50 inches long. Maybe someone can calculate the strength of
> this member.
>
> We're talking about towing a small rig under 1000 lbs, not dragging the
> universe behind.
>
> My mechanical intuition is that it is plenty strong when properly
> fitted. It doesn't visibly flex when I jump on the step.

Stephen Young

Richard J Kinch wrote:

>
> I wonder if people buying all those macho aftermarket bumpers understand
> that they've *given up* a lot of their crash protection?

My 1995 K1500 has a brushguard/grilleguard mounted on the front. Bought
the truck used & outfitted this way. Last year a silly juvenile female
pulled out in front of me from a side street - her fault & she got
ticketed. Totaled her Neon. I drove away with no radiator damage or
drivability problems because that brushguard crushed sideways. Saved me
big bucks & aggravation until I got it fixed.

Stephen Young

Richard J Kinch wrote:

>
> I wonder if people buying all those macho aftermarket bumpers understand
> that they've *given up* a lot of their crash protection?

My 1995 K1500 has a brushguard/grilleguard mounted on the front. Bought
the truck used & outfitted this way. Last year a silly juvenile female
pulled out in front of me from a side street - her fault & she got
ticketed. Totaled her Neon. I drove away with no radiator damage or
drivability problems because that brushguard crushed sideways. Saved me
big bucks & aggravation until I got it fixed.

Stephen Young

Richard J Kinch wrote:

>
> I wonder if people buying all those macho aftermarket bumpers understand
> that they've *given up* a lot of their crash protection?

My 1995 K1500 has a brushguard/grilleguard mounted on the front. Bought
the truck used & outfitted this way. Last year a silly juvenile female
pulled out in front of me from a side street - her fault & she got
ticketed. Totaled her Neon. I drove away with no radiator damage or
drivability problems because that brushguard crushed sideways. Saved me
big bucks & aggravation until I got it fixed.