Look Good From Behind: Rear Bumper Shopping Guide

Complete vehicle protection is key when hitting the trails. Learn what to look for when shopping for a rear bumper.

There are many articles around the net — including here at The Engine Block –– on what to look for when shopping for that metal bumper upgrade. Size, shape, material, mounting points – there’s a lot to think about and consider. It’s a major upgrade that directly affects many other aftermarket decisions and products you’ll be able to use.

Chances are, you saw the title of this post and are clued in to what we’ll be talking about. But if you were to ask anyone else about bumper upgrades, we’d wager that nearly 100% of them immediately think about front bumpers. With good reason, too. There are many more front bumper options than rear, and by most standards, a front bumper is a more valuable upgrade.

However, we’re here to tell you: Don’t ignore your rear!

It’s like that guy that goes to the gym six days a week, but only works out chest and biceps. Despite what the mirror says, you know that you have a back half… a dark side of the moon, right? Gym analogy over, everyone wants to be a leader, and doing so means others will be spending quite a bit of time looking at your backside. So, don’t leave it underdeveloped.

But couldn’t I just get the matching brand/model rear bumper as my front bumper?

If it’s available, sure you could go that route. But this ain’t fine china, bedroom sets, or tires. It’s not imperative your rear bumper needs to be the mate to your front bumper.

Anyone with a semi-keen eye for color will tell you that there are many different shades of black, but with your whole vehicle between them, it’s not going to be very noticeable – if at all – that your bumpers are from two different manufacturers. So, get the one that fits your needs and budget. Here’s what to look for.

Style & Size

Like with front bumpers, rear bumpers also come in a few different shapes and sizes. Below are the three most common categories.

Full-Width/Heavy Duty

As it sounds, these are the biggest of the bunch, extending the furthest in every direction. They will often wrap around the corners of the vehicle and extend to the fenders. Full-width rear bumpers will use the most material, offer the most protection, and be the style that mimics the shape of the stock bumper.

While some may like the large silhouette, they generally aren’t the sleekest. Since they have the largest footprint, they’ll often have the worst departure angle, which is not ideal for most off-roading.

Mid-Width

A nice balance between full-width and the next category, the mid-width is a popular style. It will take up most of the space your OEM bumper did without looking like a Kardashian. It will leave your corners exposed, but in doing so creates a less bulky look. A mid-width rear bumper offers decent departure angle while still providing good overall protection.

Stubby

A popular front-bumper choice, stubbies can be had for the rear as well. They are the smallest in width and leave a lot of corner and rear suspension/undercarriage exposure. This is the choice you want if you’re looking for a nimble rear-end that won’t get stuck on the kinds of obstacles that would slow down a full or mid. Stubby bumpers can be a bit of an acquired taste, but they’re top-notch performers on varied terrain with large drops and steep inclines.

Features

While front bumpers usually get all the attention for mounting accessories, there are a few features and niceties that you should decide if you need when shopping for a rear bumper.

Spare Tire Mounting

If you do not plan on mounting a spare tire to the rear of your rig, you can skip this part. But it seems like an overwhelming number of off-road/overlanding rigs either have a factory spare in this spot, or use an aftermarket solution to do so.

For those in the latter camp, there are two main tire mounting styles. If your vehicle has a rear spare, it probably utilizes a tailgate mount. This is simple and doesn’t much involve the actual bumper. But if you do plan on doing some upgrades and want to keep this style, ensure that any new rear bumper will comfortably accommodate the size tire you’re running.

However, some aftermarket rear bumpers are designed with stock or slightly larger tires in mind, nixing any chance to pair with anything too oversized. In this case, a bumper with swing out tire carrier is needed. The carrier mounts to the bumper rather than the rear door.

This is an overall better solution, since the bumper itself will be shouldering the weight of the tire. When a rear-door mounted tire gets heavier, it can put undue stress on the door and its hinges. Plus, swing out tire mounts can often feature additional mounting options for jugs and jacks.

Hitches

Simple and straightforward, if you need to maintain the ability to tow with your rig, choose an aftermarket rear bumper with integrated or a mounting point for a hitch. Even if you don’t tow, a hitch can be super useful in mounting racks, steps, or a sweet set of truck nuts.

D-Ring Mounts/Recovery

If you’re an avid off-roader, you’ll want recovery points on the front and back of your vehicle. Solid d-ring mounts on a rear bumper make a great spot to hook up chains, straps, or ropes to help get yourself or others out of a tough spot.

Lighting Cutouts

While more prevalent on front bumpers, cutouts for various lighting cubes, bars, and pods are also present on many rear bumpers. If you want to mount any kind of additional rear lighting – whether it be reverse or flood lighting – having the cutouts there makes things a lot easier.

Steel Vs. Aluminum

It’s generally the same debate for the front bumper, but consider the material your rear bumper is made of. Steel bumpers have been an aftermarket stalwart for decades, but more and more manufacturers are releasing products or switching their lineup to aluminum.

Let’s take a look at some key differences.

Weight

The most obvious difference will present itself when trying to mount your bumper. Steel bumpers often weigh three times as much as aluminum.

We always recommend having a few pairs of extra hands when tackling a bumper install, but if you opted for steel, you many need to round up a few more neighbors. Make sure to factor in how much pizza and beer you’ll have to provide to pay those additional helping hands for their service.

Cost

Speaking of payment, the downside to aluminum is that they generally cost more. The material is more difficult/pricy to procure, more complex to work with, and takes more time and material to finish.

Thankfully, the aluminum bumper market is getting many more options each passing month, and this competition has certainly helped with overall pricing. But if you’re watching your budget above all else, steel is often the more economical choice, at least initially…

Durability

If you live in the Midwest, Northeast, or any other area that uses salt on their roads during winter, you no doubt know the joys of rust. Simply put: steel rusts, aluminum does not.

I myself have a steel front bumper, and my d-ring brackets started rusting the first winter. In total, I’ve had my bumper completely resprayed twice, with many, many touch ups in between during my 7 years of ownership. Well-constructed aluminum bumpers will not need this kind of attention.

Meet ICI

While steel does have its place, for most bumper-seekers, aluminum is the way to go. And the folks over at ICI know this better than anybody. They’ve switched their entire bumper and step lineup to aluminum, with their Alumilite series. With a strength 2.4x that of steel, improved approach and departure angles, and a clean, modern look, ICI’s Alumilite series is one you need to take a look at.

On average, ICI’s Alumilite aluminum bumpers are 65% lighter than the comparable steel models. Less weight can help alleviate stress on suspension, tires, and brakes, while allowing other upgrades like winches and lighting to not tip the scales. Alumilite’s reduced weight also assists in maintaining drivability and fuel economy.

But perhaps the best part of these products is the state-of-the-art powder coating process ICI has perfected. This includes an extensive five-step process before that final powder coat is even applied.

Not only will the finish be uniform and look great, but this process gives the powder coat the strongest possible bond with the bumper, keeping your Alumilte front or rear bumper looking fresh long after others need to be resprayed or replaced.

To learn more about ICI’s Alumilite front and rear bumpers, as well as other great accessories like side steps, rocker panels, and fender trim, visit https://www.icionline.com/