Jeeperman Rear Bumper & Tire Carrier
Jeeperman Basic Front Winch Bumper
Deciding what to do for a rear bumper & tire carrier was not an easy task. It was perhaps one of the most difficult purchase decisions I've had to make for the Jeep simply because there are so many good options out there ranging from garage-built homemade bumpers to over-hyped and over-priced mass-produced products. After several months of researching and comparing products, I kept coming back to Jeeperman.
Jeeperman is one of the few Jeep product manufacturers who has an excellent presence on the web. Eddie, the head honcho over there, is a very popular man with owners of Jeeperman products because he is known for giving about the best customer service out there. He listens to praise and criticism alike, and he seems to take both to heart. He's not afraid to admit to and correct mistakes or to continually improve his product if it's found that it's not the best that it can be. I respect that a lot.
But that's only part of why I went with Jeeperman. The fact is, the Jeeperman rear bumper & tire carrier combo is, in my opinion, one of the best designed products of its kind out there. It's built like a brick s..t-house, and the craftsmanship that goes into the product is second to none. To my knowledge, at least one NASA engineer has even commented that the welds on Jeeperman's products are among the best he's seen. That says a lot.
Here are just a few reasons why I went with the Jeeperman:
- Through-welded shackle mounts: Each shackle mount is a solid hunk of steel placed through the bumper and welded on both sides. The new version of this bumper also has a third weld location on the bumper-to-crossmember mounting bracket.
- Integrated low-profile receiver hitch with safety chain attachment eyes: The receiver tube is placed through the bumper itself and thoroughly welded. Other manufacturers tend to place a hitch on the bottom side of the bumper and simply surface weld it in place, and others don't include accomodations for safety chains and won't rate their product for towing.
- Largest carrier hinge on the market: The Jeeperman's carrier hinge is huge and solid. Some manufacturers simply weld a rod in the bumper and place the carrier on it, but the Jeeperman comes with bearings, spacers, shims, a zerk fitting, and a huge lock nut that ensures its carrier won't be sagging or rattling anytime soon.
- Swing-out locking pin: The Jeeperman has a spring-loaded locking pin that locks the carrier open at a 90º angle ensuring that it won't close on you when you don't want it to or swing out breaking your tail light or anything else in the way. It also ensures that you won't have a tire carrier flailing about if you happen to drive off after forgetting to close the swing-out.
- Convenient automotive-style latch: While this wasn't a huge selling point for me, this latch is a really neat feature. Easy to open with one hand, easy close. No screws or pins to mess with, here. I understand that the newer version of the carrier has an upgraded latch.
- Built-in Hi-Lift storage: While the Hi-Lift isn't a tool I use every day, I have one, and I like to keep it with me for when I do need it. The Jeeperman set-up conveniently places the jack out of the way across the lower rear portion of the tire carrier.
- Adjustable for a body lift: Since I had a body lift sitting in the garage, it was nice to know that I can avoid an unsightly gap in the rear with the Jeeperman bumper. This gave me a good excuse to get off my butt and get the body lift installed.
- CB Antenna Mount: Again, not a huge selling point for me, but now I know where I'll be mounting my antenna when I install my CB.
- Available accessories: Jeeperman has several readily-available options to choose from including heavy-duty frame tie-in brackets for an even more solid mount for the bumper, left and right Jerry can mounts, and a handy trail rack that mounts right on top of the carrier. These are all features I'll be looking for in the future, and it's nice to know they're already available and not just "in the works."
In the end, I decided that the Jeeperman was the best constructed product with the most thought-out design out there for the price. It was a no-brainer decision that took me months to make.
What you're looking at in these pics is the very last bumper/tire carrier of this design. Due to nothing more than personal preference of aesthetics, I specifically requested the older model right as Jeeperman was transitioning to a new, upgraded design. The new design has all sorts of upgrades - some aesthetic, and some functional - but I wouldn't hesitate for one second to recommend Jeeperman to anyone looking for a good, solid bumper & tire carrier combo.
