Shrockworks Rear Bumper

This past week, I was finally able to pickup the completed rear bumper with tire carrier from Shrockworks. Since they’re local and only 20 minutes away from my home, it’s incredibly convenient for me to do local pickup on items I buy from them. After my friend Kenny helped getting the bumper home (we put it in the back of his Tacoma), my son helped me put it onto the Gunship.

The instructions were pretty straightforward, and I watched two installation videos on YouTube to get a better understanding of how to get the bumper mounted. The first step was to remove the bumper cover from the Gunship as well as some fender liners and other parts. This was simple and took less than 30 minutes.

Prior to mounting the Shrockworks bumper onto the Gunship, there was some minor assembly required of the stops that keep the swing-arm from slamming into the bumper when closed. It was here that I made a mistake in not putting two of the 1/4” pieces on, and this would prove to be an added difficulty once the bumper was mounted. From here, it was just a matter of mounting the new bumper onto the existing bumper which was actually the rear of the frame.

We put the shims under the rear mounting portion to level the “Wings” of the bumper as much as possible, and then tightened down all the bolts. The sticknuts weren’t difficult to place unlike the two we needed to use when putting on the rock sliders. The next step was to put the wing supports on, and once again, these were easy to do.

After getting the entire bumper properly mounted and all bolts tightened, I put the swing-arm on. This swing-arm is where the spare tire and two jerry can holders are mounted. It took the help of my wife to get the large bolt in-place, but it was easy enough to get it properly set. It was then that I discovered, as I stated earlier, that I didn’t have enough of a bump stop between the swing-arm and the bumper which required me to get the additional 1/4” hard plastic on. This took nearly as much time as it took to get the entire bumper on due to the strange and cramped position I had to get my hand into to properly secure this additional piece of plastic. It did, however, get mounted properly, and the result was a properly and firmly closing swing-arm.

The final step was, for me, the scariest; cutting of the stock bumper cover. This step required concise measuring and careful cutting to ensure uniformity of the space between the bumper and the fender. Fortunately, my son is a mechanic at a custom off-road shop, and he has a lot of experience cutting body parts. He expertly trimmed the plastic and the result was a very clean look.

I’m pleased with the build quality of the bumper. The powder coating is well done with only one spot that didn’t properly coat; the top of the swing-arm, near the high-lift jack mount. After a light rain, I spotted rust there. I will have to paint in that spot to keep it from spreading. I also didn’t receive about a dozen of the necessary bolts to complete the project requiring me to go to Lowe’s to pickup the necessary hardware. As for the latches to fit over the water jugs, I had to bend them slightly to allow them to close. Aside from these minor issues, the fit and finish is outstanding.

The swing-arm opens easily, and it has a hold-open that keeps the arm from slamming into the 4Runner or to close when the tailgate is open. The spare tire mounts easily, and the license plate holder and light, both included, were easy to install and to get wired with minimal effort (you will need a connector and solder). The bumper also has two hard points onto which bow shackles/D-rings can be attached for recoveries.

Two modifications my son and I made to the procedure. First, we cut the center portion of the stock bumper in such a way that it covered the gap between the bumper and the body of the Gunship. This makes it look nicer and gives it a more finished look. Second, I put some grip tape on the top of the bumper so that it is non-slip when we step up onto it (which we do every time we put the rooftop tent up or put it away.

I recommend the Shrockworks Rear Bumper as a good addition to any overlanding or off-road 4Runner as they are well-made, they look good, and they are reasonably priced.