View Full Version : Tail gate rubber bumpers
ClutchDisk
10-27-2006, 07:56 PM
Just a fast one.Replaced my spare with a 31x10.5x15 tire with a spacer. ($49 one). Works ok but now the tire won't hit the bumpers.So I got me an idea to remove about an inch of rubber from the 3 bumpers, remove the spacer.But what would be the best way to remove an inch of rubber from those bumpers so it looks clean and even.Don't want to butcher it up.
Want to keep the jeep fairly stock to maintain the theme of the WW-2 commemerative model of the 04 wrangler.Thanx for the input on the slight mod.
wally
10-27-2006, 10:50 PM
Welcome to the BB and I had the same problem and I just took them off and did not cut them at all. Sorry I could not help out any more.
sabastian
10-27-2006, 11:23 PM
watch your fingers, but a buddy of mine used a band saw. they came out very clean. he even used a sanding disc to round the edges off. couldn't even tell.
yzergod
10-28-2006, 01:23 AM
I used a hack saw on mine in a vise...
welcome
ClutchDisk
10-28-2006, 07:23 AM
Thank you for the input. Looks like the hack saw is the way I have to go. No band saw only have cave man tools.Btw thank you for welcoming me to the board..
trainbrainmike
10-28-2006, 07:35 PM
Welcome to the board, Jeep wave to ya....are you USA active duty? If so, even better and thanks for your service. graemlins/49.gif
Tgoose
10-29-2006, 08:55 PM
Originally posted by yzergod:
I used a hack saw on mine in a vise...
welcome Same here (hack saw) having those 5 bumpers fit right has everything to do with how well the taigate will hold up to a tire.
Psycho Al
11-01-2006, 01:43 PM
When I mounted my spare on aftermarket wheels I had a space b/t the tire and bumpers. I cut some extensions from a piece of rubber and they look like they came with it. You could try that if you didn't want to remove the spacer.
zachv
11-02-2006, 10:36 AM
I always use the plasma cutter to cut those pieces. ;)
jeepfever
11-02-2006, 11:34 AM
Clutchdisk I just used a hacksaw like the others have said. Welcome to the boards.Not to far from you. Couple counties east of you
ellerga1
02-03-2009, 07:50 AM
I had the opposite problem.
Don't remove the rubber bumpers - they distribute the weight of the spare over a larger area, so not to stress the tailgate. I had a tailgate on an '89 YJ that developed tears in the sheet metal, and I had to replace it.
On my '04 TJ, I went from P235-70Rx15 Goodyear Wrangler tires mounted on stock 15x8 wheels with a 5" backspacing to 32x11.50x15 BF Goodrich tires mounted on Mickey Thompson 15x8 wheels with a 3-1/2" backspacing.
This made EXTENDING the tailgate bumpers necessary. I found no one sells extensions, so I thought about going to a machine shop to have some extenders made of metal. Then an easy and less expensive solution hit me. Remove the spare and the bumpers. Get some 2" masking tape and wrap it along the mounting edge of the bumper to form a dam the same shape as the bumper. Then fill the dam with plastic body filler, wait for it to set up, sand it flat and paint it, the re-install it with longer bolts. I found that a 1-1/4" extension worked fine for me.