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MaxGear Rear Bumper, (WARNING: Lots o' Pics)

GOOD REVIEW 
26K views 82 replies 39 participants last post by  AlbatrossCafe 
#1 · (Edited)
I recently took delivery of my MaxGear Armor Rear Bumper last weekend to replace my Shrock rear. I was always skeptical when seeing people like @IM1RU and @jsexton hard selling the maXTERRA Rear Bumper like it was "God's Gift to Mankind", wondering "How different can you really make these Rear Bumpers?" but in the end...

They were right.

This thing is freakin SWEET. It's been a long time that I spent several hours installing something onto my X with pure joy and a smile across my face the whole time.

Here are some reasons that make this product great:


  • Everything FIT with NO MODIFICATIONS. How often can you say that?? I'd be hard-pressed to find another one-off part on my rig that didn't require a little grinding, extra washers, bending, etc.
  • Powdercoat quality is fantastic. Love the smooth texture.
  • Well thought-out structural reinforcement and overall design. Clearly, this was a bumper made by an Xterra owner (love that the "X" logo works for both "MaxGear" and "Xterra")
  • Ability to customize. It is super cool to have someone take an idea from my non-fabricator head (receiver hitch in swingarm) and make it feasible in reality.
  • Attention to detail - anti-seize on bolts, wires pre-routed, latch/swingarm pivot machined out for perfect fit
  • Customer service - One or two hiccups along the way but Dave is an accommodating and friendly guy who is easy to interact with
  • Reasonable price - Sure you pay a few hundred $$ more than other bumpers, but for that few hundred $$ you get a HUGE bump in the overall product. Honestly, any local shop that did what I wanted for this thing would have cost me over $2k.

Of course, it was about 10 months from the time I put in the order (early July 2018) till the time I received it, but that was expected.

Overall, I'm very satisfied and nearly everything I wanted out of this bumper turned out exactly as I hoped. So, thanks again @maXTERRA. I know you're a busy guy and I'm not trying to draw all this business to you, but I couldn't resist leaving a good review. 😊
 
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#2 · (Edited)
Pics incoming. There are a lot. Sorry in advance slow internet users.

Packaging was so thorough it was borderline ridiculous:



Reinforcement around recessed hitch:




Customized for my rare-ish 1" body lift! Yay!



Pre-install:




Close up shots:








Attention to detail - anti-sieze, easy license plate light wiring options, fused wire, good quality LED plate lights







One addition I did make - I added a few layers of duck tape here because I knew I would inadvertently slam the latch on it:



Installed pics!







And the best part and one of the main reasons I decided to get this bumper... the bike rack solution!
It was such a PITA to bring bikes on a trip only to have to take the rack off anytime I wanted to get in the back. I had a receiver hitch put into the swingarm and Dave used thicker walled steel there as well. Now I can stick my bike rack into the swingarm, open it up with the bikes still attached, and get into the trunk. Pretty freakin cool. It also brings the bike rack up higher than before and I have plenty of room between bikes and the spare because of how the receiver protrudes out. Wasn't sure on this design when it was commissioned, but it couldn't have worked out any better TBH.

Will the pivot standup to the extra weight? Only time will tell. But I am not too worried since the bikes don't travel on it all the time.







 
#3 ·
Dave keeps making refinements, I see a few details on your bumper that mine doesn't have. Even with such a great product, he's always looking for ways to improve things. I'm on my second bumper, my first predated the can carriers; I gave it to my brother for his Xterra and got a can carrier model. Both bumpers still work and look great, honestly, it might even outlast my X.
 
#13 ·
It's very straighforward to install, but having a couple friends lift it into place while someone gets the bolts into the chassis is a must.

And yes, it's well worth the wait. Every bumper is made by Dave personally; this isn't just custom, it's bespoke
 
#8 ·
I pondered various bike rack options for a LONG time. The one that attaches to the spare doesn't work with the offset tire because the bikes would hang out way too far to the left. If you have a center mount tire, that would be a good solution.

Nice! i really like this rear bumper been eyeing it for a while but the wait time is what puts me off from ordering it :( does it come with install instructions or is it really straight forward? I suck at putting stuff together lol
Yeah, luckily I already had a similar bumper otherwise that wait would have killed me. No install instructions but it is pretty obvious.
 
#7 · (Edited)
I'm glad to hear you don't think I'm full of $hit. Congrats on the new bumper!

Make sure you keep the hinge greased, and the bolt tight enough that it takes effort to close the swing arm, and that hinge will last a long time.
 
#12 ·
I recently took delivery of my MaxGear Armor rear bumper last weekend to replace my Shrock rear. I was always skeptical when seeing people like @IM1RU and jsexton hard-selling the Maxterra rear bumper like it was "God's gift to mankind", wondering "how different can you really make these rear bumpers?" but in the end...
Now you see why I made that crazy drive for mine to 1. not have to wait, and 2. get it at half price brand new. :wink:

I always push his bumper real hard.

 
#26 ·
I remember Dave saying that his supplier changed something about those lights. Mine is one of an earlier batch and is still going strong. Even the one on my first bumper has been going without an issue, and it's even older.
 
#21 ·
Oh man! Starting to get jittery as mine should hopefully be arriving in a few weeks. Here's to hoping it arrives before my upcoming trip! *fingers crossed*
 
#24 ·
I'm gonna hang it on my mantle, of course!

Nah, selling for sure. Local though. Not dealing with a $300 shipment.
 
#30 ·
I've had mine for about a year and a half and the only reason I'd get rid of it would be to get another. I really wish I'd gotten the jerry can holder and hi lift mount. Your receiver on the swing arm idea is great - I wish I'd gotten that too!

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
 
#31 ·
If memory serves, you can have the can carrier or the high lift mount, but not both. I think Dave said that there's a problem with both the space, but also the weight of a jack and two full cans stacked next to a heavy off road tire.
 
#35 ·
That's awesome. Yeah, the wait is worth it. I like the single jerry can. I got the double. I ended up splicing, threading, and soldering my LED license plate lights. Every time the connection would get wet they wouldn't work, so I had to do the aforementioned and then shrink wrap. All in all I love mine. These things are incredible. The craftsmanship is unreal.
 
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