Mad Chemist

After a discussion I had with another member (WATRD) about bumpers, I fired off an email to TJM in regards to 2 issues

1) What's the deal with the air bags and the TJM-15 bumpers?

2) Can the holes on the brackets which mount to the frame rail ends be used to hang D-shackles and be used for recovery tow points? See this image for the holes I'm talking about.

This is conversation with TJM:

-----Original Message-----
From: DAVID BIENVENUE [mailto:davidbienvenue@msn.com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 06, 2003 12:20 PM
To: info@tjmbullbars.com
Subject: RE: TJM T-17 shackle mounts?


Ryan,

The holes I'm talking about are actually on the brackets that attach to the end of the frame rails, not on the bumper which is then attached to those bracket. There is a hole on each bracket that looks like it was designed to hang D-shackles off of. I realized that I have the T-15, not the T-17, but I think its the same for both bumpers.

David

Response:

G'day David,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I was mistaken on my first email to you, I though you were inquiring about different holes. The holes on the bottom of the mount kit that you describe were meant to be tow points. You are also correct, the mount kits are the same for both the T17 and T15. Let me know if you have any other questions. The bar has not been tested for airbag compatibility. This does not mean that it is not compatible, it simply means that we have no data to show whether or not it is compatible.


Regards,

Ryan Parrish
TJM Products USA
www.tjmbullbars.com


So, to summarize, yes, you can hang shackles off those holes, and the airbag compatibility has not been tested. Just a little FYI for ya!

sschaefer3

Work quite well actually.

Mad Chemist

Yup! Its not that I didn't believe you Steve, but it didn't hurt to get collaboration from the company itself. I'm probably going to get a little bit of reinforcement added on like you did.

sschaefer3

Little bit my I added a full 3/4" of material to each side.

RidgeRunner

Steve,

Did your TJM T-17 bumper have a sticker that indicates it is an aluminum bumper? Since you welded on it I'm sure you know which it is.

Mine has a sticker that says something like "this aluminum bumper requires a steel cradle to support a winch". I'm assuming from that mine is aluminum.

What is your opinion?

Mick

RidgeRunner

Also, I was concerned about the strength of that material for a recovery point. Ryan stated that they were meant to be TOW points. I'm thinking there may be a big difference in "recovery" and "tow".

Mick

sschaefer3

My bumper is without a doubt the steel one. I customized the mounting as well. Pulled a full size Jeep Wagoneer out with those points at the Mini-AZ4RJ last November.

Mad Chemist

Mine came with the same sticker as well, seems like they have one generic sticker that they slap on all their bumpers.

RidgeRunner

That's really good to know. I was ready to leave hooks on the frame and ignore the holes. Did you use round bar stock on either side to fill the shackle space?



David, it sounds like that's normal then, the bumper seemed lighter than I expected when I put it on so I wasn't sure if it was aluminum or steel (I forgot to ask Mike).

Thanks, guys, always appreciate the help.

Mick

nolongeraneqaddict

so with the airbag thing, theyre saying if you get in a crash with one of our bumpers, your airbags might not activate? but we havent tested to be sure yet?

Mad Chemist

I think its basically "legalese" for: if your airbags don't happen to go off, we are in no way responsible. They're just covering their own butts, but I don't know why they just wouldn't go ahead and do the testing. If you look on their website, it states that they have built their own testing facility. If thats the case, are they hiding something? Or do they just not want to spend the money on crash vehicles to test every bumper that they make? I don't know....

sschaefer3

I seriously doubt they would be justified in crashing a 30K vehicle for the handful of sales that they have on these BBS's.

60 people tops have TJM's. I know that the final dealer mark up is over 100 and the USA Distributor makes money, probably the same.

6,000 in profit does not justify destryoing a 30K vehicle. I would not test it either and just issue the warning.


The air bag sensors are on the frame rails and the impact for sets them off, you may have a minorly dented bumper and the bags will go off.

This deepens with the 99-02 since they have the extra crush zone. So the 99-02 looses the crush zone and the 96-98 never had a crush zone to begin with.


If you worried about air bag sensors, don't buy an aftermarket bumper. If your one of the stupid people that does not know that coffee is hot, stick with the stocker, Toyota has a better legal team to defeat you. In the old days Darwin would have weeded you out anyway.

sschaefer3

Yes, that is exactly what I did. I also beefed up the front mounting point inside the frame rail.

Mad Chemist

You know what I like about you Steve, is the fact that you never come across as an opinionated, arrogant know-it-all.

sschaefer3

I always come accross that way. Just the way it is. I don't know everything, but I know what I have tried on the truck.

I don't candy coat it, I just lay it down.

TDiddy

Gotta love it....

We had a similar line about hot coffee in our Pismo waivers

george16

Mine didn't come with the tow point. It's a TJM t15 with part number 1586W. Looking at the pic, it seems to me that the 96-98 mounting brackets have these and not on the 99 and newer mounting brackets.

George

Nate C

Why don't you simply stick a magnet on it and find out fer yourself???



PS: Magnets stick to Aluminum....