Calmini Rear Tire Swing Bumper Summary

I started posting here a year ago after buying a new X. I immediately (kinda) went out and started browsing the internet for after-market parts, and the first MAJOR upgrade that i decided to go with was a heavy duty rear bumper and tire swing. I chose CalMini.

I bought the works and for just under the modestly low price (ROTFL) of $1000.00 including shipping it arrived at my front step 6 days later.

Easy enough to install but containing NO instructions for assembly. (The most difficult being the multitude of small pieces for the swing assembly that seem to go nicely into the seams of a driveway)

Anywho I get er' on and it looked REALLY GOOD....for bout a week.

After that the powder coat which CalMini seems to put less time into than they should started to give way to the weather in Maryland. Around the entire edge of the bumper which is 1/4 inch thick the powder coat came off in strips revealing a nice edge of RUST. Along the interior of the vertical part of the swing there also seems to be absolutely NO protection at all whatsoever allowing a nice drool of rust water to accumulate along the bottom of the swing and down the bumper.

BUT!!!..im not gonna sit here and list only the negatives.

The bumper has some of the best welds that ive ever seen. They were definately done by someone who knew exactly what they were doing and who wasn't being paid minimum wage to do it. I think that the frame of the truck will crumple before the bumper itself gives in with anything more than a shrug.


Bottom Line:

Construction: A+++
Durability: A+++
Appearance: Total failure. If I wanted a rust bucket id have bought aftermarket parts from K-Mart for $229.00

Anyone want to buy a bumper?

X-Phile

If the price is right...

so you are going to sell your swing bumper right...

let a guy that is looking for a swing arm know...

That's why my bumper (not Calmini) is painted with primer that just about matches the plastic end caps. If I scrape something on a rock, I just grab the rattle can. I also get some rust that comes out of the pivot point for the tire carrier. Might be the bolt or abraision but again a squirt of paint and it's good as new.

You might consider going with Hammerite to go over the whole bumper. Several in our club have used it to coat their ARB's and there is one color that goes with the Xterra color scheme quite nicely.

For $1k I would think they'd put some good powdercoat on, or prep the metal well. Did you ever call Calmini? Not that they'll do anything about it, but just for kicks (or more frustration). :smile:

It would appear to me that although the qulity of the craftsmanship of Calmini products is pretty much excellent in my book, I can relate to your problem. Apparently CalMini has changed powdercoaters and they are not prepping the metal correctly prior to coating. My front winch bumper is doing exactly the same thing. I am going to have to remove it and the winch, strip it to bare metal and repaint using "...rattle cans..." as Schlud so aptly put it.

I did just that with the bottom of my sliders. Cheap @$$ Walmart rattle can primer, paint and clear coat. After I literally destroyed the paint in Uwharrie and a limestone quarry here in Florida, I removed the sliders, stripped the bottoms to bare metal (the top is Rhinolined) and reprimed, painted and cleared. In a weeks time (primarily to allow the paint to dry), the sliders were ready for the winter ski season (salt works wonders on bare metal).

I am not real happy with the powder coating job on my expensive front bumper. I am going to remove it shortly and strip it down. But I have to have a time frame I can leave the truck down for a few days. Odds are it will be November before I can begin the repairs.

Interesting bit about the Calmini bumper...

I too like the way the bumper is made, but mine is rusted all over and it's just a little over a year old. I plan to have it sandblasted, and then I'm going to have it Line-X'ed. (kinda like smooth Rhinolining) it's tough, and I don't think I'll have any problems with it after that. Certainly isn't what I expected for the money it cost.

My major problem has been, the tubing they used for the receiver. The radius in the corners of the tubing is too big..The problem with that is, I have to be selective as to the hitches I buy. The trailer hitch I bought, I had to take to the shop and grind it to fit. I have to find hitches that are solid for that matter. Sold my bike rack because there was no way I could use it anymore.

I'm curious, has anyone else had that problem?

If anyone has any pics of their rear swing bumper I would like to take a look at the swivel point on it where the arm comes out from the body... I think that will and might be the hardest thing to make I think, and all the other stuff should be a little easy to do. with the wire of the swing bumper I would not zip tie the wires on the outside that looks kinda ghetto ( in my eyes ) have to hide that stuff in side the tube there is not that many wires.. For the 3rd brake light I have been looking into the LED light maybe... but on the other hand might not put on it after all... might just do a double red led brake light on the underside of the swing on both side of the hitch and between the pull hook things...

I think it might look alright. I have seen some other pics of swing bumpers but not too many on the XTERRA...

Thanks and talk to you all later...


:banghead: :bananasmi BOOM........

I talked to Calmini about the rust issues and they said they have improved the powder coat and that should no longer be a problem. I'm thinking of buying one maybe next month. I'll have to see how much $$ I have, there is a few things I need to install first. If anyone who has another brand and wants to talk me out of the calmini, feel free.