Tailgate hinge with RockHard swing bumper

[BrownBear]

I just bought and mounted a used Rock Hard rear bumper and Swing on my TJ.
The situation is my tailgate will not fully open due to the bumper/tire swing pivot (see pic).
I need about another 1or 2 degrees so the tailgate will open to 90 degrees.
Before I look into slimmer hinges, has anyone modified their lower hinge with a radius cut-out to clear the bumper swing pivot?
—the tailgate will not be carrying much weight.—

 

[Chris]

No pictures attached.

 

[SuspectLJ]

pictures aren’t attached but if I’m understanding correctly I had the exact same issue. I took a dremel and sanded a hole into the plastic cover of the lower hinge and then took a little material off the hinge itself. I then touched it up with white paint and put the cover back on.

I can take a picture when I get home if needed

 

[BrownBear]

No pictures attached.

Thanks… they should be there now

 

[SuspectLJ]

Thanks… they should be there now

the issue I had was a little different, for me it was the locking pin making contact with the lower hinge. Here’s how mine looks

 

[BrownBear]

Excellent….
Slightly different but similar enough.
Your photos help me a lot.
I think no I will drop the bumper down one notch (~3/8”). This will (I think) allow me to do a similar mod on the lower portion on the bottom hinge.
It looks like the hinge will handle it.
I hope to do this in a few days.
I’ll post pics when complete.

 

[SuspectLJ]

Excellent….
Slightly different but similar enough.
Your photos help me a lot.
I think no I will drop the bumper down one notch (~3/8”). This will (I think) allow me to do a similar mod on the lower portion on the bottom hinge.
It looks like the hinge will handle it.
I hope to do this in a few days.
I’ll post pics when complete.

Awesome, glad i could help. yeah the hinge should be fine, the amount i had to take off was so miniscule there's no way it made any actual difference to the strength of the hinge.

 

[rasband]

there's no way it made any actual difference to the strength of the hinge.

Even if it did, you're no longer carrying a wheel+tire back there and it's just the tailgate anymore.

 

[BrownBear]

Awesome, glad i could help. yeah the hinge should be fine, the amount i had to take off was so miniscule there's no way it made any actual difference to the strength of the hinge.

Resolved…. I dropped the bumper to the lower height.
I will only need to just skim off a bit on the bottom of lower hitch…
That will need to wait until August when im back in Georgia and have my garage and tools.
Thanks