no rear bumper?

[SnakeLogic]

Is there any DISadvantage to removing the rear bumper in order to somewhat improve departure angle other than the obvious two?  Namely:

1.  I wouldn't have a rear bumper.  (I have the 200 series rear lights awaiting transplant surgery.)

2.  My Disco would look even MORE like third-world refugee than it does now.

[muddyjames]

And it could be illegal?

[cardiff_gareth]

sharp edges will be an MOT failure. As long as they are removed then I beleive it is ok, see here, page 2 for a shot of a bobtail with no rear bumper:

http://forums.mud-club.com/viewtopic.php?t=42957&highlight=

Looks good, envious rage kicking in  :(vamp):  The good guys arrive  :smack: peace is restored  O:)

 :lol:

[suggs]

mine's been removed and whats left covered with black chequer plate.

[SnakeLogic]

And it could be illegal?

I'm going to look into the details of that over the weekend.  Laws are funny in Japan.  Essentially, It's illegal to modify a vehicle's length or width, though within parameters, it's OK to alter the height.  Now, the length restrictions are designed to prevent someone from making his car longer, so I'll have to ask how that applies to my case of wanting to make a vehicle SHORTER.

On a side note, I FINALLY met another person in Japan who actually drives his Land Rover off the road.  He's the leader of a Classic Range Rover club, and this warrants pursuing.  Mostly people buy Rovers for the style, and then sell them to an exporter when they get get sick of them.  I recently saw a 50th Anniversary Defender sold to a young man who admitted to having NO INTENTION of taking it off road.  

[J.D.]

I have no rear bumper on mine at the moment just the rear crossmember with some JATE rings through it, checked with my mate at an MOT garage and he said it was fine as long as no sharp edges and as long as you still have reflectors on the back somewhere.

[waveydavey]

If you take the bumper off do you actually change the length if you leave the spare wheel on? Put a big cover on the wheel and maybe you could argue it?

[SnakeLogic]

Well, I'm sure the spare won't count for an actual part of the vehicle.  I'll have to check as to just how far the spare tyre carrier bracket extends.  ON the other hand, as some vehicles (notably Jeep Wranglers) list a rear bumper as an "option", maybe it's not required to begin with.

[SnakeLogic]

So my garage tells me that while he isn't sure about the Shaken (or MOT for  you Brits) requirements, he assures me I can take the bumper off and drive if I like.  He recommended holding on to the bumper to put it back on before the next MOT.  

I installed the upgraded tail lights that include my winkers, so I'll have to wait and see if I actually end up removing the bumper.  I tend to use the bumper as a "feeler" when making really tight 3-point turns off road.