Selecting an aftermarket bumper is a personal thing. The competing requirements are:
1. Cost. I was ready to get a buckstop when the sign-up list was passed around a few years ago but was not happy with the cost v. what you get.
2. Weight. I have had many specialized bumpers on 4x4'a i've owned including a Tomba Burro on my FJ55 which was painted orange and looked like that Oil Rig truck Bryan talked about. The problem was the weight on the front axle with the Warn 8K winch. Most of the aftermarket truck bumpers weigh from 300 to 400 pounds, or more, depending. For me that seemed too much for the Dana 60 front axle assy, which is rated at 5200 pounds. Add the 150 poiund Warn M15000 winch and you may be over the axle rating, especially when you consider the weight is leveraged way out beyond the front axle. When i change out the Dodge unit bearings (grrr!) to a higher rated bearing and hub assy, the defacto rating of that D-60 should improve. My winch comes with a carrier which is a lot of rather flimzy tubes, a very H.D. box the winch sits in, between a couple H.D. sheer plates for deflecting nocturnal bovine intruders. After hitting a bull elk at night in the Nevada desert with my Dodge I could see the need for a tougher front end. Not wanting to add too much to the weight i build my own upgrade which included sched. 4330 thick wall tubing welded in a maze to a Warn brush guard (which in reality won't deflect much) but is kind of a compromise. I also welded some ears on top to hold a larger 'radiator saver' in case a really big bovine comes over the top.I learned to do this from my jeeping dayz in case you get in a bad roll you can still drive away with water cooling.
3. Does it protect you? Is mine as strong as a ranch hand or a buckstop? No way. But it is some amount of front end protection without the weight penalty. Notice i clearanced the outer stock bumper to add a bit of approach angle for larger rocks and wash edges.
jefe
1. Cost. I was ready to get a buckstop when the sign-up list was passed around a few years ago but was not happy with the cost v. what you get.
2. Weight. I have had many specialized bumpers on 4x4'a i've owned including a Tomba Burro on my FJ55 which was painted orange and looked like that Oil Rig truck Bryan talked about. The problem was the weight on the front axle with the Warn 8K winch. Most of the aftermarket truck bumpers weigh from 300 to 400 pounds, or more, depending. For me that seemed too much for the Dana 60 front axle assy, which is rated at 5200 pounds. Add the 150 poiund Warn M15000 winch and you may be over the axle rating, especially when you consider the weight is leveraged way out beyond the front axle. When i change out the Dodge unit bearings (grrr!) to a higher rated bearing and hub assy, the defacto rating of that D-60 should improve. My winch comes with a carrier which is a lot of rather flimzy tubes, a very H.D. box the winch sits in, between a couple H.D. sheer plates for deflecting nocturnal bovine intruders. After hitting a bull elk at night in the Nevada desert with my Dodge I could see the need for a tougher front end. Not wanting to add too much to the weight i build my own upgrade which included sched. 4330 thick wall tubing welded in a maze to a Warn brush guard (which in reality won't deflect much) but is kind of a compromise. I also welded some ears on top to hold a larger 'radiator saver' in case a really big bovine comes over the top.I learned to do this from my jeeping dayz in case you get in a bad roll you can still drive away with water cooling.
3. Does it protect you? Is mine as strong as a ranch hand or a buckstop? No way. But it is some amount of front end protection without the weight penalty. Notice i clearanced the outer stock bumper to add a bit of approach angle for larger rocks and wash edges.
jefe
I've got a buckstop on mine. I put it through a dodge neon a few days before thanksgiving at about 30mph when a high school driver made an illegal turn in front of me. Bent the front frame on my truck a bit, but it was repairable. Couldn't even find a noticeable scratch in the bumper. I went ahead and had the insurance company paint it anyways, so it matches my truck now.
I just installed a pair of PIAA 520 driving lights and PIAA 520 foglights to help the Hella lamps that were already installed in the bumper cans. Still no winch....but it's on the list. Along with a 2" lifted HD springs for the front. Bumper is quite heavy, and winch even more so. I'd love to mount a jack to the front....I already have one on my small trailer.
Here's pics of the lights getting aimed....and the newly painted bumper just prior to light mounting.
I just installed a pair of PIAA 520 driving lights and PIAA 520 foglights to help the Hella lamps that were already installed in the bumper cans. Still no winch....but it's on the list. Along with a 2" lifted HD springs for the front. Bumper is quite heavy, and winch even more so. I'd love to mount a jack to the front....I already have one on my small trailer.
Here's pics of the lights getting aimed....and the newly painted bumper just prior to light mounting.
We love our Ranch Hand Bumperโฆbesides protecting the front of the truck its a great perch for the kids pictures:)! Very solidโฆI had it installed in Huston while crossing the country last summerโฆtook four full grown men to do it and they knew what they were doingโฆabout an hour install time. Solid as a rock!!!
