Heavy Duty Bumpers for Expedition/Overland Use: Practical Necessity or Superfluous an
- Thread starter Cee-Jay
- Start date
doug720
Expedition Leader
Two deer for me over the years...one with stock FJ60 bumper - lite damage as we going under 30 mph and the deer was small, but I was very lucky, second time with ARB and no issues at all, except for the deer who the bears took care of!
If you spend much time in areas with game, good bumpers are important.
Doug
88Xj
Banned
Well guys I may be starting to change my opinion...I do love the hidden winch & I have a factory tire swing..but no hitch. And my tire swing is wearing out, not wanting to swing as freely anymore..but it is 24 years old! Also on my 2 recent trips, I've found myself digging in front or bagging my rear bumper..and something stronger would be nicer!
So I'm starting to look for some ideas on low profile bumpers. Tire swing, hitch, Drings & 1, maybe 2 jerry cans in the rear. And up front a sturdy brush guard, but still keeping the winch as far back as possible to keep my approach angle. I'm thinking of using 2x3..2x4 at the biggest and building off of it..It will deffinetly be custom, but light and simple with a slight miltary look is what I'm after!
I don't really do any fast offroad wheeling, and don't really have big wild life out here in Socal. But traveling will put me at risk. I was thinking of adding a small brush guard to keep brush away since I only wheel slowly but something bigger will be needed for anything besides bushes!
So I'm starting to look for some ideas on low profile bumpers. Tire swing, hitch, Drings & 1, maybe 2 jerry cans in the rear. And up front a sturdy brush guard, but still keeping the winch as far back as possible to keep my approach angle. I'm thinking of using 2x3..2x4 at the biggest and building off of it..It will deffinetly be custom, but light and simple with a slight miltary look is what I'm after!
I don't really do any fast offroad wheeling, and don't really have big wild life out here in Socal. But traveling will put me at risk. I was thinking of adding a small brush guard to keep brush away since I only wheel slowly but something bigger will be needed for anything besides bushes!
88Xj
Banned
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f177/xj-rear-bumper-build-1-a-775547/
Thinking something like this maybe but use 3x3 and welding a spindle through the 3x3 vs welding it to the 3x3...and then building a tire swing & jerry can holder with a intergrated hitch, and yes it will remain cut & fold! It will alos be mounted with 3x3 through the frame rails to really stiffen things up and make them strong back there! The 3x3 through the rails will help keep the back end from twisting while flexing it out!
And in the front I'll do 3x2 and place my winch where the front crossmeber is..and also do d-rings thorugh the bumper with a custom brush guard!
Thinking something like this maybe but use 3x3 and welding a spindle through the 3x3 vs welding it to the 3x3...and then building a tire swing & jerry can holder with a intergrated hitch, and yes it will remain cut & fold! It will alos be mounted with 3x3 through the frame rails to really stiffen things up and make them strong back there! The 3x3 through the rails will help keep the back end from twisting while flexing it out!
And in the front I'll do 3x2 and place my winch where the front crossmeber is..and also do d-rings thorugh the bumper with a custom brush guard!
doug720
Expedition Leader
Both times we hit dear were not off-road, but on pavement! Way more dangerous in my opinion as you are moving faster. One of the deer was hit on Smokey Bear Road near Gorman right at Dusk and the other was outside of Bridgeport CA early in ther morning going fishing. Deer are not just in far away locals, but near by SoCal too.
Another thing to consider are cows. If you travel up and down 395 look at how many cows are next to the freeway you can and imagine how many you can't see. Four of our friends hit a cow on 395 about 10 years, killed 3 of them when the cow came through the windshield. Yes in a car, but... A bumper can help, not always, but many times.
Yes they can look a bit poser at times, but if the winch mounted to it gets you unstuck, or the bad driver makes the left in front of you or the one trying to parallel park saves you're front end, why not?
Doug
Another thing to consider are cows. If you travel up and down 395 look at how many cows are next to the freeway you can and imagine how many you can't see. Four of our friends hit a cow on 395 about 10 years, killed 3 of them when the cow came through the windshield. Yes in a car, but... A bumper can help, not always, but many times.
Yes they can look a bit poser at times, but if the winch mounted to it gets you unstuck, or the bad driver makes the left in front of you or the one trying to parallel park saves you're front end, why not?
Doug
Buliwyf
Viking with a Hammer
Just curious, are these bumpers stronger than the frame?
I mean what's the point if they can survive a hit, but just transfer that energy straight to the frame and damage it? Are there considerations about the trucks strength when these are designed? I can torch off a bent bumper on the trail.....
Every time I've seen/driven/ridden in, a truck with a heavy bumper with a few dings, it was on a truck that had no chance of going straight on the freeway.
Not to mention that $3000+ buys alot of spare parts, tires, and stock bumpers. And that's the bottom line for me. I'd love to have an Alumness bumper on the front and rear of my F250, but I'm not too keen on the idea of two bumpers costing more than a complete 100% new/rebuilt engine installed. I'm ok with these folks being proud of thier products, but $3000 for simple bumpers is just plain too much.
I mean what's the point if they can survive a hit, but just transfer that energy straight to the frame and damage it? Are there considerations about the trucks strength when these are designed? I can torch off a bent bumper on the trail.....
Every time I've seen/driven/ridden in, a truck with a heavy bumper with a few dings, it was on a truck that had no chance of going straight on the freeway.
Not to mention that $3000+ buys alot of spare parts, tires, and stock bumpers. And that's the bottom line for me. I'd love to have an Alumness bumper on the front and rear of my F250, but I'm not too keen on the idea of two bumpers costing more than a complete 100% new/rebuilt engine installed. I'm ok with these folks being proud of thier products, but $3000 for simple bumpers is just plain too much.
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big fan of a heavy duty bumper. I made my own and it is stout enough to handle the trail obstacles. I have been on a trail where a boulder had fallen and blocked the way. It was a shelf road and we had been traveling down it for some time. Going around was not an option, neither was backing up. I just pushed it out of the way with the bumper. I could have stopped and setup a winch line but if the boulder went over the edge and tangled the line I am sure it would have taken the truck with it. there have been numerous instances where trees have fallen across the roads and it was very easy to just push them till they moved out of the way or broke allowing me to pass. not too concerned about highway or in town uses as I don't see much of that anyway.
CodyY
Explorer
Design
prototype
prototype
prototype
materials
Labor
Insurance
rent
Electricity
Bender
Brake
Shear
Waterjet (purchase or subcontract)
Welders
Consumables
Jigs
Storage space
Powder Coating
And tack on enough profit so that as the owner of a small business you get to make enough to pay yourself a wage for your 60-80hr work weeks, paying your accountant, the $3000 license for SolidWorks/AutoCAD, phone bill, internet, web development, and and and and.
Yes, they're expensive, no I can't afford one either. I'm too busy trying to make a living doing everything on the list above.
hikingff77
Adventurer
Very Nice. Do you have details of your winch install?
I love the bumpers and all the addons and I agree with reasons on both sides. I'm torn. I'll never have a front bumper, can't afford it. Although I'd like a rear one with tow points, a swing away tire carrier and other possible mounting options.
I love the bumpers and all the addons and I agree with reasons on both sides. I'm torn. I'll never have a front bumper, can't afford it. Although I'd like a rear one with tow points, a swing away tire carrier and other possible mounting options.
I personally prefer the more simple, lighter approach now a days.......
HARDTRAILZ
Certified
I have my stock plastic junk replaced with custom steel. I would not go back and definitely feel the extra weight is worthwhile.
Buliwyf
Viking with a Hammer
I hear ya. I need to try to find a company that deos custom fabbing and makes thier income on other projects and can try a bumper on the side. I can see how a bumper only company is stuck with huge overhead, but there's got to be a company out there that can make quality bumpers for a more reasonable cost than Warn, ARB, Alum, Road Armor etc.
Supply and demand. I think I'd be better off investing in some steel and a welder and fab my own stuff. It ain't rocket science.
I could settle for $1.5k for the front with a simple light bar, and $1k for a rear....
CodyY
Explorer
What you're looking for is a guy like me that does fab work at home/small shop.
Problem is, guys like me need your truck for a week to build a pair of bumpers. And lots of example photos to base design
Buliwyf
Viking with a Hammer
The down time isn't a problem. I drive a company van so I can ditch my truck.
I'd just want a simple angled style road armor bumper with ARB style bull bars welded on for grill protection and Lightforce Blitz 240 mounts.
The rear is a bit more complex. Most rears are simple offroad flat clearance bumpers. But I want one that sticks out still like a step bumper, pretty much exactly like the stock F350 bumper, but with stronger steel.
Still, It would be a fun project to do myself.
I'd just want a simple angled style road armor bumper with ARB style bull bars welded on for grill protection and Lightforce Blitz 240 mounts.
The rear is a bit more complex. Most rears are simple offroad flat clearance bumpers. But I want one that sticks out still like a step bumper, pretty much exactly like the stock F350 bumper, but with stronger steel.
Still, It would be a fun project to do myself.