Heavy Duty Bumpers for Expedition/Overland Use: Practical Necessity or Superfluous an

[Keith_Indy]

The bumper is there to protect the vehicle, mount a winch, recovery points, and other necessities (like a hi-lift or lights.) Now, that said, there are some that are way larger then they need to be. I think the Broncoairs bumper I've got on my Bronco is a good starting point. Not to large, good design, good approach angle.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

My bumpers were a necessity to me.

I had no tow points, light mounts, or place for a winch up front. I had a giant piece of plastic that offer none of these and had an abysmal approach angle. Also it provided no protection to vital components. I will admit the tube work may be considered excess, but served for light mount and protection from the multitude of suicidal deer in my area.

The bumper was also plastic and hung down low. While I did have a hitch, I did not have any other recovery points if I was towing or needed to rig a winchline. I did not have a place to mount a spare tire or other accessories. The built one is now stronger, has recovery points, has a spare tire mount, has jerry can mount, and has better departure angle.

Both are custom made by MDB Fab with me assisting. Lots of time and thought and labor. Couple pics, but I think they are functional and have truly improved the vehicle without being really superfluous, some may feel different, but to each their own.

 

[CodyY]

Nice work. I like em

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Thanks

 

[blue dog]

bumper

my Home built job with receiver.

 

[Jcrayton99]

Same boat as Hardtrails. The stock bumpers on Trailblazers are a joke given the fully boxed frame. The Waag guard welded to mine is a bit much, and I often think of removing it, but I know as soon as I do a deer or something will want to hit me. Rear has yet to be done on mine, and plan on a lot of the same features as his, just a lot smaller and lighter.

 

[BCHauler]

View attachment 114664

I like this bumper a lot. This is exactly what I would put on my truck.

 

[Keith_Indy]

I like this bumper a lot. This is exactly what I would put on my truck.

Here's where I bought it... http://broncoair.com/frontBumper.php

I love it, but it wasn't cheap.

 

[jronwood]

I perfer non stock bumpers (or a guard out front), just too many animals out there to hit and damage things, that said I HATE most flimsy aftermarket ons, they simply "hold the dent/damage in" after any REAL contact. I have built several, and this was my latest "quick" effort for a trip north for a 2000 mile vacation after putting a $600 tranny cooler on my rig. I got to thinking with the tranny cooler, turbo inercooler and then radiator, if I hit a deer or moose (whatever) it could be 2-3K plus down time. I braced it back to the core support at a key (heavy) junction and it will soon have a "flip down" option as well as a reeese style reciever for a removable winch. Note the heavy solid rod (1 1/2" bacing back) it is ALL solid rod and alot of High carbon I could not use for much else. I did ALOT of preheat before welding to get good welds on the carbon. Lets just say it is SOLID. Dont rely on the cantilevered ones form down low, you gotta use REAL steel and brace it back, yes it is HEAVY, but to me it is worth it.

 

[Mrk1]

I had an ARB on my land cruiser and I thought it was much much to heavy. Personally I dont rock crawl so it dont need a bumper to bounce off rocks, but I agree the factory bumper especially now in the days of plastic everything there is much to be desired.

Im going to fabricate a bumper for my land rover now and am aiming to provide protection from obstacles and animals but keep an eye on weight for performance and mileage. At the end of the day when building a rig you need to consider what your actually going to do with the thing

 

[Jitterbug]

Modern bumpers are a designed weak spot, by fitting a really strong front bumper you are moving the weak spot elswhere. Granted most of the time that 'elswhere' is the animal/tree/other vehicle, but not always.

A good friend of mine was recently in an accident in his 79 series Land Cruiser Ute, with ARB winch bumper. If he had the standard bumper he would have been left with a destroyed bumper, smashed up cooling system and a heap of front end panel damage, because of the HD steel winch bumper he has minimal bumper damage, no cooling system damage and minimal body damage BUT ended up with a twisted chassis...

I guess it is a fine line between making the bumper strong enough to withstand impacts but still being weaker than the chassis it is mounted too so it twists/deforms before your chassis does!

 

[Jcrayton99]

I believe our bumpers made for the TBs are made out of 3/16 steel because of this. Our frame is stronger than the bumper so it still takes the force, but it can handle it better than the stock.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Modern bumpers are a designed weak spot, by fitting a really strong front bumper you are moving the weak spot elswhere. Granted most of the time that 'elswhere' is the animal/tree/other vehicle, but not always.

A good friend of mine was recently in an accident in his 79 series Land Cruiser Ute, with ARB winch bumper. If he had the standard bumper he would have been left with a destroyed bumper, smashed up cooling system and a heap of front end panel damage, because of the HD steel winch bumper he has minimal bumper damage, no cooling system damage and minimal body damage BUT ended up with a twisted chassis...

I guess it is a fine line between making the bumper strong enough to withstand impacts but still being weaker than the chassis it is mounted too so it twists/deforms before your chassis does!

The twisted frame doesnt leave you stuck in the boonies but the other damage would have. I would rather be home w a bent chassis than starving 100 miles from nowhere.

 

[bfdiesel]

Modern bumpers are a designed weak spot, by fitting a really strong front bumper you are moving the weak spot elswhere. Granted most of the time that 'elswhere' is the animal/tree/other vehicle, but not always.

A good friend of mine was recently in an accident in his 79 series Land Cruiser Ute, with ARB winch bumper. If he had the standard bumper he would have been left with a destroyed bumper, smashed up cooling system and a heap of front end panel damage, because of the HD steel winch bumper he has minimal bumper damage, no cooling system damage and minimal body damage BUT ended up with a twisted chassis...

I guess it is a fine line between making the bumper strong enough to withstand impacts but still being weaker than the chassis it is mounted too so it twists/deforms before your chassis does!

So he was still able to drive home? Sounds like a win.

 

[Bergum]

Actualy, a bumper has two jobs.
Offroad, it has to take down trees, push rocks and keep the engine safe.

Onroad it has to dampen the impact in a smash. This will reduse the strain on your body, and keep you alive.....

So, basicly a bumper has to be designed to whitstand low speed impacts, but deform at impact at high speed.
Can you make that???

So, Heavy bumper? yes please, that is, Offroad.
Stock bumper? No, I will take a well enginered ARB any day. That is, since i trust them with my life....

Now i drive a Suzuki Samurai, and I know that in a collision over 70Km/h, I will be dead. That's it...