best looking AFFORDABLE 2nd gen front replacement bumper?

[Forrest Nearing]

was planning on getting a Ranch Hand style bumper for the front of my truck, but all of the ones I'm seeing have a mile of room between the bottom of the grill and headlights and the top of the bumper... this gap is, of course, filled with diamond plate, but it makes the trucks look like they've got a body lift on them.



the third gens look great w/ these bumpers because the grill and lights curve and dip down and the gap isn't nearly as much.



obviously the Road Armor, Reunel, etc. type bumpers look very nice, but I'm not spending $2k+ on a bumper... sorry, ain't gonna happen!



looking at the Tough Country "Apache" series, but I've got a sinking feeling, it's the same type basic arrangement



input?

 

[BigPapa]

Forrest,



I don't know where you are but I found this the other night:



http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...RK:MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=200050569578&rd=1,1



Scott

 

[Forrest Nearing]

I'm in TX. There's plenty of places in TX that build/sell them cheap enough, but they all have that huge gap between the lights and pipe



Older 2nd gen pipe bumpers don't seem to have such a big gap. the pipe sits higher

 

[Forrest Nearing]

see, this bumper just looks out of place



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[bmoeller]

Mine is from http://www.lonestartruckequipment.com/wildwest.html (Bought it through a guy on Ebay, though. )



The powdercoating job is crap and needs to be redone. Metal wasn't prepped properly. But, other than that I like it. Has diamond plate right up to the bottom of the lights and grille.



Have pics in my "Airhorns" RR gallery.



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[Forrest Nearing]

check out that pic I posted above your post... they run diamond plate up to the grill and lights... my point is that the pipe sits like 3-4" below the lights... it just looks funky IMO



does yours look like that?

 

[TravisG]

Forrest- have you ever seen these? Or are you looking for something a little bigger?



http://www.sledpuller.com/westbumper.html

 

[Forrest Nearing]

not my absolute favorite, but it's a heck of a bumper for the price! wish it had a winch mount on it though...



hmm...

 

[bmoeller]

check out that pic I posted above your post... they run diamond plate up to the grill and lights... my point is that the pipe sits like 3-4" below the lights... it just looks funky IMO



does yours look like that?

Never measured it, but I think it is maybe 2", not 4". Doesn't look out of place to me. I think having the pipe a bit lower is a good idea, given how tall these trucks are. Also, it is more in line with the frame rails. Would push more straight, than up when hit (depending on the hit, of course). The frame where the bumper is attached, is pretty light, compared to the rest of the frame. Can bend it with a 2# hammer.

 

[thekidfan]

You know what the best is!!! Don't be such a tight wad!!

 

[WDixon27]

i just bet that a winch could be mounted inside of it with some extra steel if it's not already there, run the cable through a slot with roller guides

not my absolute favorite, but it's a heck of a bumper for the price! wish it had a winch mount on it though...



hmm...

 

[Jong]

www.offroadtechinc.com

 

[Alphacowboy]

just have a local welder build you somthing like this... .



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But, then again, I am a little partial to my bumper!

 

[TheBigSgt]

I forgot about ARB. http://www.arbusa.com/dodge.php

 

[Duluth Diesel]

I had an AliArc made a little beefier than normal. 5 vertical I-beams rather than just 2 or 3. I also had them weld on 4 light tabs for the Hellas. Then I picked up a 2" receiver hitch and bolted that on. I have about 1400 into the bumper, lights, and front hitch. I call it my deer strainer.

 

[JWestley]

I've been looking for a while too, but can't seem to find anything under about 1500k

 

[bmoeller]

but can't seem to find anything under about 1500k

They all are under 1500k. :-laf :-laf $1. 5 mil would be a LOT of money. :-laf :-laf



Mine was ~$850/ shipped.

 

[BILLVO]

www.rockingrranch.net



they are made in usa not china where the new ranch hands are now made. ranch hand started in texas but outsourced to china. now all they do is powdercoating in texas.



price is around $850. I will have one next year .

 

[Forrest Nearing]

my buddy in Laredo is going to try to score me a Mexican made job across the border for a few hundred. My buddy w/ a powdercoating shop owes me a favor, so I may come up smelling like a rose on this one