Denver Off Road 3G bumper

[Ol'TrailDog]

Well, I replaced my Herd aluminum bumper with a Denver Off Road aluminum bumper. I wanted a black bumper to match the ST front and flat bed.



The polished aluminum Herd bullbar better matches the bling bling Laramie front end of the new owner.



I have to say that Layne and Dave at Denver Off Road are a couple of great guys. I got to town at 1600 and they spent until 1930 installing the bumper (it was just hot out of the oven at the powder coaters across town). Plus, Layne drove me around town in his 2G to look for a brass hinge for my flatbed tool box. I am quite pleased with both the bumper and getting to meet Layne and Dave.



PS: Yeh, I know, I should have washed the rig before i took the pics. But i think it is as allergic to hot soapy water as I am to cleaning. :-laf

 

[ketchumj]

Layne is a great dude, it has been a while since I talked to him though probably 2 years. I always like telling the guys with ranchands down here in Texas that Aluminum is the only way to go. Do you know what happened to his website? I was getting worried he was out of business, I need to get a rear bumper from him.

 

[geusterman]

Really nice OTD. Looks like the Mad Max I want to build for the silver bling bling rig of mine. Real nice. Need better pics or lead to factory site. Thanks, George

 

[JCrockett]

Looks Good! Similar to the one I had got in MT, except mine is all steel. Stout as hell but heavy. My buddy wants to get an aluminum one made. Do they do mail order? And what about a price range?

Thanks

 

[BarryG]

Ol Trail:

You will really like that bumper. I have had mine for about 140k and it still looks as good as the day I bought it. I even went back and asked him to make a front valance for it like he has on the 3rd gens. He made one no problem. Takes him a while but he does get it done. Would still like to get a rear bumper from him as his are nice but not enough funds at the moment. Layne is a great guy, loves to yak.



JC:

He does do mail order you just have to give him a call. I do not have his number with me at the moment but if someone doesnt post it soon I will dig it up and post it. He does not have a website or at least hasnt had one for years. I bought mine years ago and am sure the price has changed since then. They are not cheap (but comparable to other brands of comparable quality) but worth every penny.

 

[Tim]

Aluminum? Are you guys joking? I like the design of the bumper, but besides saving weight, what advantage does aluminum have?



I have a similar design winch bumper on my off road truck, made from steel, and it's got quite a few dents, dings, etc. 140k and you haven't managed to bend an aluminum bumper? Do you just drive on the road? How thick is it?



Something just ain't right here. Mine is steel and bent to @#$@, I can't imagine what an aluminum one would look like with heavy use.

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

Layne doesn't have a website any more. Somebody else also snapped up the "www.denveroffroad.com". He moved his shop from the hectic Denver area to the up and coming hectic area -- Fuita, CO. :-laf I mentioned the advantages of having a website to him, but he seemed to want to shy away from the "high tech" stuff. He is a regular advertizer in the TDR magazine and the numbers are 970-858-4010 and 970-270-6655. He had a 2G with the valance on his 2G CTD and showed me some picutures of a rear bumper for the 2Gs.



Tim, there are a number of threads discussing the pros and cons of steel versus aluminum availble with a search. Topics ranged from strength, weight, and so forth. Bottom line for me was I did not want to put any more weight on the front of the CTD with the heavy Cummins than necessary. There are so many critters roaming around here just begging for a chance to jump in front of my truck that I thought it was a necessity to improve upon the stock bumper. I've had way too many close encounters to think anything different than it is just a matter of time... ... . As it is the Cummins does a number on the front end suspension and steering components as witnessed by all the 2G death wobble, wander, after-market replacement parts, and ball-joint woes. Although, the DOR comes ready for a winch, I personally would not mount a winch up front for the same reasoning. I mount mine temporarily from the rear receiver to snatch firewood. Ideally, I would like a bed or under bed mounted winch..... someday . However, I don't plan on turning the blue ox into a rock crawler either. I think therein lies the difference beween what my truck, and possibly your new CTD, is to be used for and what your rock crawler is intended for.

 

[BarryG]

Tim:

Aluminum bumpers are not for all. Different strokes for different folks. Laynes use 3/8 and 1/2 inch thick stock. They are very stout and weigh in at a 135lbs. A similar Reunel steel bumper is pushing 250lbs. Add the winch to that another 120lbs or so. That front end is already pretty heavy with a stock bumper why make it worse. Also it will not rust.



I do offroad but it is no crawler thats for sure. Mostly to get into the backcountry for camping/hiking and working on our property. I prefer to drive around things rather than through them if at possible (at least with this vehicle). The front D rings have been used to pull me out several times as well as pull others out at times. If I cant get in without damage or help I dont go in. My bumper is mainly to fend off the wildlife. I have hit more than one deer in my life and they can be costly to repair the damage.

 

[AlexWV]

Looks great. I have spent about the last week looking (online) at about everything that is out there, steel or aluminum, and most of them I can't stand the look of. Just got off the phone with Layne and he is starting one for me.

 

[ketchumj]

AlexWV - you will not be dissapointed. I really am impressed with mine I got back in 2001.

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

Hint: I drove down because I was close enough to save crating and shipping. Plus, if you have it delivered over the UT line you can save CO sales tax. I agree with ketchumj that you will not be disappointed.

 

[AlexWV]

Thanks, ketchumj. I am already happy with the thing and won't see it for 4 - 6 weeks.



I had just about settled on a Buckstop then I saw this thread and the Buckstop idea went straight out the window.



I'm not putting a winch up front either. Reunel makes a rear winch bumper with 15,000 lb hitch which I'm leaning towards for the rear. That is going to be black also. No shiny bumpers for me.



Layne said the thing weighs in at 260 lbs. I don't know what a stock Sport bumper weighs, there isn't much to it but plastic. I'm guessing maybe 100 lbs. If that's right this thing only adds about 150 lbs up front which is the part I like. Plus I think it looks great.



OTD: yeah, I thought about it but it's about 1000 miles from here to there. If it was 500 or less, I would have taken a road trip and got me a bumper while I was out there touring around.

 

[Tim]

Tim:

Aluminum bumpers are not for all. Different strokes for different folks. Laynes use 3/8 and 1/2 inch thick stock. They are very stout and weigh in at a 135lbs. A similar Reunel steel bumper is pushing 250lbs. Add the winch to that another 120lbs or so. That front end is already pretty heavy with a stock bumper why make it worse. Also it will not rust.

Ahh... 3/8 and 1/2 inch sounds good. My steel bumper is 3/16", and about 100 lbs. A 250 lb bumper belongs on a train, not a truck. I can't believe a Reunel, which costs out the ***, is that heavy... that is really crappy.



3/8-1/2" aluminum sounds plenty strong, and you're right, it'll never rust.



Good deal.



And you're right, my truck is somewhat of a crawler. Even with the 9. 5TI in the front bumper I don't think it's much over 200 lbs... which is still too heavy if you ask me.

 

[geusterman]

Alex and OTR... I ordered one from Layne. I had him put a second tube across the front for deer antlers... they seem to get through to the radiator. Does are better to hit. I left mine non-painted to match the aluminum flatbed. I have not polished the flatbed out yet (howcome?) and may eventually just Rhino it or something... at least the bottom tool box area. I could Rhino the door bottoms, step and bottom of bumper too, someday. Anyway... best looking bumper for Dodges yet! Glad I waited on building mine. Would have cost me more in the long run just in time and boogers. George

 

[AlexWV]

Good choice, George.

 

[geusterman]

So there I am in Bible study tonight where Yahweh gives Moses His instructions for the menora... out of solid gold he was to pound out this 7 candle lamp... very intricate representing the 7 spirits in Isiah 11... and my mind goes to pounding out my new bumper. Couldn't help it. I am so unspiritual sometimes! What are we going to do with our foglights? ST OTR need not reply ! George