Heavy duty aftermarket front bumpers

[mfurrh55]

View attachment 113559 take 850.00 for it

Mine cost 1200.00 to have built and then powder coated for another 175.00

 

[TRAMPLINEMAN]

Sorry, I forgot my signature no longer works. I'm in NW Pennsylvania. Price wise, probably up to $1500. Somewhere in that neighborhood anyway.

Do they salt the roads in PA?

 

[Blakers]

Do they salt the roads in PA?

OH YES! We are definitely the Rust Belt.

 

[TRAMPLINEMAN]

OH YES! We are definitely the Rust Belt.

Well, if you value the money you spend and quality of products you buy, I’d recommend staying away from any powder coated bumper. I work in WI and they salt the roads here too. Over the last 10 years, we’ve had around 30 trucks with different brands and styles of heavy duty bumpers. It didn’t really matter the manufacturer, if the bumper was powder coated it would only last a year (two at the most) and it would have rust all over it. The worst ones were the Ranch Hand and the best were Fab Fours. I don’t know about you, but if I’m going to spend $1000 dollars or more on a bumper I want it to last. I built my own bumper from scratch. Spent $138 on a sheet of 3/16 steel and spent $500 to have it professionally sprayed with bed liner. With that and all the hardware I’ve got around $700 invested. Bumpers been on the truck for over 4 years with no rust. A friend bought a kit bumper from Move that you weld together for around $500. I welded it together for him and he spent the extra $500 to have it sprayed with bedliner. His is also around four years old with no rust.
Whichever route you take, my recommendation is to have it sprayed if you want it to last.

 

[mfurrh55]

Mines been on for 5 yrs. I haven't seen any rust on it, of course I don't live in salt country either, but any metal is gonna rust in salt country, especially your truck

 

[Blakers]

Whichever route you take, my recommendation is to have it sprayed if you want it to last.

The reason powder coat fails is the steel was not cleaned and etched properly before the powder coat was applied. The whole trick is to clean and etch the steel. Now, does a manufacturer do that? Who knows? I've seen whole sheets of powder coat peel off a brand new snowplow and a brand new garden tractor. It wasn't salt or winter that did it either.
Sometimes I think it's better to get a painted bumper rather than powder coat as it's easier to repaint or touch up. Getting coated with Line-X is a great idea. I may do that.

 

[KParsons]

years ago i made a stainless bumper for my 94 ford.316lsi, i crushed the stock one plowing for 40 hours. when i sold the truck that was the only thing not rusty!

 

[kewltrks]

I was looking at "Iron Cross" bumpers any of you heard of them being any good? 1000-1300 for front and 900+ for rear. Saw them
on realtrucks.com

Thanks

 

[Regcabguy]

I had a Denver off road on my 01 and it took two deer hits over the years and was unscathed by either one of them was at 65 mph and was a dead center hit. Not sure If Layne is still making them or not but last I knew his website was still up. And the bumper is still on the truck after 17 Yearswith no rust as he makes them out of heavy aluminum
On my 17 after a deer hit and $6500 worth of damage I put on an ARB. It is heavier than the DOR but not by a whole lot maybe 50lbs. It came shipped like they knew what they were doing. Very nicely packed and wrapped. It comes in multiple pieces at least for my 17. It seems to be a nice stout bumper. Hasn’t had a deer hit yet and hopeful it wont but I travel same type of area you mentioned frequently with deer a real problem.

The 3rd gen ARB's left the intercooler,radiator and power steering lines exposed. The Ford versions came with a removable skidplate. I questioned the absence of a skidplate and they said "nobody's asked about it really. Really? The DOR aluminum's are stout.

 

[Ozymandias]

The 3rd gen ARB's left the intercooler,radiator and power steering lines exposed. The Ford versions came with a removable skidplate. I questioned the absence of a skidplate and they said "nobody's asked about it really. Really? The DOR aluminum's are stout.

Yeah, I hate it for this.
TJM has an excellent Bumper for the Gen4, including the skid. And it's modular soone doesn't need a crane ore 4 strong men to mount it.

 

[Regcabguy]

Yeah, I hate it for this.
TJM has an excellent Bumper for the Gen4, including the skid. And it's modular soone doesn't need a crane ore 4 strong men to mount it.

I really enjoyed your travel article in the TDR. I know some German tourists enjoy renting a big SUV and just driving and enjoying all the open land we have in the US. Crossing the border too you have a magical world once you escape the cities. South of El Rosario and San Felipe is where it all starts.
Regarding the TJM bumpers,a local business went under and liquidated a few Ram front bumpers for $550. The shop I use bought them and guys snatched them up.

 

[BarryG]

Yes the DOR bumper was/is awesome. I never had one complaint about it. After the 3rd gens came out Layne started producing a lower valance that was made of the same material as the bumper. He gave me, well sold me, his original prototype lower valance for the 3rd gens that bolted right up to my 2nd gen DOR bumper. It was a nice addition and added some additional lower protection.

The ARB on my 17 has pretty good coverage down low.

I will also second regcabguy's sentiment of Ozy's travel article, very nicely done

 

[Ozymandias]

I really enjoyed your travel article in the TDR. I know some German tourists enjoy renting a big SUV and just driving and enjoying all the open land we have in the US. Crossing the border too you have a magical world once you escape the cities. South of El Rosario and San Felipe is where it all starts.
Regarding the TJM bumpers,a local business went under and liquidated a few Ram front bumpers for $550. The shop I use bought them and guys snatched them up.

Yeah, wher the "Gas Gap" begins the fun starts, i love it down there, it's all more relaxed.

@tjm, isn't that funny, a friend of mine from germany bought one of this bumpers for 800$ and he couldn't believe his luck to find one of these for so cheap. I'll tell him that i now know the back story.

 

[nibroc]

I've had a TOP GUN front bumper on my 06 since new--no rust

 

[Regcabguy]

I've had a TOP GUN front bumper on my 06 since new--no rust

They look heavier than the truck.

 

[spin05]

just make your own https://www.movebumpers.com/pages/buy-diy-bumper-kits

 

[User113]

just make your own https://www.movebumpers.com/pages/buy-diy-bumper-kits

One big problem: you have to be able to make good looking welds. I have zero experience welding. But, with the money saved, I suppose I could buy a good MIG, lots of grinding discs, and learn...