2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Ram "Sport" bumper

[hcpBILL]

I need to replace the grill on my '00 Ram (non-"Sport" model) and would like to upgrade it to the "Sport" model grill. I can get all the grill parts and some of the bumper parts at a reasonable cost from LMC Truck but they are unable to tell me if the bumper itself is the same or not. The salvage yards only want to sell a complete front clip. Has anyone swapped a Sport bumper & grill into a regular Ram?

Thanks

Bill

 

[pwerwagn]

You cannot just swap in the sport model grille. You have to do the bumper as well. The grille is an inch or so lower in the center than the non-sport version.

You can swap the grille and bumper both however. My truck has the 99 and newer sport bumper/grille conversion.



--Jeff

 

[hcpBILL]

Thanks Jeff,

I will need to take mine apart to determine the differences. The extra inch or so does not go below the bottom of the bumper cover that runs along the top of the bumper. I will take my bumper cover off and see if it is a big chore to modify that area for the Sport grill. I have some good fabricators at my disposal but I don't want to turn this into a major project either.

Bill

 

[pwerwagn]

If you need dimensions, let me know!!



--Jeff

 

[BigPapa]

There's quite a bit of difference between the two. More than 1", anyway. These are not the best pics but they're all I have to show the difference. The sport grille is 14. 5"-14. 75" (hard to measure mounted) high in the center. The regular grille is 13. 25". You will need the grille, the grille frame, and the longer latch rod. You may also need to modify the front lip of the hood. On my '95 I had to drill new holes and "dent" the flange in to make room for the mounting studs.



Scott

 

[SMoules]

i seen a dodge in diesel power that has the regular grill and the 99-02 sport bumper on. im sure you guys seen it, it is blue and orange. i think his name is chris werner. looks like his bumber does not have that dip on the upper part. i like it. looks very nice.

 

[hcpBILL]

Scott,

Thanks for posting the photos. Is your front bumper an OEM '95 Ram bumper that you modified to clear the Sport grill? It looks great, that is just what I will be trying to do.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

hcp I've had the front bumper off my '96 and tore all the plastic off to recycle it. I can tell you it would be a PITA to modify the non-sport one to clear, it is rigid metal all along under the top cap. Best bet is to get the entire Sport bumper like what BigPapa has on his truck. The construction between the two is quite different and parts not interchangeable.

You could do like John Treibel did though, he put a Sport grille on with the non-sport bumper. He carefully measured the top portion then made a contoured cutout so that the lower edge of the Sport grille drops behind the back edge of the top cap. Turned out pretty good but this was on a black truck with black grille.

Vaughn

 

[BigPapa]

Bill,



The Sport bumper is from a 2000 model I think. As mentioned it is totally different from the regular bumper. The only modification needed to bolt it up was drilling some holes in the brackets and grinding @3/8" off the ends of the brackets so it would go back far enough.



One thing to remember if your planning to modify your regular bumper for the Sport grille is that the Sport grille is also "thicker" than the regular grille. you can see what I mean in the pics I posted.



Scott

 

[JBodenhamer]

I just went through the hassle of converting my sport bumper to a brush guard/ranch hand style lower bumper. Best I found was from Frontier here in Texas. Fits great with the stock sport grill.



My sport lower was destroyed when my wife ran over the toyota matrix that pulled out in front of her a month or so ago. It was a low speed(35 mph collision, so no injuries. It tore the passenger side wheel off the matrix, crushed the hood, and smashed the driver's side to the road. My truck drove away from the accident, but the sport bumper was mangled. I write this because I found they are costly to replace(the insurance settlement I got paid for the frontier bumper and an Edge Juice with Attitude for some cost perspective, with a few hundred left over), and also the sport bumper is TOTALLY cosmetic.



It is a different look, though. Also, the fog lights have a totally different mount to them. Same light I think. I still have mine if you want them. One has a small crack on the lens, but the mounts you need are totally intact and in good shape.



my email is -- email address removed ----I will let them go cheap to get rid of them.



Good luck,





Jon

 

[pwerwagn]

Ohh!!! Ive been looking for a set of the sport fogs for mine for quite some time!! I'll send you a email asap!!



--Jeff

 

[Jeff L]

^^^^

bump.

Researchin' sport bumpers (I want the fog lights). Any input/advice/experience readers have swappin' a standard bumper/grill to a sport version is welcome.

LMC has reasonable options (one with DRL and fogs), but they're chrome.

***** decisions, decisions

 

[JR]

Are you wanting the fog lights for aesthetic reasons or function? If you want functionality I would skip them totally and go with either a quality fog like a PIAA or even better yet some LED's. The OEM fog lights have poor lighting IMO.

 

[Jeff L]

Both.

Love the Sport's aesthetics (say that ten times real fast *grins*), and do want improved illumination.

Like your suggestion on LED.

Bumper, that's where it all starts. Hack 'n' hang a standard bumper; locate, hack 'n' hang a Sport bumper/grill, or go aftermarket - that's where I am now.

 

[RustyJC]

For reference, attached is a photo of my former 2002 3500 SLT+ Sport.

Rusty

 

[Jeff L]

Okay, how'd you do that?

perrrrrrrrfect!!!!!!!!!

 

[RustyJC]

Okay, how'd you do that?

Ummmm......I ordered it??

Seriously, I did order the ETH/DEE truck with the SLT+ G package to get the leather, etc. and also ordered the sport package. I posted the picture to show how the parts fit together on a factory sport. FYI, the c-pillar badge says SPORT - the sport package overrides the SLT Laramie badging on the 2002.

Rusty

 

[JR]

My version of a sport bumper

Not quite as "assthetic" :-laf but the ability to fold Bambi's big brother under my rig and spit him out the back in the form of ground hamburger at 60mph and keep on keepin' on is priceless
Not sure about you but the deer population is rampant in my neck of the woods so this was my answer to preserving my front end. Make's it much easier to hang some mega watt candle power up front too

 

[RustyJC]

Different strokes for different folks, I suppose.

Rusty

 

[JR]

The sport bumpers definitely makes the truck look nicer and the best part is your using OEM parts. Not knocking them in any way. I crinkled my front bumper and actually considered buying a front clip off of a sport. But for the prices I was seeing, not to mention the added cost of matching the grill and bumper to my truck it didn't make a lot of sense financially especially given the way I use my truck. It was actually cheaper for me to go the Ranch Hand route.