Reunel stainless bumper for 2004

[Joseph Donnelly]

Just finished the installation. This bumper looks great on "Sickly Junior", is stout (3/16" stanless and 1/2" mild steel), and holds a Warn XD9000 winch.

 

[VStahl]

about how much does one of those run?

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Go www.reunel.com and you can see what each option runs. Stainless/polished vs. mild/painted; 15,000 lb. rated receiver hitch; winch capability, PIAA lights, etc.

 

[DocDetonancour]

Tough looking unit. Does it bolt up to the stock brackets? thanks, Doc

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

It bolts to the frame using its own welded-on 1/2" thick brackets. The hydroformed frame has welded-in tubes going through where the 3 stock bumper bolts go. Stock bolts are about M13 or so in grade 10. 9 (around 1/2"). Reunel uses grade 8 bolts in 5/8", torqued to 180 ft lb, plus a 4th 5/8" bolt on the bottom using the factory access hole that is in the frame for the rear most bed mount bolts. The Reunel brackets are shaped like an inverted T in cross section, with the cross bar of the T under the frame and the leg along the inside of the frame. The bumper is a perfect fit for width, and of course it should be because you won't deflect the 1/2" thick material when you tighten the mounting bolts, especially with the plate welded along the bottom of it. Their mounting system resulted in a 15,000 trailer rating, 5000 lb tongue weight rating in laboratory testing. This is way more than I would consider for the truck, but points out that it is very strong as a receiver hitch and as a winch mount.

 

[GMueller]

Finally, a rear bumper that has the back-up lights how they should be - as far to the outside as possible. Most aftermarket rear bumpers don't put the back-up lights far enought to the side so they light up the front of your trailer well, but not what you're backing it into. I like this one.

 

[Marty1]

Very Nice!!!

 

[jsimpson]

Is it available with a 2. 5" receiver?

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Mine has a receiver hitch, but for a 2" ball mount. you can "almost see it" behind the tow hook. I use the Drawtite solid steel mount with 1" thick plate welded to it. It is rated 750 tongue and 7500 lb (weight carrying). I imagine if you want the 2. 5" like the Reese Titan, they could do it. Their stuff is semi-custom. I prefer the 2" because it is so standardized. If I needed a ball mount or a weight distributing hitch anywher in the country, I could easily find it. I might go somewhere without my hitch stuff but need it for some reason on the trip. With the Drawtite solid 2" bar and thick plate, I can get good strength in the standard size.



Those PIAA lights really work too--lots of light. Many times I have backed up in pitch dark conditions and cursed the factory wimpy backup lights. Occasionally some beemer or somethin' is following me with high beams and driving lights on. Now I can give a "gentle reminder" to that fewbrains.

 

[Doubleclutch]

Call me a little slow, but I' m just picking up on the the advantages of a rear mounted winch... weight in the REAR, no MPG loss from a less aerodynamic front bumper, and the ability to hit the "return key" to get back to where the stuck wasn't. Nice package Joe!

Greg

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

I' m just picking up on the the advantages of a rear mounted winch.

I mount mine aft also. After all I'm hauling firewood to the back of the truck. Plus, the reasons you mentioned.



The nicest set up I've seen was a 50s something studebaker flatbed work truck - work of love - hobby truck - that had it mounted underneath midship with a fairlead on the front and back. That way Jeff could use it for loading the bed or winching front or back. Out the back was the standard placement.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

yep, Ol'TrailDog, that sounds good. And, it looks like you are equipping your 2004 well. For years folks have taken the winch cable from the front winch to the back, underneath the truck, to get winched backwards. So, I could put under the truck some guide rollers or even just some kind of "eye" that I could open to let the hook through. If I ever wanted to go farther into the goo that got my poor old sickly (junior) Ram stuck. That rear mounted winch is also good for pulling a car or equipment onto a trailer that is attached to the truck.



I really wanted a stout rear bumper that wouldn't dent at the slightest tap from anything, even a trailer tongue jack. But, I wanted one that looked nice on my new "refined" Ram. Reunel did a fantastic job of polishing that stainless, and the black center sets it off well. In the picture you can see the huge 1" diameter grade 5 bolts they use to hold the bumper, fairlead bracket, and receiver hitch bracket together. I tightened them (after greasing the threads) with a 3/4" drive breaker bar (1. 5" socket) and a long cheater pipe.