Knock Off Rubi Bumper with SB 12k

[ShadowsPapa]

Thanks. I had no clue what they were for.

No problem. it's a "been there, done that" thing. The instructions for these bumpers are fantastic, at least I would imagine they would be if there were any.

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[MudderNuker]

I received my Warn Evo 10S yesterday looks beefy. I was surprised at how heavy it is even with it having synthetic rope. I wanted to install today the bumper and winch today but my wife had other plans. We are hitting the farmers market. Too bad there isn't a Jeep vendor at the market. Wait, that is a great idea. I may setup a table with Jeep accessories. Couple of leveling kits, spot lights, stickers and other accessories. I'm retired so I have the time to venture into silly but fun things. ?

 

[cranbiz]

Thanks. I had no clue what they were for.

Took me a bit to figure it out as well. Like @ShadowsPapa said, they are excellent instructions, if they had any.

The seller said comes with instructions, which it didn't. When I asked, this is what they sent. Missed where it said anything about installing that winch plate.

 

[MudderNuker]

Took me a bit to figure it out as well. Like @ShadowsPapa said, they are excellent instructions, if they had any.

The seller said comes with instructions, which it didn't. When I asked, this is what they sent. Missed where it said anything about installing that winch plate.

Thanks for the instructions. Should help some.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

One thing I did that helped in some areas was to use the clip nuts for certain spots - like the original MOPAR Rubicon-style steel bumper uses. I did this the 2nd time around when I had mine powder coated then installed it on my 2022.
These come with nuts - MOPAR uses clip nuts so you don't have to reach in to start a nut or hold it with fingers or wrench.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B5281JXN

 

[MudderNuker]

One thing I did that helped in some areas was to use the clip nuts for certain spots - like the original MOPAR Rubicon-style steel bumper uses. I did this the 2nd time around when I had mine powder coated then installed it on my 2022.
These come with nuts - MOPAR uses clip nuts so you don't have to reach in to start a nut or hold it with fingers or wrench.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B5281JXN

I actually ordered some yesterday along with some plastic rivet/push pin fastener.

 

[Darel]

I just got my knockoff bumper back from the powdercoaters' last week. Every single rock chip would bubble and rust, and I mean the way it traveled under the coating was nuts. The tiniest rock chip would be a rust spot the size of a quarter in 2 days. Replaced all the hardware and the McMaster zinc coated stuff I bought rusted even faster. I just dabbed paint on all the bolt heads. Otherwise it's very sturdy and I love it, especially since the factory unit runs $1400 and this cost me (initially) nothing because I got an insurance allowance when my plastic bumper got nicked in an ice storm, and then $350 for the powdercoating. Currently rebuilding an abused Warn Zeon 10-S I picked up for a song to stick behind it.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

If you have duplicates of the bolts or can do without some for a while every so often I have one-offs to plate like 2 or 3 of a bolt for another project and it's a lot more efficient for me to do multiples than just one or a couple. So sometimes I can work in bolts while I'm doing batches almost too small to do well. I did my bumper bolts in black zinc.

 

[Phishs]

Yeah, everything can be taken care of.
I stripped and replated the bolts in black zinc.
I stripped and plated the clip nuts in yellow zinc. (the spacers in the picture are for alternators I am restoring, plated those, too)
I stripped the bumper and all parts and it's now wearing a new coat of textured powder coat.
The fog light bezels can be bought new - genuine MOPAR parts, for about $16 each.
The holes for sensors can be plugged with inexpensive plugs from Amazon (and they actually look good in there, too, IMO)
Still under the cost of a new MOPAR bumper.

Where are the front sensors offered on the Gladiator? It looks like on the website they only offer rear sensors on these. Is that a Euro option maybe?

 

[Gizmo]

After reading here and on the JL forum some had issues with the L brackets for the winch plate and it seems many guessed wrong as thats all you can do is guess with no instructions . The Ebay seller " taakaparts " provided the pdf files that are posted a lot but he also provided a You tube video . The audio don't do much for most of us but the video part is clear as a bell as to where the L brackets on the winch plate get installed . I hope this eliminates some of the confusion I have seen. watch

 

[Camaroboi13]

After reading here and on the JL forum some had issues with the L brackets for the winch plate and it seems many guessed wrong as thats all you can do is guess with no instructions . The Ebay seller " taakaparts " provided the pdf files that are posted a lot but he also provided a You tube video . The audio don't do much for most of us but the video part is clear as a bell as to where the L brackets on the winch plate get installed . I hope this eliminates some of the confusion I have seen. watch

I never had a problem with the L brackets. Once you take the bumper off it’s very plain to see where they go once you line up the winch plate. Best thing you can do with this bumper is strip it and powder coat it before installing it.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Once you take the bumper off it’s very plain to see where they go once you line up the winch plate.

Not really - they fit and work perfectly on the bottom as well - but don't clear the skid plate brackets in that case.
They'll fit either way, multiple directions. It was very clear after I removed mine and put in the bulldog plate - that bolts up where the plate included with that bumper really should bolt.

Best thing you can do with this bumper is strip it and powder coat it before installing it.

I had mine on my 2020 for a couple of years. When I traded JTs, I took the bumper all apart, took it to a good powder coating business and when i opened the tailgate, the guy instantly said "Jeep front bumper, disassembled" and wrote it down. I didn't even tell him what it was.
That was the best thing I did with that bumper.

 

[Camaroboi13]

Not really - they fit and work perfectly on the bottom as well - but don't clear the skid plate brackets in that case.

That was the best thing I did with that bumper.

I’ve never had a skid plate, much less brackets to know where one goes. Maybe I just got lucky the first time around lol

Even if you want to keep it black or textured, removing the old “triple layer protection” is the first thing I would do for sure. Even now mine still has small pinhole rust spots around some of the welds on the bar, I can deal with that for now. Getting the bar re coated isn’t a huge task like tearing the bumper down into 15 pieces was.

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