Steel bumper came on Freedom Edition ready for a winch

[Redfour5]

Wait a minute, Wait a minute, not so fast...

Wow, that's great. The winch bumper comes with my new Gladiator so that's gonna make it cheaper to upgrade. So, what do you mean I gotta spend another $300 plus bucks for a winch plate? Why doesn't that come on it? So, let me get this straight.

I have to buy a winch AND the plate to mount it on the bumper from Jeep bumper designed for winches? AND, if I was buying the bumper, it would be another $1,000 plus bucks so, at that point, if I were buying MOPAR, I'd be spending between 1300 and 1500 bucks BEFORE the winch...

But, for me, since I was so lucky to get the steel bumper on my Freedom Edition, I ONLY got $319 bucks and the winch ahead of me along with installation... And if I want a hoop I'm talking at least another 100 bucks... Sheesh, and I thought getting the MOPAR steel bumper on my truck would make a winch a whole lot cheaper...

But, I can buy a Rough Country, front bumper, plate built in, including LED light bar and spots for $599 bucks? https://www.roughcountry.com/product/jeep-full-width-trail-bumper-10585

What's wrong with this picture?

Now, I realize some people may LIKE and want the MOPAR bumper and don't like the after market look and I do like the OEM bumper with a hoop and would like to do that, but living in deer country, I'll get better protection AND free lights. On my former Jeep Renegade and one of my 1500's I put after market lights on to see off of the side of the road. I did this after hitting deer... And, I have a Rough Country rear bumper on my Ram 2500 and frankly it was a killer deal and the lights are great. My installer said, OK, finish is the weakness, but I'll take it off and re-do it for 350 bucks here in about four or five years when you need it done... He has the same bumpers on his Gladiator...

So, I'm seriously considering going after market here with the rough country. They even have a decent 9500 lb winch designed for their bumpers at a good price.

I see the OEM Mopar bumpers going for cheap on Facebook marketplace and Craigs list within a hundred miles. I could always sell mine and even get some of my after market purchase money back. Win Win...

If anyone knows where I can get a winch plate cheap for the OEM bumper, I might reconsider... And if so, thanks in advance...

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[JRobes]

Going OEM is expensive, BUT the quality is there, and the powdercoat is likely going to hold up far better than most aftermarket companies, especially the cheap Chinese ones. I'm in the rust belt, so knowing the MOPAR bumpers will hold up for a decade was important to me. If you go with a cheap steel bumper I wouldn't be surprised if you have to repaint it every few years to keep the rust at bay.

 

[KevinC]

If you take off your Mopar steel bumper and replace it with Rough Country....well I'm not sure how many friends you will make on this forum.

Rough Country is something you would have found in the old JC Whitney catalog for yester-year. Buy at your own risk.

 

[Redfour5]

Going OEM is expensive, BUT the quality is there, and the powdercoat is likely going to hold up far better than most aftermarket companies, especially the cheap Chinese ones. I'm in the rust belt, so knowing the MOPAR bumpers will hold up for a decade was important to me. If you go with a cheap steel bumper I wouldn't be surprised if you have to repaint it every few years to keep the rust at bay.

Yup... I agree. My after market installer guy owns his own company https://autoconceptshelena.com/ had like the first Gladiator in Helena MT back in 2019. He knows them inside and out. Has a tricked out (Underneath mostly) 2020 Gobi. He said he really likes Rough Country stuff as the quality is good (Occasional weld issues) but the exception is their coatings. But he noted that the price is usually half of everyone else and most comes with free (pretty high quality light packaged included) lights and you can pull it when the coating goes bad and he puts a bedliner product on either shiny or matte and he says, you will get four or five years and even doing that you are still saving hundreds over most competitors. My two year experience with a Ram 2500 rear bumper bears that out. Still looks good. And the lights are fantastic. https://www.roughcountry.com/product/dodge-ram-rear-led-bumper-10786

But I also had an Iron Cross winch bumper on my 2015 Ram 1500 and it had to be re-coated after three years...

One thing I'm noticing is that Gladiator "accoutrement" is generally less expensive than Ram truck stuff... I'm good with that. AND IF the front MOPAR bumper had the winch plate already, I'd stick with that in a heartbeat to be honest. But if I'm going to have to spend another four hundred bucks before the winch anyway, I'm gonna look...

 

[Redfour5]

If you take off your Mopar steel bumper and replace it with Rough Country....well I'm not sure how many friends you will make on this forum.

Rough Country is something you would have found in the old JC Whitney catalog for yester-year. Buy at your own risk.

I've never worried too much what people think. And I've got a two year old rear bumper on my Ram 2500 that has worked fantastic, still looks great, good quality, at about half the price on it. https://www.roughcountry.com/product/dodge-ram-rear-led-bumper-10786.

No matter what, I'm going to keep the rear Gladiator bumper. I do like them... And I haven't decided yet on the front.

 

[jac04]

Well, if you thought that the bumper was "ready for a winch", then that was just an assumption on your part. Jeep states that the front steel bumper "can accept a winch" and it is "winch-capable", that's it.

 

[JRobes]

Well, if you thought that the bumper was "ready for a winch", then that was just an assumption on your part. Jeep states that the front steel bumper "can accept a winch" and it is "winch-capable", that's it.

It can be a little misleading to people unfamiliar with the terminology though. Same as the "bead lock capable" wheels... they come from the factory with a fake beadlock ring and you need to buy the actual MOPAR beadlock ring kit to set up a beadlocked tire on each wheel.

 

[cranbiz]

I have a buddy that bought this one from Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Wsays-Mounting-Compatible-2018-2022-Gladiator/dp/B09VBGLR6X/ref=sr_1_2?crid=WSG1ACC9X6OR&keywords=gladiator+winch+plate&qid=1703957592&sprefix=gladiator+winch,aps,151&sr=8-2&ufe=app_do:amzn1.fos.18630bbb-fcbb-42f8-9767-857e17e03685

It could be just a bit heavier gauge steel but it works. A couple of strategically placed pieces of angle Iron would really strengthen it up if you are handy with a welder.

Here is a bull bar for the bumper.
https://www.amazon.com/ECOTRIC-Compatible-Wrangler-Gladiator-82215351/dp/B08D9FQNPG/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1J41Y80C26STA&keywords=jeep+wrangler/gladiator+steel+bumper+bull+bar&qid=1703957836&sprefix=jeep+wrangler/gladiator+steel+bumper+bull+bar,aps,162&sr=8-3

Yes, the finish is thin but that's an easy fix before you mount it up.

On mine, I welded tabs for a light bar so it got painted (rattle can) after I did the welding.

 

[Redfour5]

Well, if you thought that the bumper was "ready for a winch", then that was just an assumption on your part. Jeep states that the front steel bumper "can accept a winch" and it is "winch-capable", that's it.

Oh, I knew better before I bought and was looking at one with a plastic bumper so I didnt' have to make a decision and just go after market, but the Freedom has it as part of the package so did my research. I just thought it was interesting and many people wouldn't know the difference and maybe BE surprised. So, I just threw it out as a conundrum on relative pricing.

 

[jac04]

Oh, I knew better before I bought and was looking at one with a plastic bumper so I didnt' have to make a decision and just go after market, but the Freedom has it as part of the package so did my research. I just thought it was interesting and many people wouldn't know the difference and maybe BE surprised. So, I just threw it out as a conundrum on relative pricing.

The way your initial post was written made it sound like you were surprised and you were complaining about having to spend $ on a mounting plate.

Maybe my sarcasm detector is a little wonky today, but see what I mean:

...
So, what do you mean I gotta spend another $300 plus bucks for a winch plate? Why doesn't that come on it? So, let me get this straight.
...
I have to buy a winch AND the plate to mount it on the bumper from Jeep bumper designed for winches?
...
... and I thought getting the MOPAR steel bumper on my truck would make a winch a whole lot cheaper...
...

 

[Redfour5]

The way your initial post was written made it sound like you were surprised and you were complaining about having to spend $ on a mounting plate.

Maybe my sarcasm detector is a little wonky today, but see what I mean:

Nope, you were right on, I wrote it using a kind of oblique technique that blended my situation with the perspective of someone who had no knowledge of such things to speak to a point of relative costs and what you get. I wondered how other might view this kind of incongruity for lack of a better word. One thing I'm noting on these forums as opposed to others is that there are a lot of smart people and less troll like behaviors, in general. Some flaming but generally smart observant and genuine people. wou

I've also wondered at why winch plates are so expensive whether after market or OEM/Mopar. I finally think I got that one. I found another forum where numerous people spoke about "less expensive" plates and how when they started winching the plates under the winches would bend as the force hit. So, I sort of had an Ahaah moment there on why they are all (at least the good ones) in the 300 plus range... First they appear to be better engineered and it costs not always readily noticable to make something that can withstand those kinds of forces. AND that makes sense for Jeep NOT putting one on every bumper if they can get away with it. If the minority of individuals never mount a winch, why spend that money? Same logic applies even to the plastic vs steel bumper. Rubicons, much more likely to engage in behaviors where a steel bumper could make a difference. Overland? Not so much.

So, now and because of the input here, I am working my way toward better understanding it all and maybe spending the money and keeping the OEM bumper.

 

[NVjeff]

I wonder what the dealership would say if you asked them to throw in a winch plate at their cost as part of the deal.
I assume they can buy them cheaper than the general public.

 

[ALT2870]

I just so happen to be currently installing a winch on my 21 Freedom as I type. I do agree the wording is misleading as it does seem to imply that it is ready to accept a winch. I ended up posting in Want to Buy and found a seller.

Plenty of winch plate options out there that are still cheaper then buying a new bumper.

 

[Redfour5]

I wonder what the dealership would say if you asked them to throw in a winch plate at their cost as part of the deal.
I assume they can buy them cheaper than the general public.

I should have thought to ask. Good idea...

 

[ShadowsPapa]

If you go with a cheap steel bumper I wouldn't be surprised if you have to repaint it every few years to keep the rust at bay.

Every two years LOL
My solution - when I removed it to trade JTs, while it was off I took it all apart and spent something like $225 to have a pro shop powder coat it. Sounded to me like they'd done quite a few Jeep bumpers as when he saw the parts he immediately said "Jeep front bumper" before I even told him what I had. He also knew I wanted it to match the stock Jeep steel bumpers. I do have one chip on it after several months, but it's an easy touch-up.
You are right on the finishes of the Chinese imports sold on eBay, Amazon or whatever. still, often you can buy one and have it stripped and powder coated for way under the price of a new, even most used.

Same logic applies even to the plastic vs steel bumper. Rubicons, much more likely to engage in behaviors where a steel bumper could make a difference. Overland? Not so much.

Not so sure about that if you count morons running lights or cutting people off, or, around here - DEER hits.

I found the bulldog winch plate to be very well made, thick, strong, and less than some of the better known brands as far as cost.

If you lived close - I'd give you the winch plate that came with my steel bumper. It's fine for a lot of things, but you'd want to weld some trusses on the bottom to make it more rigid for massive pulls. Worked fine for me then I decided to get one that would clear my snow plow and front receiver better - the one that came with the bumper didn't clear things.

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