Rubicon steel bumper ‘winch ready”?

[Flash 2004]

I notice in the brochure the JT rubicon bumper is supposed to be winch ready but I don’t see any provision

to mount one? Any pics of your installation? I’ve got about 5 different winches including a Runva hydraulic, a Thompson, Superwinch and a Warn unit but no high mount.

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[PlayfulBird]

Pretty much answers all your questions. You still need to buy a winch plate.

 

[Aj58]

It’s winch ready but you still need to get a winch plate to mount it.

 

[AmosMoses]

Has anyone else found the opening on the steel mopar bumper to be slightly narrow? With my badlands apex mounted including the badlands fairlead, I feel the bottom edge of the steel bumper opening is slightly higher than my fairlead. I do plan on adding .500 spacers under my winch to raise it up to not have to cut the handle and then Iam going to grind the bumper opening down some. Just curious if anyone noticed the same issue.

 

[PlayfulBird]

It is very tight fit imo, but obviously depends on the winch. I reckon a reason many relocate solonoid winch control box etc

 

[D_JT]

Its winch ready. You take off the bumper, install a winch plate, remove the center top cover plate then install the winch.

Warn EVO 12-S fit no problem. I went with Barns 4WD winch plate. One of the cheapest I could find that was still American made. $140.

 

[John in the Woods]

It’s a tight fit, but it gets in there. Had to trim the clutch handle to fit the guard across the top.

Great low-profile though, with no reduction in air to the radiator.

 

[PsyRN]

I

Has anyone else found the opening on the steel mopar bumper to be slightly narrow? With my badlands apex mounted including the badlands fairlead, I feel the bottom edge of the steel bumper opening is slightly higher than my fairlead. I do plan on adding .500 spacers under my winch to raise it up to not have to cut the handle and then Iam going to grind the bumper opening down some. Just curious if anyone noticed the same issue.

I think it depends on the winch plate. I have a Rockhard 4x4 winch plate and my Apex winch fit without any grinding, etc. Just needed longer fairlead bolts. It sits a little further back so I also re-routed the wiring to come out the side.

 

[Rick_Jame55]

Pretty much answers all your questions. You still need to buy a winch plate.

What he said.

 

[Mr Miami]

I notice in the brochure the JT rubicon bumper is supposed to be winch ready but I don’t see any provision

to mount one? Any pics of your installation? I’ve got about 5 different winches including a Runva hydraulic, a Thompson, Superwinch and a Warn unit but no high mount.

I don't have the brochure in front of me, but the '25 Rubicon and '24 appear to have the same bumper setup (I have a '24). The standard Rubicon does NOT have the metal winch-ready bumper as standard equipment. It is/was a $995 option. However, the X model comes with the winch bumper as standard equipment.

There have been several situations where the brochures, on-line build option, window sticker and other Jeep information sources simply do not match each other. One of the most notable that was beat around here quite a bit was which Rubicons had full time 4x4 vs. part time 4x4.

Anyway, if you do want the factory Mopar bumper, then make sure yours includes it if it is not an X model. Otherwise, when I was in the process of purchasing mine, I found a couple of Rubicons that I liked but did not have the bumper. When I checked with several parts departments at local dealers I found out to add one after the fact was somewhere close to $2,000, about double the price if installed by the factory. Then I was told that they were on backorder and no one had any idea when they would be available. Keep that in mind.

Edit: In answer to your other question and has been mentioned here, the winch-ready bumper does NOT include any type of mounting plate. I personally purchased the Grimm plate since I installed an Apex 12000 but you will need some plate for whatever winch you decide to use.

 

[PlayfulBird]

I don't have the brochure in front of me, but the '25 Rubicon and '24 appear to have the same bumper setup (I have a '24). The standard Rubicon does NOT have the metal winch-ready bumper as standard equipment. It is/was a $995 option. However, the X model comes with the winch bumper as standard equipment.

There have been several situations where the brochures, on-line build option, window sticker and other Jeep information sources simply do not match each other. One of the most notable that was beat around here quite a bit was which Rubicons had full time 4x4 vs. part time 4x4.

Anyway, if you do want the factory Mopar bumper, then make sure yours includes it if it is not an X model. Otherwise, when I was in the process of purchasing mine, I found a couple of Rubicons that I liked but did not have the bumper. When I checked with several parts departments at local dealers I found out to add one after the fact was somewhere close to $2,000, about double the price if installed by the factory. Then I was told that they were on backorder and no one had any idea when they would be available. Keep that in mind.

Edit: In answer to your other question and has been mentioned here, the winch-ready bumper does NOT include any type of mounting plate. I personally purchased the Grimm plate since I installed an Apex 12000 but you will need some plate for whatever winch you decide to use.

Op included a picture and that's why I did not go into the conundrum that is jeep configuration, assemplby and parts situation.

 

[Waldomountainman]

Yes that bumper

is winch ready, I ordered a Mopar winch plate and installed a Badlands Apex 1200. I did have to cut about a half inch off the freespool handle but Dremel worked great.
There are videos on line and on Mopars site on how to install winches.
For those who do have the less expensive bumper but want to stay stock plenty of folks change bumpers so just look for a takeoff instead of paying Jeep for a new one.

 

[BearFootSam]

It's "ready" in that the bumper is compatible with a winch and your install will be much easier. I installed the plate and winch by myself in a field with some simple hand tools. My research led me to the Warn winch plate which worked well with the Smitty built winch I installed.

 

[patrickN]

Its winch ready. You take off the bumper, install a winch plate, remove the center top cover plate then install the winch.

Warn EVO 12-S fit no problem. I went with Barns 4WD winch plate. One of the cheapest I could find that was still American made. $140.

Can you give me a link to those lights you mounted there?

 

[ALT2870]

Side note, the only trim until the X's came out that ever had the winch ready steel bumper standard was the Freedom (and the Rubicon launch edition), other it was always an option even on the Rubicon and Mojave. There are a few winch plates for sale in the Marketplace section, I did that and saved a couple hundred dollars. The wording can definitely trip you up but it is certainly winch ready compared to the plastic one.

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