China knockoff of the Mopar steel front JT bumper...is it any good?

[Lunentucker]

ShadowsPapa, your tips have been very helpful. I ended up buying this bumper and was hoping you could help me out. I have a JTO that came with a plastic bumper and I was wondering what skid plate and brackets if any, you went with for this bumper and would you happen to know the part number(s)?

Thanks

Try it like this
@ShadowsPapa

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[ShadowsPapa]

I'm in Florida now but could find this in my email order records -
Don't have the skid plate number handy - it's standard MOPAR steel bumper skid plate that attaches to the bottom of the bumper.
Also need this hardware -

1 - 68353836AB Bracket, Item B
1 - 68353837AB Bracket, Item C
4 - 6511076AA Nut Insert, Item D
4 - 6104414AA Bolt, Item E
7 - 6512587AA Bolt, Item F

Check with Benny, @AllMoparParts.com

 

[713gladiator]

I'm in Florida now but could find this in my email order records -
Don't have the skid plate number handy - it's standard MOPAR steel bumper skid plate that attaches to the bottom of the bumper.
Also need this hardware -

1 - 68353836AB Bracket, Item B
1 - 68353837AB Bracket, Item C
4 - 6511076AA Nut Insert, Item D
4 - 6104414AA Bolt, Item E
7 - 6512587AA Bolt, Item F

Check with Benny, @AllMoparParts.com

Thank you thank you thank you!
This is a big help

Hope you’re having a good time in Florida. Hoping to make it out there this Fall

 

[Darel]

Wanted to jump back in on this a year later. I bought the ebay Chinese knockoff Rubi bumper in Feb of 22. I think it's the best looking bumper out there and I had no issues with it for the first few months. Then it got a rock chip or two. The speed with which this bumper rusts is incredible. Eer single little rock chip is immediately this huge bubbling wart of rust with that dripping oily stain running down the bumper. And I mean, to the point that I have to set aside a half hour every weekend to get out there with the wire wheel and touch up paint just to keep it from disintegrating. Now, the difference was $400 vs. $1800 so, I mean, the Mopar bumper still isn't worth it IMHO. Just know what you're getting yourself into.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The speed with which this bumper rusts is incredible. Eer single little rock chip is immediately this huge bubbling wart of rust with that dripping oily stain running down the bumper.

HUH? Yours must have come from some place else! Oily stain?
Granted, the original finish doesn't last for more than a couple of years (depending) but rock chips merely rusted in place, I could easily sand them, treat them with Extend, then paint over them.
Last summer I did strip mine down and have it power coated - but before that it was on my truck from Spring of 2020 to July of 2022, through 2 Iowa winters and the only issue was rust on the back side where the parts screwed together and my front tires threw rocks, salt, sand, snow and ice against and into the back of the bumper. That's what really prompted my decision, besides the black not looking so black any more (their finish isn't real resistant to UV and my truck sat inside most of the time)

But nothing dripped or ran. The rust was confined to the chips. It didn't even rust under the finish next to the chip. There was no flaking or peeling or bubbling.

Mine actually looked "ok" prior to my getting it powder coated, but once that was done, it's just about as good as anything now.

It turned a $450 bumper into a $700 bumper - still a fraction of a MOPAR bumper.

 

[Sarge502]

Wanted to jump back in on this a year later. I bought the ebay Chinese knockoff Rubi bumper in Feb of 22. I think it's the best looking bumper out there and I had no issues with it for the first few months. Then it got a rock chip or two. The speed with which this bumper rusts is incredible. Eer single little rock chip is immediately this huge bubbling wart of rust with that dripping oily stain running down the bumper. And I mean, to the point that I have to set aside a half hour every weekend to get out there with the wire wheel and touch up paint just to keep it from disintegrating. Now, the difference was $400 vs. $1800 so, I mean, the Mopar bumper still isn't worth it IMHO. Just know what you're getting yourself into.

This. Exactly why I don't buy anything knock off. Regardless of how similar in looks etc. Not saying that certain legitimate brands can't /won't have problems either. But it one less factor not taking the cheap route. Considering you get what you pay for in most all cases. That being said although I have the official Mopar one myself, do I agree it's overpriced? Absolutely, just as mostly everything Mopar related just like their lift. Which is why I was lucky to find mine from a private seller with a 392 for a reasonable price with the skid plate. Swapped out the gold tow hooks and BAM.

Nothing cheap touches my rig. Buy once cry once. And if something I really want is expensive than I just put back for longer versus taking cheaper route to prevent stuff as mentioned above and other similar experiences. People can sit here and try and justify their knock off purchases all they want. Everything is good til it ain't.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I must be the only one who hasn't had any real problems with one. The finish was the only thing really bad. Some of the fit was resolved with a huge adjustable wrench (to make some bends a b it better) or a large hammer (to remove a lump in the main body where the ends bolt on)
But that happens as "Seconds" slip through even the best bumpers.
The finish was the only real big deal and that was resolved after 2 years of use.
You'd have never seen the rust on mine unless you dug into the back side of the ends where the wheels tossed salt and sand into the bumper - which then sat on the steel where the finish rubbed off where the parts mated.


Some things I won't go cheap - safety items, hooks, suspension, steering, straps, shackles, whatever.

But appearance items? Why not? Do your research, dig into the why and how.
In an accident, my front bumper will respond like the MOPAR steel bumper, Less than half the cost.
Most guys literally buy bumpers for looks. If they cared about protection, half of the bumpers out there would disappear.
They can justify spending 2 grand on a bumper all they want. I've got the looks and performance of a MOPAR bumper for a fraction of the cost.
I don't understand people slapping them on and then complaining about the finish, however. Really? You knew going in the finish was thin, cheap, and wouldn't last. So you put it on and then complain?
I knew when I bought it I'd have to deal with the cheap finish at some point. But I got almost 12 months more out of it than expected so I already had the money saved up for the powdercoating. Can't buy something for 1/4 the cost of mainstream products and not have something like the finish that's less than good.
I'm 3 years into mine now - almost 1 year into the new powder, and it still looks like new.
0 problems.

I'd say buy it, immediately take it to be powder coated, don't even mess around, or spray it with bedliner and you'll then have a really good bumper at half cost and it will last as long as the MOPAR unit.
We're not talking rocket science, high-tech, SAFETY items like tow hooks here - it's a damned bumper, and appearance item.

 

[Empty Pockets]

I bought this bumper after Shadows Papa’s write up on it. 1 1/2 years later I’m still very pleased with it. I decided going in that if it rusted I would either powder coat or LineX it. But so far, so good.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I bought this bumper after Shadows Papa’s write up on it. 1 1/2 years later I’m still very pleased with it. I decided going in that if it rusted I would either powder coat or LineX it. But so far, so good.

Buying with eyes wide open - you'll be good to go in most cases.
There are times it doesn't matter and you still win, and there are times - or rather things, where you risk a lot going cheap. You could buy two of these and have both powder coated on day 1 for $1400.
I will not install their tow hooks, though. They MAY be just fine, but it's not something I want to try, so I used my original MOPAR tow hooks. Heck, you can buy them cheap out there because so many people swap bumpers around there's tow hooks from MOPAR sitting on shelves.
Think, look before leaping. Good to go.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Good catch on the tow hooks. I subbed my original black Jeep tow hooks when I did the install. It was easy.

 

[Darel]

HUH? Yours must have come from some place else! Oily stain?
Granted, the original finish doesn't last for more than a couple of years (depending) but rock chips merely rusted in place, I could easily sand them, treat them with Extend, then paint over them.
Last summer I did strip mine down and have it power coated - but before that it was on my truck from Spring of 2020 to July of 2022, through 2 Iowa winters and the only issue was rust on the back side where the parts screwed together and my front tires threw rocks, salt, sand, snow and ice against and into the back of the bumper. That's what really prompted my decision, besides the black not looking so black any more (their finish isn't real resistant to UV and my truck sat inside most of the time)

But nothing dripped or ran. The rust was confined to the chips. It didn't even rust under the finish next to the chip. There was no flaking or peeling or bubbling.

Mine actually looked "ok" prior to my getting it powder coated, but once that was done, it's just about as good as anything now.

It turned a $450 bumper into a $700 bumper - still a fraction of a MOPAR bumper.

Not really "oily" per se but I mean that rainbow stain that real, penetrative rust leaves running down the surface. Here's a few pics, you can see the bumper by this time is more touch-up than original paint.

 

[Darel]

I must be the only one who hasn't had any real problems with one. The finish was the only thing really bad. Some of the fit was resolved with a huge adjustable wrench (to make some bends a b it better) or a large hammer (to remove a lump in the main body where the ends bolt on)
But that happens as "Seconds" slip through even the best bumpers.
The finish was the only real big deal and that was resolved after 2 years of use.
You'd have never seen the rust on mine unless you dug into the back side of the ends where the wheels tossed salt and sand into the bumper - which then sat on the steel where the finish rubbed off where the parts mated.


Some things I won't go cheap - safety items, hooks, suspension, steering, straps, shackles, whatever.

But appearance items? Why not? Do your research, dig into the why and how.
In an accident, my front bumper will respond like the MOPAR steel bumper, Less than half the cost.
Most guys literally buy bumpers for looks. If they cared about protection, half of the bumpers out there would disappear.
They can justify spending 2 grand on a bumper all they want. I've got the looks and performance of a MOPAR bumper for a fraction of the cost.
I don't understand people slapping them on and then complaining about the finish, however. Really? You knew going in the finish was thin, cheap, and wouldn't last. So you put it on and then complain?
I knew when I bought it I'd have to deal with the cheap finish at some point. But I got almost 12 months more out of it than expected so I already had the money saved up for the powdercoating. Can't buy something for 1/4 the cost of mainstream products and not have something like the finish that's less than good.
I'm 3 years into mine now - almost 1 year into the new powder, and it still looks like new.
0 problems.

I'd say buy it, immediately take it to be powder coated, don't even mess around, or spray it with bedliner and you'll then have a really good bumper at half cost and it will last as long as the MOPAR unit.
We're not talking rocket science, high-tech, SAFETY items like tow hooks here - it's a damned bumper, and appearance item.

Buying with eyes wide open - you'll be good to go in most cases.
There are times it doesn't matter and you still win, and there are times - or rather things, where you risk a lot going cheap. You could buy two of these and have both powder coated on day 1 for $1400.
I will not install their tow hooks, though. They MAY be just fine, but it's not something I want to try, so I used my original MOPAR tow hooks. Heck, you can buy them cheap out there because so many people swap bumpers around there's tow hooks from MOPAR sitting on shelves.
Think, look before leaping. Good to go.

Completely disagree, ShadowsPapa is exactly right. I dont care if I have to spend $120 to get it powdercoated, I've still saved $1000. A THOUSAND DOLLARS I have saved. There's no way the "buy quality" argument works here. The OEM bumper is just ridiculously overpriced, sorry.

 

[Hootbro]

Not really "oily" per se but I mean that rainbow stain that real, penetrative rust leaves running down the surface. Here's a few pics, you can see the bumper by this time is more touch-up than original paint.

That is pretty nasty. Looks like rust jacking in areas that were also not chipped.

 

[Darel]

If I were to sandblast this, would it be worth my time to get it powdercoated? I'm actually thinking I might be better off with something like Line-X or even Plasti-Dip that's a little more deflective to rock chips. I still think the powdercoating could chip and expose the cheap steel and then I'm right back at square one.

 

[TigerInFL]

Not really "oily" per se but I mean that rainbow stain that real, penetrative rust leaves running down the surface. Here's a few pics, you can see the bumper by this time is more touch-up than original paint.

That bumper has herpes. Strip it down and powder coat it.

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