Convincing argument for full width bumper. Change my mind

[H1ggsB300]

DV8 makes some nice looking stuff. I have Their Stubby bumper on my truck right now and love the look. But I will tell you this the OEM Rubicon steel bumper is more robust. I bought one on Craigslist around the same time as my DV8 because it was a good deal. And the mounting bolts that hold the bumper on are Considerably larger. And then you add a winch plate on top of that, that connects the frame rails together you have a very sturdy winch bumper. I honestly wouldn’t add a winch to my DV8 because of its wimpy Mounting bolts. But I don’t plan on adding a winch and I like the looks of the stubby. So I’m selling the Rubicon winch bumper.

If I was close enough to pick it up, I’d definitely buy that rubi bumper from you. The DV8 clone looks like it has a better winch plate than a lot of the other aftermarket bumpers, but what you said about the bolts is interesting, I’ll have to look into it. I do like the option to keep the OEM tow hooks it has.

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[Koolcarguy]

Had a little incident tonight. I was tired and distracted driving home from my son’s basketball practice, and didn’t see a big aluminum truck bed toolbox in the road ahead of us until last second. Swerved, but not enough, and clipped it. Looks like I have a small (around 1-2”) crack in bumper end, and a scuff on front right wheel. If I’d already swapped out to the mid-length or stubby bumpers I’ve been considering, the wheel would have taken the full brunt of impact. I figure the bumper spun the toolbox away for the most part. After this, I’m seriously considering spending more for an OEM steel clone. Can anybody change my mind?

I had similar incident with a deer and a stubby almost rolled my Jtr at 45 mph since have changed to a dv8 full width and hit another deer looked like same angle bumper held up and knocjed the deer out of the way almost zero damage! I like the look of a stubby but where I live we have deer on the roads all the time and not worth it so im for the full length

 

[staying_tuned]

After 2 deer hits in other vehicles I couldn't get my full width bumper on fast enough. The ironic thing is since I installed some 30k miles ago I've hit zero deer but nearly tore the front end off by accident with my bucket while swinging my tractor around in reverse. I didn't even feel it but noticed the truck bouncing up and down afterwards. If I was running a stubby or jesh' stock, I'm sure I would have torn up the grill and possibly gotten into the engine bay before I realized what was going on. The shell on this bumper is aluminum so nothing more than aesthetic damage but a good reminder for me. I still won't let anyone else drive my tractor though, wife gives me hell about it haha.

 

[smlobx]

Don’t feel bad… Last week I took my Spyder out of its winter hibernation and driving down I-40 I hit what May have been something like an alternator. I saw it at the last minute and swerved but it clipped the outside edge of the tire and wheel.

Of course, Porsche in all its wisdom doesn’t include a spare and I had bought new tires less than 1000 miles ago. After getting it towed to the dealer I was told that they don’t keep tires in stock (WTF?) so it will be a few days u til I get the wheel repaired and a new tire…

 

[RodRecket]

I'm not trying to talk you out of a full width, if its right for you then go for it. But if you were lifted on 37s even a full width might have cleared the top of the box and you may have taken it with the wheel/tire anyway. Or if the object was slightly shorter... just pointing out that there are always variables and one experience doesn't automatically make one item better than another. You just can't predict the idiocrasy out there and even a full width bumper might not be able to save you from it.

 

[H1ggsB300]

I'm not trying to talk you out of a full width, if its right for you then go for it. But if you were lifted on 37s even a full width might have cleared the top of the box and you may have taken it with the wheel/tire anyway. Or if the object was slightly shorter... just pointing out that there are always variables and one experience doesn't automatically make one item better than another. You just can't predict the idiocrasy out there and even a full width bumper might not be able to save you from it.

I'm not trying to talk you out of a full width, if its right for you then go for it. But if you were lifted on 37s even a full width might have cleared the top of the box and you may have taken it with the wheel/tire anyway. Or if the object was slightly shorter... just pointing out that there are always variables and one experience doesn't automatically make one item better than another. You just can't predict the idiocrasy out there and even a full width bumper might not be able to save you from it.

Now see, this is a very good point, and what I needed to hear. It is, in fact, about to get a spacer lift and 35s, and your very convincing observation will help me decide.

 

[ducatijosh]

I like the Warn Elite full bumpers. They’re nice. Got them on the Wrangler and will probably put them on the Gladiator too.

 

[HappyGladiator]

That's why i got the Rockhard4x4 full width aluminum. Its 1/4 inch thick hardened aluminum. Hand made in the USA. Only weighs 37 pounds.

 

[Dougstdig]

No idea how fast you were going. But can you imagine what your suspension would look like if it did take the full force of that box?!

Did you at least pick up the aluminum for scrap value?
Glad y'all are ok

This is how I lost my TJ in 2000. Granted it was a set up accident in Dallas, but the passenger tire went back and up. Dented the floor pan, pretzeled the control arms and bent the axle. Totaled the Jeep. While it looks cool, the bumper definitely has a purpose. Sounds like a stupid statement, but it doesn't hit home until you hit something. Also, I saw a jeep on the side of the road after hitting a hog in TX. Did the same thing. Tires make poor bumpers.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Had a little incident tonight. I was tired and distracted driving home from my son’s basketball practice, and didn’t see a big aluminum truck bed toolbox in the road ahead of us until last second. Swerved, but not enough, and clipped it. Looks like I have a small (around 1-2”) crack in bumper end, and a scuff on front right wheel. If I’d already swapped out to the mid-length or stubby bumpers I’ve been considering, the wheel would have taken the full brunt of impact. I figure the bumper spun the toolbox away for the most part. After this, I’m seriously considering spending more for an OEM steel clone. Can anybody change my mind?

Love my full width mopar bumper clone.
One thing I found with the short bumpers, and it's a bigger issue here, perhaps - the front tires toss sharp rocks up that I then run into.
ZERO traffic, I was alone on the road 1 mile from our house, making a corner - there was sharp gravel and rock on the road that washed from a neighbors gravel driveway (almost all rural driveways are sharp gravel here) - my left front tire kicked that rock forward as there was nothing there to stop it, I ran into it and it dented the hood and touched the windshield and settled on the cowl by the wiper arm. I was the only thing on the road.
It's happened before, too. We were driving along and heard a big SMACK and my wife said what the heck was that? There wasn't anyone in our lane for a quarter mile and the other lanes were clear over across a very wide median. I suspect my own tires kicked up a rock and I ran into it. That one cost me a windshield.
So I put the ends back on the bumper and it's not happened since.

 

[AKDrifter]

Love my full width mopar bumper clone.
One thing I found with the short bumpers, and it's a bigger issue here, perhaps - the front tires toss sharp rocks up that I then run into.
ZERO traffic, I was alone on the road 1 mile from our house, making a corner - there was sharp gravel and rock on the road that washed from a neighbors gravel driveway (almost all rural driveways are sharp gravel here) - my left front tire kicked that rock forward as there was nothing there to stop it, I ran into it and it dented the hood and touched the windshield and settled on the cowl by the wiper arm. I was the only thing on the road.
It's happened before, too. We were driving along and heard a big SMACK and my wife said what the heck was that? There wasn't anyone in our lane for a quarter mile and the other lanes were clear over across a very wide median. I suspect my own tires kicked up a rock and I ran into it. That one cost me a windshield.
So I put the ends back on the bumper and it's not happened since.

One time I was driving with my father home from a Mariners game the 160 miles home late at night. Was in our '78 Cadillac Eldorado. Getting to the Highway 12 portion of the drive which is not a highly trafficked road late at night, it's a single lane highway through dense forest. Absolutely no one on the road was 1am or so and got hit by a meteorite. We pulled it from the windshield and sent it to the geology department at UW to find out what it was. So sometimes you're just destined for a broken windshield.

This is an old thread, but if you haven't OP definitely go full width. You have a lot of very easily broken steering and suspension parts blowing in the breeze with nothing in front of them without it. Even on trails I'd much rather have a full width than a stubby bumper for that reason.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

One time I was driving with my father home from a Mariners game the 160 miles home late at night. Was in our '78 Cadillac Eldorado. Getting to the Highway 12 portion of the drive which is not a highly trafficked road late at night, it's a single lane highway through dense forest. Absolutely no one on the road was 1am or so and got hit by a meteorite. We pulled it from the windshield and sent it to the geology department at UW to find out what it was. So sometimes you're just destined for a broken windshield.

This is an old thread, but if you haven't OP definitely go full width. You have a lot of very easily broken steering and suspension parts blowing in the breeze with nothing in front of them without it. Even on trails I'd much rather have a full width than a stubby bumper for that reason.

Wow, sorry about the windshield and damage, but it's cool that you can at least say you were hit by something that traveled millions of miles to hit you.

Several years ago, a few months after my son bought his Compass, when he was still living not far from us, he had his windshield broken.
He was driving a wooded area not far from the Des Moines river and there weren't any other vehicles around at all. He was alone on that road. Bang - best they could figure, it was a bullet. That's what the glass company thought, anyway, because of the direction it came from and other factors. IF he'd been driving windows down and just a teeny bit faster, it could have come in the right side and nailed him in the head.

 

[rharr]

Had a little incident tonight. I was tired and distracted driving home from my son’s basketball practice, and didn’t see a big aluminum truck bed toolbox in the road ahead of us until last second. Swerved, but not enough, and clipped it. Looks like I have a small (around 1-2”) crack in bumper end, and a scuff on front right wheel. If I’d already swapped out to the mid-length or stubby bumpers I’ve been considering, the wheel would have taken the full brunt of impact. I figure the bumper spun the toolbox away for the most part. After this, I’m seriously considering spending more for an OEM steel clone. Can anybody change my mind?

What's the deal with these tool boxes.... i just barely dodged a full size aluminum diamond plated box myself just siting in the middle of the lane on a interstate highway exchange cross over. Lucky no one was right next to me or it would have gotten messy quick.

 

[SteveInOrlando]

Look, I hit a city transit bus once. I can’t say jack.

LOL, my brother hit a school bus. Funnier still, he was on a bicycle at the time. Dented the metal on the back door!

He always did have a hard head!

 

[Silverator]

I like the Warn Elite full bumpers. They’re nice. Got them on the Wrangler and will probably put them on the Gladiator too.

Nice! I've got the same bumper on order right now - with a Warn winch as well. Nice choice IMO. They look great!

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