Mopar Steel Front Bumper Ebay

[BAT]

Anyone bought one of the what I am assuming is a knock off Gladiator Steel Front Bumper. I saw they had them listed for like $435 and looked pretty good but didn't have any instructions, etc.

Just curious to see if someone has one and if the quality is good.

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[PDiddy]

Do you have a link to what you are looking at?

 

[xs2k]

Anyone bought one of the what I am assuming is a knock off Gladiator Steel Front Bumper. I saw they had them listed for like $435 and looked pretty good but didn't have any instructions, etc.

Just curious to see if someone has one and if the quality is good.

From what I heard, they're junk and fades easily. Steel is very thin. Needs some modifications.

 

[studiodfw]

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...with-the-mopar-steel-bumper.32427/post-563149

 

[ShadowsPapa]

From what I heard, they're junk and fades easily. Steel is very thin. Needs some modifications.

No mods needed.
If you are simply replacing the plastic bumper (and not using a winch), it's a simple, direct bolt-on, no cutting, no mods, no bending, bolt it on.

Depending on the size of the winch you use - if you use the huge APEX 12000 and leave the control box on the winch, you may need to shim or something, but otherwise it's a direct bolt-on.
How would anyone know if it fades unless they installed it 2 years ago and it sits in the sun?
So like any other black bumper - that's what bumper paint is for. SEM makes a great black textured paint for bumpers, and Rustoleum does as well.
Steel isn't thin - the beast is HEAVY as heck.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Check out my thread in this area - I installed that bumper, a Mopar Rubicon skid plate and a Badland Apex 12,000 winch this week (and dropped the front of my truck a full half inch)

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Anyone bought one of the what I am assuming is a knock off Gladiator Steel Front Bumper. I saw they had them listed for like $435 and looked pretty good but didn't have any instructions, etc.

Just curious to see if someone has one and if the quality is good.

Unless you have a winch, it's a simple bumper swap, no instructions needed if you are half-way handy with cars/trucks.
With a winch, it's a bit more, but still - not that hard to figure out.

 

[tsyj]

I bought one, and like most other people it came with scratches in a few spots. So I tore it down and sanded it with 220 in preparation to coat it with Raptor aerosol coating. I've coated my last 2 bumpers with this stuff with great results as long as the prep is done correctly. Will update with pics after install if any interest.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I bought one, and like most other people it came with scratches in a few spots. So I tore it down and sanded it with 220 in preparation to coat it with Raptor aerosol coating. I've coated my last 2 bumpers with this stuff with great results as long as the prep is done correctly. Will update with pics after install if any interest.

Thanks for the tip on "paint".
I may pull mine next spring when gooder weather sets in and re-do it. But frankly, it doesn't really look bad. The textured paint hides a lot of sins. The bar was the only thing scratched or gouged on mine as far as paint, otherwise it's just where the bumper ends attach, the edges of the ends gouge into the paint on the main part. I could file those to a gentle taper, and repaint those edges and resolve that. Or simply leave them off? But so far I'm good with them on.

There's a hell of a lot of SCREWS to these things, isn't there! And when you totally take 'em apart, there's a lot of pieces, each having some weight.

I'd be interested in pics - to see how I compare, see if there's any places I could do better or different. Always trying to get better, to improve things.
From what I've seen here and browsing Wrangler forums, I bet a few folks would be interested in your thoughts, pictures and so on.

 

[tsyj]

Got the bumper, fog light covers and bull bar coated. Took exactly 2 cans as I suspected.
The trick to the Raptor liner is not to get too close to the piece you're spraying. The can says no closer than 24". I've found about 30" is the sweet spot for even coverage. 20 minutes between coats, and you can handle it after 60, but I'm going to let this cure until the weekend. That's as soon as I could get to it anyway.

I realized that if I ever get a winch, I'll have 3 circles that aren't lined since I left those screws in...I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Got the bumper, fog light covers and bull bar coated. Took exactly 2 cans as I suspected.
The trick to the Raptor liner is not to get too close to the piece you're spraying. The can says no closer than 24". I've found about 30" is the sweet spot for even coverage. 20 minutes between coats, and you can handle it after 60, but I'm going to let this cure until the weekend. That's as soon as I could get to it anyway.

I realized that if I ever get a winch, I'll have 3 circles that aren't lined since I left those screws in...I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

I put plastic plugs in those holes where the screws that hold that plate were.
I used the same sort of piece that holds some of the plastic parts on these, pushed it into the holes. I didn't like the open holes.

 

[xs2k]

No mods needed.
If you are simply replacing the plastic bumper (and not using a winch), it's a simple, direct bolt-on, no cutting, no mods, no bending, bolt it on.

Depending on the size of the winch you use - if you use the huge APEX 12000 and leave the control box on the winch, you may need to shim or something, but otherwise it's a direct bolt-on.
How would anyone know if it fades unless they installed it 2 years ago and it sits in the sun?
So like any other black bumper - that's what bumper paint is for. SEM makes a great black textured paint for bumpers, and Rustoleum does as well.
Steel isn't thin - the beast is HEAVY as heck.

2 JL owners I spoke to and personally checked out on their rides had fading issues within a year. one was only 6 month old. We get some sun here in california. 1 had already put on line-x and the other I saw first hand. Yes, feels thinner than other aftermarket bumpers. This bumper have been on ebay for a while, so maybe they got the early versions. I was going to grab one until I checked it out on their JLs. For me, pass. Rather spend the extra money for Mopar or higher quality one.

 

[tsyj]

2 JL owners I spoke to and personally checked out on their rides had fading issues within a year. one was only 6 month old. We get some sun here in california. 1 had already put on line-x and the other I saw first hand. Yes, feels thinner than other aftermarket bumpers. This bumper have been on ebay for a while, so maybe they got the early versions. I was going to grab one until I checked it out on their JLs. For me, pass. Rather spend the extra money for Mopar or higher quality one.

Yeah I figured that with the Chinese parts. But I spray all of my aftermarket bumpers unless they come powder coated or something already. Got mine on this weekend along with the lift and tires.
Had to do a little trimming as did everyone else, but it bolted right up after that. Now I need steps and then a winch.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Yeah I figured that with the Chinese parts. ..........................................
Had to do a little trimming as did everyone else, but it bolted right up after that. Now I need steps and then a winch.

You knew that the MOPAR version is made in China as well? As well as some other parts, of course...

If I didn't have that huge 12,000 pound Badland Apex winch, there would have been no trimming. Has I used any of many other winches, had I installed no winch, or had I relocated the electronics of my winch, no trimming at all would have been needed.
So the bumper itself is literally plug and play.
So, not sure why you had to trim, and I've not seen where "everyone else" had to trim (in fact on the Wrangler forums, no one mentions trimming anything) as you don't have a winch.
So I wonder why you had to trim anything?
Like I said - if I had no winch or a smaller winch/another brand, NO trimming was needed to make the bumper fit - none at all.
Even the skid plate was a perfect, direct fit to this bumper!

 

[tsyj]

You knew that the MOPAR version is made in China as well? As well as some other parts, of course...

If I didn't have that huge 12,000 pound Badland Apex winch, there would have been no trimming. Has I used any of many other winches, had I installed no winch, or had I relocated the electronics of my winch, no trimming at all would have been needed.
So the bumper itself is literally plug and play.
So, not sure why you had to trim, and I've not seen where "everyone else" had to trim (in fact on the Wrangler forums, no one mentions trimming anything) as you don't have a winch.
So I wonder why you had to trim anything?
Like I said - if I had no winch or a smaller winch/another brand, NO trimming was needed to make the bumper fit - none at all.
Even the skid plate was a perfect, direct fit to this bumper!

Where the bumper hits the frame horn had to clearance it to go all the way on. You must've lucked out if you didn't have to trim. I'll also need to trim where the Rubicon skid plate hits in order to put all 4 bolts in the skid.

Must be some difference in the Overland and Rubicon trim up front there. But it definitely wasn't going on the Jeep without notching it.

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