Rockhard full width bumper install

[Andy29847]

can you show us picks with your blue ox tow bar on your rv? curious height of jeep connection point vs tow vehicle

It's not a Blueox towbar, but it uses Blueox connections.

I still need to run the brake cables to the Jeep.

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[mstrav73]

That sits perfect, nice job

 

[Aquadude]

There are choices - Patriot series
Aluminum or steel - I chose steel
width - stubby, medium, full - I chose full width
winch plate - on top, recessed, no winch plate - I chose recessed
tow brackets - mine are blue ox

I ordered form Rubitrux in Boone, NC because they had the best shipping deal. It was shipped to my house.

About to order one myself, been looking at all the other brands. Any reason you chose steel or aluminum? Jason at RockHard says most people order aluminum, which is 100 lbs. lighter. He explained the process for making them, which sounded good, but then again, I am a newbie.

 

[Andy29847]

About to order one myself, been looking at all the other brands. Any reason you chose steel or aluminum? Jason at RockHard says most people order aluminum, which is 100 lbs. lighter. He explained the process for making them, which sounded good, but then again, I am a newbie.

I bought the steel for the price. Other thoughts included that the paint would stick better on steel , it would be easier to repaint, and it would not gouge like aluminum if I bumped a rock.

FWIW, I think you heard it wrong from Jason about the weight. My bumper did not weigh 100 pounds. I believe that the bumper and winch combo is around 150 pounds. My front sank 1/4" when I put the combo on.

 

[Andy29847]

I sent an email to Rockhard to verify the specs for the steel and aluminum bumpers as shown on the internet. Jason replied that the website numbers are correct. The aluminum bumper is 37 pounds. the steel bumper is 137 pounds, and they are both made out of 1/4" plate.

 

[Aquadude]

I sent an email to Rockhard to verify the specs for the steel and aluminum bumpers as shown on the internet. Jason replied that the website numbers are correct. The aluminum bumper is 37 pounds. the steel bumper is 137 pounds, and they are both made out of 1/4" plate.

That is correct, and I too was worried about an impact with something causing the aluminum to bend or crack. Not so, according to RockHard, their bumper is made through a process (that only he can explain) so that it will not crack or splinter with small bumps and then it is baked in some oven to harden it. I was worried about hooking a motorhome up to an aluminum bumper and his quote was "it doesn't matter what the bumper is made of, you are connecting to the frame horn. It could be made of balsa wood and it would still work" . I know he was kidding but I got his point. But with a steel bumper, winch, light, etc. on the front bumper, it would be close to 300 lbs. I won't be doing any rock crawling anyway, mainly trails around the Smokies.

 

[Andy29847]

Rock hard has a great reputation. I believe what they are saying. I agree about the motor home hookup. The bolts from the bracket run through the frame horns. The bumper is just a spacer there. I am a Smokys Wheeler. I run some Facebook groups for that: https://www.facebook.com/groups/698628080200070/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/293131404384213/?ref=share

 

[Mike5]

What is the height of your receiver hitch and tow bar attachment points of your tow bar on the jeep. (I've got the same tow bar and just getting started with the set up.)

 

[Andy29847]

What is the height of your receiver hitch and tow bar attachment points of your tow bar on the jeep. (I've got the same tow bar and just getting started with the set up.)

22"

 

[Mike5]

22"

My receiver is at 18". Looks like using the Demco or Roadmaster base plate would put the height closer to where I need to be.

 

[Aleph]

Hey Andy, I have the same combination aluminum bumper and Apex winch. Did you bolt on the winch without removing the bumper? If so, how? It’s pretty tight in there and the integrated skid plate blocks access from directly below. Did you access the winch bolts from under the truck behind the installed bumper?

Also, in your experience, were the bolts that came with the winch also too short to bolt through the two steel reinforcement plates into the square winch nuts? I’m probably going to have to get longer bolts for the winch.

 

[Andy29847]

Hey Andy, I have the same combination aluminum bumper and Apex winch. Did you bolt on the winch without removing the bumper? If so, how? It’s pretty tight in there and the integrated skid plate blocks access from directly below. Did you access the winch bolts from under the truck behind the installed bumper?

Also, in your experience, were the bolts that came with the winch also too short to bolt through the two steel reinforcement plates into the square winch nuts? I’m probably going to have to get longer bolts for the winch.

I installed the winch after installing the bumper. If I had been working with someone to help with the lifting, I might have put the winch on the bumper first. I used some balled up tape to hold the nuts in place for installation. The bolts that came with the winch worked as expected with the steel bumper.

 

[Aleph]

I installed the winch after installing the bumper. If I had been working with someone to help with the lifting, I might have put the winch on the bumper first. I used some balled up tape to hold the nuts in place for installation. The bolts that came with the winch worked as expected with the steel bumper.

Ah, I see now that you have the steel bumper. I have the aluminum version that comes with a couple of narrow stainless steel plates that sandwich between the winch plate and the washers/bolt head. Seems like the bolts are too short to accommodate the addition of those steel reinforcement plates under the washers so I’m probably going to have to get slightly longer winch bolts.

maybe I’m just a noob, but how in the world did you get those winch mounting bolts in with the bumper still attached to the vehicle frame? From what I can see, the bottom of the winch plate is inaccessible from above once the bumper is mounted. The only way I can imagine accessing it this way is reaching forward past the tie rod from under the truck, which is a pretty far distance and quite cramped to visualize and maneuver my arms in there

Anyone else who can chime in with experience mounting this combination of Apex winch and aluminum bumper?

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