What the heck is this? Is this real? Aluminum Rubicon 3 piece bumper...

[Blade1668]

Well I'll throw out a little note on front bumpers for JT, JL and JK. The bumper on my JT was made to fit the JK not a JL or JT but slide right in place with out any tweaking... So WTF but the skid plate wouldn't fit in any way not long enough to fit.
So ? I'd like to save the lbs. anywhere too. I run my JT across a scale to check it's weight and last time I did it was 600 lbs. from GVWR. ?

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[Rockabillyroy]

Ok, got the bumper yesterday and installed it.

First impressions was the packaging wasn’t terrible. It’s not Front Runner, but no one is.


The bumper itself….it’s cheap. No other way to say it. It’s built to be “good enough.” Barely. I’ve had a Mopar 3 piece on my JK Hard Rock so I can compare, and there is no comparison. Some guys have said they think these bumpers come from the same factory, just sold unbranded, that is false. Not even close. If fit and finish are paramount to you, this isn’t the bumper for you.

Installation was pretty straightforward, nothing too challenging.

The bumper is very light, the winch plate almost weighs as much. I don’t have or want a winch so I didn’t install it.

The Mojave skid didn’t fit of course, so I improvised.

Things I’m not happy with is the fog lights are exposed in the back, and the power coating is SO thin. The skid plate came out of the box very scuffed.

I wish the wings would ship not installed, that way they could avoid scuffing.

right here is what you need.

https://www.amazon.com/Rust-Oleum-248914-Spray-Paint-15-Ounce/dp/B003CT49B2

 

[Dewyaw]

I wouldn’t say this is common and it is definitely a risk to do so. Assuming you can even get approval for the deal everything changes when foreign investment takes over. Actual costs now hit the books...

https://abovethelaw.com/2015/05/buying-a-chinese-company-why-china-deals-dont-get-done

Fascinating article, great evidence to back up your comment.

 

[Imbuere]

Just placed my order. Right now they're on sale for $640. I called and got an additional $27 off, but ymmv.

Considering I should be able to sell my stock steel for at least the same price, plus also the winch plate, skid, and save 50 lbs... I consider this a huge win.

 

[Phishs]

So far mine has survived a VERY SALTY, snowy, icy, Iowa winter and several pressure washings. I agree - it's not 60K truck quality finish, but hey, for the price, I can take it off, and have it powder coated in a place just minutes from me - they do entire car frames, cross members, etc. They could toss it in the booth with some other big part. I'd still be hundreds ahead. But so far - no rust, the finish is staying put.

Do you have a link for the one you bought and from the same seller?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Do you have a link for the one you bought and from the same seller?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/114129178387

 

[Phishs]

That's the fly in the soup - the cost is still about double. I can run this steel bumper a long time for the price difference. If the aluminum bumper comes down dramatically - say, to 500............ then tempting. The only thing about the steel bumper is the weight. Otherwise it's fine, fits and looks good, does the job.

Did the steel bumper make your front end dip down at all over the plastic? I’d like to get the same as yours but worried about the front end being lower because of the weight.

 

[The White Rabbit]

Did the steel bumper make your front end dip down at all over the plastic? I’d like to get the same as yours but worried about the front end being lower because of the weight.

Okay, how did you change your profile name? I know, off subject (sorry OP)

 

[Phishs]

Okay, how did you change your profile name? I know, off subject (sorry OP)

I messaged Jay and he did it for me.

 

[Hristo]

Ok, got the bumper yesterday and installed it.

First impressions was the packaging wasn’t terrible. It’s not Front Runner, but no one is.


The bumper itself….it’s cheap. No other way to say it. It’s built to be “good enough.” Barely. I’ve had a Mopar 3 piece on my JK Hard Rock so I can compare, and there is no comparison. Some guys have said they think these bumpers come from the same factory, just sold unbranded, that is false. Not even close. If fit and finish are paramount to you, this isn’t the bumper for you.

Installation was pretty straightforward, nothing too challenging.

The bumper is very light, the winch plate almost weighs as much. I don’t have or want a winch so I didn’t install it.

The Mojave skid didn’t fit of course, so I improvised.

Things I’m not happy with is the fog lights are exposed in the back, and the power coating is SO thin. The skid plate came out of the box very scuffed.

I wish the wings would ship not installed, that way they could avoid scuffing.

Sorry, I realize this is an older thread, but I'm seriously considering this bumper for my Mojave (I know there will be some cutting to accept my skid plate). Do you have any long term review/thoughts on it?

 

[fourfa]

I can't add a long term review yet, but I did recently install one of these on my 22 Rubicon, along with a winch. I originally did snag one of the open-box deals, and it's true, the packaging must be a major problem. I tracked it all the way to "out for delivery" but it never arrived. A day later it updated to "returned to sender, packaging issue." Damn thing must have spilled parts all over the delivery truck. So.... gonna be a real roll of the dice on that one. Particularly considering the finish quality (see later)

I ended up ordering a brand new one. I do really like the looks of the stock steel bumper, but not the weight, so this was a good fit for me. New packaging was sturdy, lots of cardboard and bubble wrap dividers, no complaints. I weighed all the parts going on and coming off, and it really is about the same weight as the plastic bumper (and metal crash bar) that came off. It took me a few tries to get the 8 big studs to fit through the frame ends all at once, and I had to strategically loosen a few of the bolts holding the various pieces together, to gain a little wiggle room. Though honestly the worst part of it all was disassembling the stock bumper, to extract the foglight wiring harness.

I installed the included winch plate and a Warn VR Evo 10s, no fitment problems there with the frame rails. The winch plate does interfere with the Rubicon swaybar disconnect, so I notched the back passenger-side edge of the plate with just a crummy saber saw and a fresh metal-cutting blade, and a lot of time and sweat. Can't tell if you'd be doing a winch or not...

Moving the assembled bumper, winch, and winch plate into place was tough (a lot better with two people). Without the winch, it's pretty trivial to handle the bare bumper.

I replaced my stock steel Rubicon skidplate with the thin aluminum plate that comes with the bumper. This saved 10 lbs, and I didn't have to modify anything. (My previous truck with heavy Budbuilt steel armor skids, I seldom made contact in this location, so hopefully I won't regret this...)

I'll echo the other reviews, the low point is going to be the finish. It's sandpaper rough, and will pick up abrasion marks from anything it touches, down to thin brush. Some of it will scrub out, some won't. If your washing and detailing routine includes Q-tips, I'd skip this bumper. First time you drive it it'll look used, and it'll never look new again after that. Same critique carries over double for the open-box option. Me, I'll don't really wash trucks like ever, so I just don't care much about this.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Though honestly the worst part of it all was disassembling the stock bumper, to extract the foglight wiring harness.

Amen - when I removed my stock plastic bumper from my 2020 to install the eBay steel bumper.

Very good review and write-up.
Finish - similar for the eBay still bumper but it was smooth, simply, well, Chinese. I stripped it down and had it powder coated after removing it from my 2020 and before going on this 2022. It looks as good as the factory MOPAR steel bumper with the nice textured black powder coating. It's a tough, very black, finish now.
I assume one could have it done to the aluminum bumper as well. It would add to the cost, but still be under the cost of a new MOPAR steel bumper and still be a LOT lighter.
So for $250 you can have it look as nice as a new MOPAR bumper.

This time around, with the 2022, I decided I wasn't going through that again, time is worth a little something, and ordered the correct harness for the steel bumper.
The plus side (besides not having to disassemble the plastic bumper AT ALL) was the fact the new harness made for the Rubicon with steel bumper had the attachment points all in the right spot so it even looks better to any mice or flies that get into the rear of the bumper.

With a snow plow attachment bar on my truck, I have to skip the skid plate now anyway.

Curious about winch and bumper going as an assembly - I installed my Bulldog winch plate, winch, and so on and had that all done, then put my bumper on. Granted, it's the steel bumper, but the bumper has nothing to do with the winch or winch mounting.
Is that bumper somehow different in that you can't install a winch plate, winch, and then install the bumper?
In fact, to install my plow brackets, I had to pull my steel bumper off to get to the ends of the frame - I left the winch on the truck. Disconnected the fog light connection at the front frame rail, 8 nuts, bumper slid off the truck, winch and plate still on the truck.

Apparently what comes with the aluminum bumper is different?

 

[fourfa]

Hm, I followed the directions but perhaps that was a mistake. The main support for the winch plate is the 8 threaded studs in the tow hooks, embedded in the bumper. Without those studs, there's nothing to hold the plate in place - except some tiny lower brackets with rather small and loose bolts, which according to the instructions come later after the main studs are installed. I don't think I'd trust those to support both the plate and winch - but maybe that's an option after all

The bigger problem would seem to be having the winch plate mounted loose, and simultaneously trying to wiggle the studs through the holes in the winch plate and the frame ends, with the weight of the winch already on the plate. Whereas with the winch and plate already pushed onto the bumper and studs, you need two people to manipulate the weight, but pushing the studs through the frame ends is fairly straightforward.

 

[Hristo]

I can't add a long term review yet, but I did recently install one of these on my 22 Rubicon, along with a winch. I originally did snag one of the open-box deals, and it's true, the packaging must be a major problem. I tracked it all the way to "out for delivery" but it never arrived. A day later it updated to "returned to sender, packaging issue." Damn thing must have spilled parts all over the delivery truck. So.... gonna be a real roll of the dice on that one. Particularly considering the finish quality (see later)

I ended up ordering a brand new one. I do really like the looks of the stock steel bumper, but not the weight, so this was a good fit for me. New packaging was sturdy, lots of cardboard and bubble wrap dividers, no complaints. I weighed all the parts going on and coming off, and it really is about the same weight as the plastic bumper (and metal crash bar) that came off. It took me a few tries to get the 8 big studs to fit through the frame ends all at once, and I had to strategically loosen a few of the bolts holding the various pieces together, to gain a little wiggle room. Though honestly the worst part of it all was disassembling the stock bumper, to extract the foglight wiring harness.

I installed the included winch plate and a Warn VR Evo 10s, no fitment problems there with the frame rails. The winch plate does interfere with the Rubicon swaybar disconnect, so I notched the back passenger-side edge of the plate with just a crummy saber saw and a fresh metal-cutting blade, and a lot of time and sweat. Can't tell if you'd be doing a winch or not...

Moving the assembled bumper, winch, and winch plate into place was tough (a lot better with two people). Without the winch, it's pretty trivial to handle the bare bumper.

I replaced my stock steel Rubicon skidplate with the thin aluminum plate that comes with the bumper. This saved 10 lbs, and I didn't have to modify anything. (My previous truck with heavy Budbuilt steel armor skids, I seldom made contact in this location, so hopefully I won't regret this...)

I'll echo the other reviews, the low point is going to be the finish. It's sandpaper rough, and will pick up abrasion marks from anything it touches, down to thin brush. Some of it will scrub out, some won't. If your washing and detailing routine includes Q-tips, I'd skip this bumper. First time you drive it it'll look used, and it'll never look new again after that. Same critique carries over double for the open-box option. Me, I'll don't really wash trucks like ever, so I just don't care much about this.

I appreciate the write up! I had noticed the finish wasn't great in some photos and was thinking of painting it before it went on. I don't really care about scratches, but I'd like to earn them at least.

I plan on adding the same Warn winch you did but I don't have the electronic swaybar disconnect to contend with in my Mojave so perhaps that part of the install will be smoother. My turn to cut will come when I try to mate the bumper to the existing skidplate, which I'd like to keep (mine is already aluminum I believe).

It looks good in your avatar pic, that's a nicely set up Jeep. Love the Gobi color too. Thanks again.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Hm, I followed the directions but perhaps that was a mistake. The main support for the winch plate is the 8 threaded studs in the tow hooks, embedded in the bumper. Without those studs, there's nothing to hold the plate in place - except some tiny lower brackets with rather small and loose bolts, which according to the instructions come later after the main studs are installed. I don't think I'd trust those to support both the plate and winch - but maybe that's an option after all

The bigger problem would seem to be having the winch plate mounted loose, and simultaneously trying to wiggle the studs through the holes in the winch plate and the frame ends, with the weight of the winch already on the plate. Whereas with the winch and plate already pushed onto the bumper and studs, you need two people to manipulate the weight, but pushing the studs through the frame ends is fairly straightforward.

Man, I SO wish I had that aluminum bumper - REALLY wish. I really need the weight savings.

My secret with the cheap winch plate that came with the eBay steel bumper was a 2x4 and a floor jack, and some bolts and nuts.
I put the plate in place, lined up the holes in the front of the frame using tapered long punches and some rods I had. I got the holes lined up perfectly using the floor jack with a 2x4 on it to hold the plate where I wanted it, then bolted the plate to the front ends of the frame to hold everything.
I mounted the winch (bumper still off) and tightened the rear/lower winch plate bolts tight, used the jack and board to support the plate with winch while I removed the front bolts, and slid the bumper into place.
I did put the bumper together, loosely, on the floor. I didn't tighten anything until it was on the truck. Each truck is a tad different due to tolerances. My 2020 and my 2022 had some very different measurements between frame parts and holes. No way I could have removed a bumper from one and put it on the other without loosening everything up.

Installing on my 2020 - the winch plate bolted between the frame and bumper. Note how well the holes lined up. I used a jack under the plate to hold it to line up the bolt holes after using tapered punches and rods to line holes up.

I put the bumper brackets with hooks in place then built the bumper on the truck. Easier to do.

With the new Bulldog winch plate it was much easier as it bolts against the REAR of the frame ears on the front - those help keep the plate in place with bumper off -

This is where I am installing the stuff on my 2022 -

To mount my snow plow brackets, I had to remove the bumper again - 1 connector, 8 nuts, it slid right off. Winch stayed put - I guess I could have used wood wedges between the front receiver and winch plate to hold it up but it was not necessary. It never moved.

I love my gantry crane! Working alone with a bad back you have to get creative..........

Anyway, this pic is here mostly to show that if you have the aluminum bumper like I REALLY REALLY REALLY wish I did, you could make it look great with powder coating. A shop near me does it pretty reasonable, and the finish is pretty much identical to the factory MOPAR steel bumper finish. It's black, nice texture and has taken my "oops" more than once without a scratch or blemish.
If I didn't have this steel bumper and so much invested in it, I'd be getting that aluminum bumper, would drive it straight to East Des Moines to that shop for powder. Two young guys started it a few years ago in a poor part of town, it's sort of a mom and pop shop, that does such great work they are building another shop in another town to do production work for small manufacturers.

My turn to cut will come when I try to mate the bumper to the existing skidplate, which I'd like to keep (mine is already aluminum I believe).

I thought it was steel like the Rubicon, just painted silver?? (actually, I think it's powder, not paint, it's a really tough finish on those factory skid plates)

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