New JL Bumper

RitaRunner

RitaRunner

New member
So i have a JL sport, with the stock plastic bumpers. I want to replace (at least the front) with something metal and will support a winch. Also on my want list are bull bar for added protection for the winch, and D-ring loops. I really like the 10th anniversary metal bumper. but no d-ring loops. I dont like how many front bumpers look like batman symbols, with all their pointy angles. I have even kicked around the idea of picking up a knock off rubicon bumper, and taking it to a shop and have them add the d-ring loops and then have it re-painted with truck bed liner to make it durable again (after the welding).

Also i think i want a full length bumper, not a stubby one. Mid length is ok, i guess. I dont do any rock climbing, or extreme off road, I am in Florida, so i would have to drive 5-600 miles to get to the closes terrain for that.

I have looked and looked, but mostly I just find the pointy angular bumpers. Is there anything out there, or is my wish just not out there? Just looking for suggestions.
 
cozdude said:
i found a stock JL rubicon bumper on facebook marketplace for my jl sport for cheap. it was only $450 with the fog lights. keep it more normal looking with the ability to add the winch and the hoop you are looking to add
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There does not seem to be a good way to add bow shackles to the JL Rubicon bumper. 😔

It is what it is. The mounts should attach to the frame rather than just the bumper.

A lot of the popular bumpers are decorative junk and will deform with just a minor impact.
 
RitaRunner said:
i imagine not just deform on impact, but also not hold up on rescue?
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Right. I saw a Jeep with a DV8 bumper (which looked nice when it was new) but the bumper was utterly destroyed by a slow tap with a tree.

A winch needs to be on a frame-mounted winch plate rather than to the bumper. Bow shackles need to be attached to rated hardware on the frame rather than the bumper.
 
RitaRunner said:
So i have a JL sport, with the stock plastic bumpers. I want to replace (at least the front) with something metal and will support a winch. Also on my want list are bull bar for added protection for the winch, and D-ring loops. I really like the 10th anniversary metal bumper. but no d-ring loops. I dont like how many front bumpers look like batman symbols, with all their pointy angles. I have even kicked around the idea of picking up a knock off rubicon bumper, and taking it to a shop and have them add the d-ring loops and then have it re-painted with truck bed liner to make it durable again (after the welding).

Also i think i want a full length bumper, not a stubby one. Mid length is ok, i guess. I dont do any rock climbing, or extreme off road, I am in Florida, so i would have to drive 5-600 miles to get to the closes terrain for that.

I have looked and looked, but mostly I just find the pointy angular bumpers. Is there anything out there, or is my wish just not out there? Just looking for suggestions.
Click to expand...
Not sure why you want dring loops. The factory Rubicon steel number has frame mounted hooks that protrude from the top. Any dring loop would need to be welded or bolted to the frame I guess in place of the hooks.
 
JT@623 said:
I just put a motobilt on my jk it’s a nice bumper. They have them for the JL
View attachment 421003
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Everyone knows Eddie is the biggest tool in the industry - MOTOBILT

Motobilt is pretty popular out here on the East Coast. They sell a lot of Crawler Concepts stuff, which I've never had any personal experience with (the Crawler Concepts JK is local to me also, and it's pretty beefy), so I'm not going to say one way or another on those products. HOWEVER, we did...
www.wayalife.com www.wayalife.com
 
OverlanderJK said:

Everyone knows Eddie is the biggest tool in the industry - MOTOBILT

Motobilt is pretty popular out here on the East Coast. They sell a lot of Crawler Concepts stuff, which I've never had any personal experience with (the Crawler Concepts JK is local to me also, and it's pretty beefy), so I'm not going to say one way or another on those products. HOWEVER, we did...
www.wayalife.com www.wayalife.com
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Cool but I don’t really let some post on a forum from 2017 influence me much. I have no beef with Eddie or anyone else
 
cozdude said:
i found a stock JL rubicon bumper on facebook marketplace for my jl sport for cheap. it was only $450 with the fog lights. keep it more normal looking with the ability to add the winch and the hoop you are looking to add
Click to expand...
This ^

The factory tow hooks work just fine as recovery point so as long as you are recovering the Jeep properly when need be. That's why it has them. I agree with the above for a clean and functional look - find a used one.
 
RitaRunner said:
I dont do any rock climbing, or extreme off road, I am in Florida, so i would have to drive 5-600 miles to get to the closes terrain for that.
Click to expand...

Unless you're looking for somewhere to mount D ring shackles and leave them on there, the hooks work just fine. Nothing wrong with that if that's what you're after, but the factory wouldn't put them there unless they work. Plus it's pretty hard to beat the looks of the factory steel bumpers. Nice being able to take the ends off.
 
DirtHeadDavis said:
This ^

The factory tow hooks work just fine as recovery point so as long as you are recovering the Jeep properly when need be. That's why it has them. I agree with the above for a clean and functional look - find a used one.
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If towing using a tow strap, isn't there risk that the strap will fall off the hook?
 
NPC 6060⁸42 said:
What? It’s not a tow hook it’s a recovery hook. If your towing with that hook you deserve the fail you’ll get.
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So the question remains how to install bow shackles (given the MOPAR steel bumper) for a purpose such as towing? It may be that a big soft shackle around the whole bumper is sufficient.
 
bobfriesenhahn said:
So the question remains how to install bow shackles (given the MOPAR steel bumper) for a purpose such as towing? It may be that a big soft shackle around the whole bumper is sufficient.
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there are aftermarket d-ring kits that either replace the stock hooks or can be added, they mount to the frame rails.
 
jeeeep said:
there are aftermarket d-ring kits that either replace the stock hooks or can be added, they mount to the frame rails.
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I put a set of those on when I still had the stock bumper, I remember them being expensive but I think they doubled in price since I bought them.

https://www.maximus-3.com/product-page/jljt-heavyduty-recovery-dring-loops

You could buy an EVO 1/4 pounder for What the recovery points cost.

The 1/4 pounder and sway bar motor flip seems to add the most capability for the cost of almost any modification. I was constantly getting hung up on my factory front skid plate
 
I'd say keep it clean and find a rubicon bumper and add a solid winch plate. They also make a bull bar you can add using the factory holes in the bumper. And if you need to be towed that bad those frame mounted hooks will be just fine as long as you aren't hauling ass on the highway.
 

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