Let’s talk about bumpers

[da_jokker]

dang... that front camera will get you some nice shots of the winch! What were they thinking?

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[Marine2146]

dang... that front camera will get you some nice shots of the winch! What were they thinking?

I guess they’re worried about a synthetic winch “bird nesting” lol. Got to keep an eye on the winch spool.

 

[Bronco4lyfe85]

I’m leaning steel because my wife will drive it and that will save me from fixing the plastic one when she comes home and it’s cracked but she didn’t hit anything and has no idea why it’s cracked.

 

[Slyder]

I'll more than likely be going aftermarket with bumper/s, but it will depend on what Ford has to offer as far as add-ons and such for the Factory ones.

I like the clean look of lower mounted winches, plus their benefit of not blocking the front surface area/ air intake for the radiator, and the option for a LED light bar. These 2 factors will come into play with how it looks on the Bronco.

I like a lot of Addictive Desert Designs stuff, but they only have prototype pictures on rendered Broncos so far and neither have a winch shown on them.
Addictive's Bronco home page

 

[N3T]

I have gone back & forth on which bumper to get several times. I plan on getting a Big Bend so the plastic bumper would come with fog lights - that’s a big plus for me. I drive through fog a few months out of the year so it’s something I use.

I do plan to off-road and so I will need a metal bumper for a brush guard (deer guard here in Michigan) and a winch. I know there will be a lot of aftermarket metal bumpers available and because I’ll have had the plastic bumper I’ll already have fog light wiring and a switch ready to go. Bumpers are also fairly straightforward to remove/install so no shop fee.

But, what I am afraid of is that whatever aftermarket metal bumper I buy will lock me into using certain gear - that is, it will likely be less universal than the factory bumper. Or am I overthinking it?

I’m also not keen on waiting until next fall for my Bronco, then waiting months for the aftermarket suppliers to spool up, and then waiting a few more weeks for my parts to arrive - that’s a lot of waiting!

What do you guys think?

 

[Philly]

I'll be sticking with the modular steel bumper that comes on the Badlands until aftermarket comes up with something better. I don't like that it doesn't come with fog lights, but it isn't the end of the world.

My biggest gripe with the factory steel bumper is the winch mounting location. I know that there isn't really anywhere else they could put it based on sensors and things, but I just hate the idea of it hanging off the front like that. Also, with it being an extension on the front of the bumper instead of sitting down into it, it gives the weight of the winch more leverage on the front suspension and has the potential to make the factory rake even worse and harder to compensate for.

If there is an alternative front bumper available through Ford I would consider going that route just to have it right away and be done with it. I don't do any serious rock crawling so better steel through the aftermarket won't be a necessity for me.

 

[Dads_bronze_bronco]

Bumpers: if you’re not getting a BL or BD, wait for aftermarket options or pick up someone’s factory steel takeoffs on the cheap. If you are getting a BL or BD, be happy with them until you bash them up enough to replace them with aftermarket options or replace them and sell them on Bronco6G/Craigslist/Nextdoor/Facebook marketplace.

A lot of people who pay extra for factory steel Jeep bumpers pull them off for plate steel aftermarket ones - if for no other reason than the aftermarket ones look more rugged.

 

[stonerdoom]

I won't doing any real man stuff with my Bronco like most of you [unless you count traversing IL roads in the winter] so the factory steel will be decent for me. It has some rugged looks to it but its not obnoxiously MadMax looking either. In fact, I'd say it is somewhat minimalistic which probably more my thing.

 

[Bronc-O]

dang... that front camera will get you some nice shots of the winch! What were they thinking?

Ford stated at the west event the location wasn't finalized. They are well aware there's an issue if you option a winch.

 

[Atomicdog]

I'm definitely getting steel bumpers. If they cost the rumored $800 upgrade on the base model, I'll get the factory version.

 

[da_jokker]

I'm definitely getting steel bumpers. If they cost the rumored $800 upgrade on the base model, I'll get the factory version.

I was of the same mindset until the whole fog light wiring thing... and sounds like the upgrade may still leave you with a plastic rear... and a winch just dangling out the front..

Unless something changes... I'm out for the modular front and hope aftermarket doesnt lag for long.

 

[Atomicdog]

You're 100%, its ambiguous at best. I'm clinging to the fact that there is no information at all about the steel rear bumper by itself as an upgrade so "logic" tells me it's included when ordering the front. We probably know how that will turn out.
The fog light wiring is an issue but from what is known so far with the base model I'm sol.

 

[Austin26]

There's some good food for thought, thank y'all. Question though: roughly what cost do YOU think the Ford steel front bumper as it has been shown, should cost? If it's not a fair value I can wait. I basically don't know anything about steel truck bumpers. I like a minimalist look but I also prioritize usefulness and safety above that. I guess I can go look at Jeep aftermarket stuff to get an idea.

For the guy about his wife hitting shit all the time.. I gave my wife such shit about her doing that (and we live in a big city!) she almost gets mad. My rate was $90 and adding her was $280 total! F!

 

[Atomicdog]

I would only be mounting lights on my bumper so I don’t need anything elaborate like someone mounting a winch. I’m hoping the factory steel bumpers are reasonable, the upgrade from the factory shouldn’t cost as much as new ones and I won’t have to sell/store/discard the plastic ones. Again though, that’s my “logic.”

 

[2Jeeps&PatriotX1]

Like the clean look of the factory bumpers on the BL. Wife will be getting a BL and therefor have the steel front/rear bumpers and the warn winch on the front. I'll relocate the front camera if Ford engineers can't figure it out before taking delivery.

I think 90% of aftermarket bumpers on jeeps look like crap and this is coming from someone who has had a jeep for years and has custom built bumpers.

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