I'm Merideth with XT and in this video I'll be breaking down the differences between the
different types of options for front bumpers for your Jeep Wrangler.
When it comes to your Wrangler, you definitely wanna keep it protected and the front bumper
is a really easy way to gain some extra front end protection while also adding some utility
as well as style.
It's easy to get lost with all the different types of front bumpers out there.
They come in different styles, lengths while also having some very specific benefits.
And in this video, I picked out four front bumper options to represent a specific style
and show you the differences in their coverage, utility and even how they can help out your
performance, whether you're out there on the trail or just keeping it to the street.
I'm using the JL behind me to show you the front bumpers that I chose but all of these
front bumpers in each of the different styles will also be available for other gens including
YJ, TJ, and JK that you can find right here on our site.
Also, make sure you subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content like this, as well
as detailed product install videos.
So, enough from me, let's jump into it.
Our first bumper that we're gonna take a look at is going to be for that Jeep owners is
concerned about their off-road performance, while also wanting a very aggressive look
to make their Jeep stand out.
Stubby front bumpers and even this one, in particular, will usually be the width of the
grille.
So, with this, you're getting that protection against any smaller head-on obstacles in your
front grille area, especially with this stinger than other options that may cover some or
all of the front tires.
Even though it does have its drawback on protection to the front tires and even the front of the
fenders, this will maximize your performance on the trail.
With all of this open room on the side there's nothing to stand in the way of larger wheels
and tires, especially when you're articulating off-road.
Not to mention your approach angles are going to be increased as well.
And that's the amount of angle that you have when you're approaching an incline like a
hill or an obstacle while you're out on the trail.
This particular bumper that I have on our Jeep is the Red Rock 4x4 Stubby Front Bumper
with the stinger and the winch mount and on the topic of performance, this will include
features that will help you out on the trail and provide some extra utility.
These are going to include the winch mount, the D-rings, and even this large stinger on
the front.
Now, what I particularly like about this option is the winch mount and how it's partially
recessed.
And this is a feature that will vary from different styles of bumpers but can be considered
as a subcategory within bumpers and their features.
This will provide some protection to the winch while also opening up some airflow to your
grille, in comparison to some other options that are top-mounted options.
It's not going to be completely out of the way but it will go a long way as far as airflow
is concerned while still being pretty accessible.
The stinger is also going to be more or less a subcategory in itself.
This will be one of those love it or hate it mods but for those people that do love
it, this will provide a lot of outward protection to your grille area for larger obstacles in
front of your Wrangler.
Not to mention stinger bars are actually designed to prevent your Wrangler from tipping forward
when descending off of obstacles.
So, even though it is going to give you a very aggressive look to the front end of your
Jeep, it's not gonna just be there for show.
This next option is for the Wrangler owner who essentially wants the opposite of the
last one that we just saw.
This is for somebody who's looking for full front end protection and really isn't concerned
about that extra trail performance with all that room on the side like the stubby front
bumper offered.
This style will more or less be the factory length with a heavy-duty construction.
So, this will be a full-width front bumper that's gonna provide full front end protection,
especially to the front end of your tires and your fenders from any head-on collision
or even just any branches or brush while you're out on the trail.
The bumper that we have mounted up to the front of our JL is the ARB Classic Deluxe
Front Bumper.
Again, with the styles of bumpers you usually will be getting all those standard features
that come with an aftermarket or a heavy-duty front bumper but since these usually will
have a lot more space and room to work with on the front of the bumper, you'll see some
extra features in comparison to some of the other smaller options like the stubby front
bumper that we just took a look at.
Not to mention because of those extra features modification may be required unlike some other
bolt-on front bumpers, but that's not always the case.
This front bumper, in particular, is a good example of that considering that this comes
with recovery points, the option to swap over your factory fog lights or even add an aftermarket
fog light and multiple mounting points for accessories and or auxiliary lighting and
even jacking points.
Like I mentioned before there's also those subcategories when it comes to different features
like grille protection and winch plates.
This front bumper, in particular, will come with a standard bull bar which is going to
do a really good job at providing a lot of protection to the grille area, but it won't
be as aggressive as the stinger that we last saw.
And it's gonna be a lot more common for protection when it comes to protecting the grille.
Not to mention because of the rounded design these will usually have extra mounting tabs
to add accessory lighting on top which is the case with our ARB front bumper and it's
gonna provide a really good spot considering that they're front and center.
When looking at the winch plate this is a fully recessed option which I personally really
like.
Unlike the partially recessed option that we saw on the stubby front bumper, this will
give us full protection to the wind since it's not sticking out over the top of the
bumper, and it's gonna provide full airflow to your AC condenser as well as your radiator.
Now, the two big things to consider when it comes to a full-width front bumper is that
you're not getting as much room on the sides for extra performance, meaning that your approach
angles will not be as good considering you do have large ends on either side.
And larger tires won't have a whole lot of room for extra articulation and it may limit
your tire size if you're looking for articulation.
Also because this is a lot larger, these are usually gonna be a little bit heavier than
some of the other smaller options which may give a small sag to the front end of your
Wrangler especially if you have a factory system suspension.
Now, that comes down to the design of the front bumper, but that's definitely something
that you wanna keep in mind.
If you're a fan of some of the benefits from both of those previous styles then the Mid-Width
Front Bumper is gonna be right up your alley.
This is perfect for somebody who's looking for some decent protection to the front end
while incorporating some benefits from both a stubby front bumper as well as a full-width
front bumper.
This type of bumper is usually gonna cover the whole grille area and then some on the
sides, giving your tires and your fenders some head-on protection.
Usually, with these style bumpers, the construction on the ends will be angled up which will increase
your approach angles and your clearance for the trail even though they are a bit longer
than a stubby front bumper.
The one that we have on our Wrangler as an example of this style is the Barricade Trail
Force HD Front Bumper with LED lights.
So, as you can tell on the sides, these will come out a little bit farther than the grille
but when you're approaching obstacles while you're out on the trail, the ends will be
angled up enough to stay out of the way.
This particular bumper will be similar to the full-length option where we had more surface
area and room on the face of the bumper for extra accessories including LED lights.
These aren't going to be on every mid-width front bumper, however, because of that extra
room, they're usually going to be more options when it comes to accessory mounting, additional
lighting or even just swapping over those factory fog lights, as well as recovery points.
This front bumper will also incorporate a bull bar similar to the last, however it's
not gonna tuck into the grille as tight as the ARB front bumper bull bar did.
It comes out a little bit further similar to the angle of a stinger, and this is gonna
give you some outward protection as well some aggressiveness of that stinger, but it's gonna
provide you some more mild styling while still doing a really good job at providing protection
to that grille area.
When it comes to the winch on this particular bumper there is a top-mounted winch plate
and many of these mid-width style options will have the same.
That's gonna make it very easy to handle and very easy to maintenance your winch since
it is very easily accessible.
However, this will block some of that grille area when it comes to airflow and it's gonna
be a little bit more exposed in comparison to our other options.
There are mid-width front bumpers however that will have different style winch plates
but winch plate placement is something to keep in mind when you're shopping around for
a front bumper.
Our last front bumper that we'll be taking a look at is going to be a bit of a throwback.
This style is gonna be for somebody who's looking to add some retro styling to the front
end of their Wrangler while also incorporating some benefits that we've seen from that full-width
design.
This style will do a really good job of covering the front end of the Wrangler just like our
full-width option and the length is going to be roughly the same for really any tubular
front bumper that you'll come across.
This style will do a good job at protecting the front grille area as well as the front
of the tires but unlike our full-with HD front bumper that we took a look at this will be
a lot lighter weight.
The one in particular that I have mounted up is the RedRock 4x4 Tubular Front Bumper.
This one particularly will be made out of a stainless steel material, making sure there's
a front end isn't heavy or sagging.
But on the contrary, it won't be as heavy-duty as steel plating material would, making for
some layer protection from any brush or smaller obstacles while you're out on the trail.
Not to say that this won't save your front end in the event of a hit better than your
stock front bumper would, but if this does take a harder hit, the material is a little
bit softer than steel plating and will tend to bend a little bit easier.
Nonetheless, this will provide really good coverage as well as grille protection.
This RedRock front bumper will integrate a full bar just like the other ones that we've
previously seen, and most of the tubular front bumpers that you'll come across will.
Now, when it comes to accessories and utility though this is where you really see the simplicity
in a tubular front bumper.
Some may vary when it comes to a cutout for a winch plate [inaudible 00:09:50].
But compared to most heavy-duty steel bumpers, these will usually not come with any recovery
points, additional lighting or even the option to swap over your factory fog lights.
This one, in particular, will have mounting tabs in the middle on the bumper for accessory
lighting making sure that you do have that option for some extra visibility out of the
front end of your Wrangler.
What I do, however, like about this style is the fact that it keeps it simple for someone
who's not really looking for a ton of utility out of the front end of their Jeep, but they're
looking for that retro styling and some more heavy-duty materials in their stock bumper.
Not to mention there are many solutions for adding accessories and lighting considering
tubular mounting brackets are very easily accessible and very inexpensive, especially
here on our site.
Again, like I mentioned at the beginning of the video, choosing a front bumper can get
a bit confusing when it comes to all the different styles and types that are out there.
Hopefully, this breakdown made it a bit easier to narrow down the best one for you and your
Wrangler.
Make sure you comment down below on which front bumper that you think is best and which
front bumper that you would add to your Wrangler and always keep it right here at extremeterrain.com.