Bumper quandary

[omnitonic]

Of course I know that. But, I can see the insurance company saying that because the vehicle had an aftermarket bumper rather than an OEM bumper, they would not pay because the aftermarket bumper is not safety rated.

That's why I told my insurance company I had modified the vehicle, and how. They gave me a laundry list of things that were "totally unacceptable" like "off-roading," raised my rates a little bit, and so far, so good. This way, if I do have to file a claim, they can't come back and say, "But you never told us you modified your vehicle!"

As far as the question of warranties and insurance, to mod or not to mod, it's kind of a slippery slope. At first, I was only going to change the front bumper, because a winch on top of a plastic front bumper is a crappy mounting setup. I did a Rubicon takeoff lift. Mopar parts means my warranty is still intact. Then I tore some stuff up on the bottom of the Jeep, and talked myself into doing the lift and tires I had wanted to do from day one.

I couldn't buy a Mopar lift at the time, so I went with aftermarket. Once I did that, well, my warranty is shot to hell and gone, and I will just have to pay to replace all the components I wear out prematurely as a result. It is what it is.

My plan is to replace anything I wear out with upgraded stuff.

Starting with the brakes, as it turned out. I killed my factory brake pads in only 12,000 miles. Those might have been covered under warranty (it was really like 11,600 miles when I noticed the problem), but I didn't have time to muck about waiting on an appointment for something so cheap and easy to do myself, so I just changed them out.

I guess my advice to you is to keep it bone stock, or brace yourself for the slippery slope. Once you start, you probably won't stop any more than I did. It's just too tempting. I ended up with a really bad ass Jeep for my trouble though, so I really have no regrets.

At least not yet. ?

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[Zandcwhite]

"A significant drawback of body-on-frame vehicles is that they lack crumple zones. Crumple zones are regions of vehicles that absorb kinetic energy during a crash, so the passengers don't absorb it instead. They're a significant safety feature of modern cars and regularly save lives."
Just an aside to this multi-tiered topic. Full framed vehicles don't have crumple zones, as designing a frame to colapse just makes it prone to bending. Even the topic of "off-roading" is a complex one. If you miss an off-ramp and hit a tree, were you not "off-road"? If I roll my jeep on Cadillac hill, the Rubicon trail is in fact a county road so under that logic I'm more covered there than in my own driveway? Bottom line is, life is a risk. Reasonable steps to mitigate risk? No problem. Worrying about if my new floor mats void my warranty on my carpet as they aren't Mopar? Not even for a second.

 

[CJ7 and 4 wheel drive]

Like I said, sounds to me like you should leave it completely stock and just enjoy it. ??

I want to make it mine as it were. This is not my first jeep.

 

[JABCAT]

The OEM bumper is about $500.00 more than the aftermarket aluminum bumper.

Replacing the bumpers has nothing to do with warranty coverage. Become familiar with the Magnuson-Moss act if you're going to be frequenting the dealership service department. Knowledge is power, and they function by assuming the vehicle owners have little knowledge pertaining to warranty coverage.

That being said, you can pick up Rubicon take-off steel bumpers for about 1/2 what they cost new. Just have to keep checking various for-sale forums.

 

[rkwfxd]

I want to make it mine as it were. This is not my first jeep.

I get that. Maybe focus on decals or seat covers other items that will not affect warranty or insurance. Aftermarket wheels can make a huge difference.

 

[NewsShooter]

They won't cover the bumper, but they will cover everything else. Wife totaled her JL last summer, insurance didn't care that she had an aftermarket bumper.

 

[CJ7 and 4 wheel drive]

They won't cover the bumper, but they will cover everything else. Wife totaled her JL last summer, insurance didn't care that she had an aftermarket bumper.

Yea, been down that road. Danged insurance companies only cover stock parts.

 

[AcesandEights]

Yea, been down that road. Danged insurance companies only cover stock parts.

What insurance company is that, never heard of them denying aftermarket parts. I've worked for a couple of the largest insurers of autos and motos, and that was never the case, unless it was over a certain amount.

 

[CJ7 and 4 wheel drive]

What insurance company is that, never heard of them denying aftermarket parts. I've worked for a couple of the largest insurers of autos and motos, and that was never the case, unless it was over a certain amount.

State Farm.

 

[jaymz]

"A significant drawback of body-on-frame vehicles is that they lack crumple zones. Crumple zones are regions of vehicles that absorb kinetic energy during a crash, so the passengers don't absorb it instead. They're a significant safety feature of modern cars and regularly save lives."
Just an aside to this multi-tiered topic. Full framed vehicles don't have crumple zones, as designing a frame to colapse just makes it prone to bending. Even the topic of "off-roading" is a complex one. If you miss an off-ramp and hit a tree, were you not "off-road"? If I roll my jeep on Cadillac hill, the Rubicon trail is in fact a county road so under that logic I'm more covered there than in my own driveway? Bottom line is, life is a risk. Reasonable steps to mitigate risk? No problem. Worrying about if my new floor mats void my warranty on my carpet as they aren't Mopar? Not even for a second.

You sure about that?

 

[Zandcwhite]

You sure about that?

A. Note the red box which states "first for pickups" ie Wranglers don't have crumple zones
B. Corner "crush boxes" wouldn't be effected by an aftermarket bumper, unless the bumper has non-factory mounting points extending beyond those crush points
C. I'd rather not have my frame accordion if I catch a rock ledge on an obstacle, but maybe that's just me?

 

[AcesandEights]

State Farm covers aftermarket equipment or parts.

Body on frame has crumple zones and has for decades. Even the shape of the frame is engineered to bend or crumple.

It doesnt matter if you're off road. It matters if you're using your vehicle in a competition (almost all major carriers have an exclusion for competitive events; else, generally, it's covered).

 

[CJ7 and 4 wheel drive]

State Farm covers aftermarket equipment or parts.

Body on frame has crumple zones and has for decades. Even the shape of the frame is engineered to bend or crumple.

It doesnt matter if you're off road. It matters if you're using your vehicle in a competition (almost all Major carriers have an exclusion for competitive events; else, it's covered)

The situation I am thinking about happened many years ago.

 

[jaymz]

A. Note the red box which states "first for pickups" ie Wranglers don't have crumple zones
B. Corner "crush boxes" wouldn't be effected by an aftermarket bumper, unless the bumper has non-factory mounting points extending beyond those crush points
C. I'd rather not have my frame accordion if I catch a rock ledge on an obstacle, but maybe that's just me?

You said body on frame vehicles don’t have crush zones. I was merely pointing out that they do. And not just Fords. Literally every vehicle built in at least the last couple of decades has crumple zones engineered into the vehicle somewhere, somehow.

 

[smokeythecat]

That's why I told my insurance company I had modified the vehicle, and how. They gave me a laundry list of things that were "totally unacceptable" like "off-roading,"

Wow. I specifically asked my insurance agent about taking the Jeep off road before I even bought it and she said, yes, take it off road. That's what they're for.

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