Stock Plastic Bumper is Sufficient?

[ASSFROW]

Technically they're both steel bumpers, just one is plastic-clad steel and the other is a modular steel bumper.

Yeah, but the plastic one uses jenky truss steel.

Sponsored

 

[kah.mun.rah]

@kah.mun.rah from the pictures you posted I would much rather have the metal bumper for the sake of my Jeep.

But based solely of those trailer ball hit images and if we are talking strength, I would have to argue the plastic is stronger. It stayed together and was strong enough to bend/brake the frame "horns". While the metal bumper appears to be shredded to bits and wasn't even stronger enough to stay together to bend the frame horns.

The picture of the plastic one was someone backing up and hitting the bumper at probably less than 10 mph. The metal one was a full on front collision. As previously mentioned, each accident is going to be unique with unique outcomes depending on a lot of factors.

Strong enough to bend what you are calling the frame horns is not a good thing since these are extensions of the body frame. Bending those could mean a total of your Jeep. The plastic one does have to have metal internals to pass the collision test so it is fair to say that in a collision both do their part. Cosmetically though a bicycle can put a dent in the plastic one and per my example with hitting the Mustang, it takes a lot to do more than just scratch the metal one. For a Rav4 I would be cool with a plastic bumper but for something that was built for rugged driving, a plastic bumper seems out of place and is a bit fragile.

On my last off-roading trip, my friend had rock rails, skid protection, a lift, and oversized tires on his 4Runner but this damage happened on a mound of dirt thanks to his plastic rear bumper

 

[Remorseless]

Yeah, but the plastic one uses jenky truss steel.

Don't think the OE steel bumper isn't wimpy though either. Remember someone had a thread on here where they hit a road sign after some crazy on road shit and it mangled the OE steel bumper.

You want a stout bumper, you go aftermarket. 3/16" or 1/4" steel. No crumple zones. Anything sold by Jeep is designed to absorb impact energy.

 

[C.Sco]

The 2 reasons I replaced my stock front bumper were:

1. So I could mount a winch there
2. Better approach angles, especially with a stubby bumper

 

[T800]

No need to replace it if you like it. They all have recovery points, which is all you really need. Plus if you have a winch and lights mounted, no need to replace.

 

[jeepingib]

See this is the kind of thread where Tredsdert would show up and talk about his telephone pole for a bumper.

 

[yokramer]

See this is the kind of thread where Tredsdert would show up and talk about his telephone pole for a bumper.

It was a piece of aluminum 4" angle sir get it right

 

[jeepingib]

It was a piece of aluminum 4" angle sir get it right

Oh sure, at first. But he is not one to quit after a single failed attempt.

 

[SlickRicksWilly]

The picture of the plastic one was someone backing up and hitting the bumper at probably less than 10 mph. The metal one was a full on front collision. As previously mentioned, each accident is going to be unique with unique outcomes depending on a lot of factors.

Strong enough to bend what you are calling the frame horns is not a good thing since these are extensions of the body frame. Bending those could mean a total of your Jeep. The plastic one does have to have metal internals to pass the collision test so it is fair to say that in a collision both do their part. Cosmetically though a bicycle can put a dent in the plastic one and per my example with hitting the Mustang, it takes a lot to do more than just scratch the metal one. For a Rav4 I would be cool with a plastic bumper but for something that was built for rugged driving, a plastic bumper seems out of place and is a bit fragile.

On my last off-roading trip, my friend had rock rails, skid protection, a lift, and oversized tires on his 4Runner but this damage happened on a mound of dirt thanks to his plastic rear bumper

I was just basing it off the comments about strength and the pictures. Now you have more details on the type of accidents and speed which changes things completely.

It could be frame damage and totalled but also the "frame rail extensions" (Mopar terms) or frame "horns" (my terms) are a replaceable part. Hell, before labor was several hundred dollars per hour they would replace whole frames before totalling a vehicle. Either way I would much rather have a factory metal bumper, but for the price of adding one after the fact, I would go aftermarket.

But to try and stay on topic to this thread, I plan on getting a winch plate and cutting up up the plastic bumper to fit a winch, hopefully sometime this year.

I assume I will replace the plastic bumper should it get damaged but I haven't replaced this one yet, so who knows

 

[SlickRicksWilly]

steel

"Steel"

 

[Sandevino]

Both are “military grade”…. They both barely meet basic requirements are were sourced from the lowest cost provider.

 

[Trailbreaker24]

Have you ever stepped on a plastic bumper? It gives and every time I step on it to change tops or get into the back it folds on me and I lose my footing. Get rid of it. Planning on doing the same soon.

 

[Sparty]

Makes me miss the old Warn Front Bumper I had on my TJ. That thing would take out just about anything

Sponsored