Stubby bumper for a daily driver - cons?

[SH556JL]

I wouldn’t run a stubby on a daily driver again… However, I think even with a full width bumper I would have still broken my left arm (fractured and displaced both ulna and radius, plus small fracture in my wrist) in the accident with the 21.

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[zouch]

the only interpretation that's going to matter is that of a judge.
and if you haven't seen a good lawyer at work, you might be in for a treat, or a fright.

WRT "Manufacturer", not every one of our napkin sketches would stand muster as a "design" and just because we might be able to tack a weld doesn't make us a "manufacturer".
there is no argument that the vehicle manufacturer is a "manufacturer".
everything else is somewhere in-between; guess who gets to define where that line is.

none of us are saints, and we all take risks.
it's up to all of us to decide where to take our risks. not all of us are going to think all the same risks are worth taking.

Personally (with all the usual caveats) I think that's reading content into the statute that's not there. The relevant two sentences are:



It says "a manufacturer" not "the original manufacturer of the vehicle." For myself, I'm confident I'm not going to be cited for CVC S28071 and, if I am, I have an airtight defense, namely that both my bumpers were indeed designed and intended for this purpose, for which I can supply plenty of evidence. So I'm not going to worry about it, personally. YMMV.

 

[zouch]

thanks for that example; that's similar to what i thought i'd read about California at some point in the past.

As others have mentioned, they're illegal in some states. Utah, shockingly, requires that they're at least the width of the wheel track: https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title41/Chapter6A/41-6a-S1632.html

 

[smokeythecat]

If you have the plastic bumpers highway fuel economy may take a hit if you switch to a stubby. Wind going directly into a tire increases drag which is why the less off road focused trims have lower fenders and that ugly cover in front. The plastic bumpers also function to move some of that air away from the tire.

Interesting. I never thought of that. I replaced the original plastic front bumper with a GenRight stubby aluminum. I am still seeing 24 m.p.g. on the highway, however.

 

[TMJL2018]

I went with a stuby bumper because I have a Sport and it's easier to get to my quick disconnects. Plus the offroad benefits.

 

[MrMischief]

Interesting. I never thought of that. I replaced the original plastic front bumper with a GenRight stubby aluminum. I am still seeing 24 m.p.g. on the highway, however.

I have no idea how big of an impact such things might make. My honest opinion is we're probably talking at most 1 mpg. Means probably nothing to you and I, but for CAFE standards that could be huge. The OP was asking for cons so I listed what I could think of that might be cons

 

[phageghost]

the only interpretation that's going to matter is that of a judge.
and if you haven't seen a good lawyer at work, you might be in for a treat, or a fright.

Of course, but, in general, outside of terms specially defined elsewhere in the code, laws are written in plain English and judges are pretty good about interpreting them to mean what they say. And while there are plenty of hot-shot lawyers out there, very few of them are prosecuting non-moving vehicle code violations in county courthouses.

WRT "Manufacturer", not every one of our napkin sketches would stand muster as a "design" and just because we might be able to tack a weld doesn't make us a "manufacturer".
there is no argument that the vehicle manufacturer is a "manufacturer".
everything else is somewhere in-between; guess who gets to define where that line is.

That's the interesting thing about the statute, it seems overly-broad. Like any jackass can slap together some 2x4s and a sheet of tinfoil and say he designed it to protect from other vehicles. It covers "intended and designed" but not whether the manufacturer accomplished said intent. But it's probably "good enough" without setting up a California-specific bumper testing and certification program (I shouldn't even mention this, it might give them ideas . . .).

none of us are saints, and we all take risks.
it's up to all of us to decide where to take our risks. not all of us are going to think all the same risks are worth taking.

Exactly. My interpretation isn't intended to be prescriptive for anyone else, I'm just sharing how I'm going to treat it based on my own personal interpretation given all the facts currently at hand.

Cheers.

 

[kah.mun.rah]

my contact wasn't so simple; guy took a turn too tight and put the side of his vehicle directly onto the front corner. had i not had a full-width bumper, the contact would have been on the tire.

The bumper is connected to the frame. Taking a hit on the end of a full-width bumper puts a lot of moment arm force directly into the frame increasing the odds of totaling the Jeep. Missing the bumper (because it was a stubby) and hitting the tire probably breaks a $2,500 front axle but less damage to the frame.

 

[zouch]

bah.
that seems like quite a reach.

The bumper is connected to the frame. Taking a hit on the end of a full-width bumper puts a lot of moment arm force directly into the frame increasing the odds of totaling the Jeep. Missing the bumper (because it was a stubby) and hitting the tire probably breaks a $2,500 front axle but less damage to the frame.

 

[kah.mun.rah]

bah.
that seems like quite a reach.

Math

 

[zouch]

sorry, it was wrong of me to disregard your perspective so brashly.
pre-coffee the idea seemed absurd; i didn't immediately recognize it as merely esoteric/edge case.

if you want to cite math in real life, we should talk probability.
i'd have to suggest the probability of costs/damages incurred to steering, suspension and the like from a minor collision with only a partial bumper far outweigh the likelihood of frame damage from a full-size bumper.

all of that is ignoring any consideration of the likelihood of the bumper absorbing some energy folding up with a heavy hit, and the likelihood that if enough energy was transferred to the frame to cause any damage (if at all possible), you're likely to have far greater considerations already.

i'll gladly take my chances with a full bumper protecting easily damaged components of my rig from the far more likely smaller contacts, than be concerned with the (arguable) possibility of frame damage in a severe collision.

Math

 

[Ratbert]

Depends on how strict your DOT laws are and if they are enforced. Most states require bumpers to cover the wheels or extend so many inches beyond frame rails.

But offroad performance will be improved in your ability to navigate obstacles. And you cannot forget the cool factor.

Most states? Utah is the only state that I've heard of with that type of law. They require the bumper to "extend no less than the width of the respective wheel track distance."

Maybe it's more prevalent than I thought?

I can't fathom having a full-width bumper again. Sorry, but they're simply ugly in comparison.

 

[RUBIjm54]

Not a full on stubby, but I love mine and the look. Can't wait to upsize the tires from 33s to 35s later this year.
I haven't noticed any significant changes to mine. Have had it for about a month now.

 

[Headbarcode]

Most states? Utah is the only state that I've heard of with that type of law. They require the bumper to "extend no less than the width of the respective wheel track distance."

Maybe it's more prevalent than I thought?

I can't fathom having a full-width bumper again. Sorry, but they're simply ugly in comparison.

I had to permanently remove the mopar bumper wings when I jumped to 38x13.5's, because I could barely turn halfway to full steering lock. Now with 40x13.5's, forget about it.

 

[kah.mun.rah]

if you want to cite math in real life, we should talk probability.
i'd have to suggest the probability of costs/damages incurred to steering, suspension and the like from a minor collision with only a partial bumper far outweigh the likelihood of frame damage from a full-size bumper.

For me the probability is so low it's worth the risk. IMO full length bumpers with a lift and big tires looks silly. Don't freak out when you read this but a lot of us, heaven forbid, take the doors and top off of our Jeeps too.

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