Heavy Duty Bumpers for Expedition/Overland Use: Practical Necessity or Superfluous an

[redthies]

I use stiff bumpers because they are a major part of the frame or unibody rails. With stock flexible bumpers the frames and body will twist way more than you would expect when on uneven surfaces. I recently I removed the stock bumper on an E350 4x4 van and noticed between the bumper and frame horns was a thick plastic spacer. It was not what I would call a solid attachment and the stock steel front bumper could be twisted or flexed by hand. If you follow the frame back past the flexible rubber motor mounts the first solid crossmember is behind the transmission. So basically you have the front frame horns swinging in the breeze. Consider this is the point where the front of the springs mount and you can imagine how much it moves. A solid bumper boxes this in and really tightens up the handling on a loaded rig. It stops creaking and twisting of the whole frame and body.

I know someone with a few 4x4 E350 conversions. One of them has cracks right through the body at the A pilar, and also between the passenger door and the double doors on the p-side. It is freakin scary! You can lift the roof up and push the windshield out!! Probably due to the flex you describe (and the fact that it spends 80% of its life off pavement).

[TurboChris]

I was grateful I had my custom bumper after this

http://www.expeditionportal.com/foru...the-conditions!

[IdaSHO]

I use stiff bumpers because they are a major part of the frame or unibody rails. With stock flexible bumpers the frames and body will twist way more than you would expect when on uneven surfaces. I recently I removed the stock bumper on an E350 4x4 van and noticed between the bumper and frame horns was a thick plastic spacer. It was not what I would call a solid attachment and the stock steel front bumper could be twisted or flexed by hand. If you follow the frame back past the flexible rubber motor mounts the first solid crossmember is behind the transmission. So basically you have the front frame horns swinging in the breeze. Consider this is the point where the front of the springs mount and you can imagine how much it moves. A solid bumper boxes this in and really tightens up the handling on a loaded rig. It stops creaking and twisting of the whole frame and body.
Unibody vehicles like a Jeep Cherokee are even worse. They flex so much the whole body cracks around the doors,tailgate and floor from all the twisting. Stiff bumpers box all vehicles together and make them better handling, more crash worthy and longer lasting. You can really feel it on and off road.

Most truck chassis are designed to flex. Rubber body mounts are intended to isolate the body from the chassis under normal and intended driving conditions. If you are getting cracks in the body, then you are pushing the vehicle beyond its limits, and are asking for trouble. And IMO adding bumpers in order to minimize flex will only complicated things. You are adding rigidity to a chassis in places it wasnt designed/engineered to have them. Could be good, could be bad, but it was never intended.

As for me, I like bumper for two things:

*tow points.
*critical area protection.

Beyond those two, it is simply dressage, IMO. And only adds weight in the wrong place.

[Prybry]

It would be a shame to ruin the clean look of my Power Wagon with a huge hunk of steel or aluminum...

It does just fine, has the winch hidden until needed, it has the tow points to do the job... all while looking clean.
Also has great clearance for entry and departure angles to boot.

It's the finest example of a well built bumper... "function and form" in one design.

Factory is just fine for me...

[mkitchen]

I replaced my stock bumper on the 06 Tacoma because the original was too low and really cut down on entry and exit angles. I also have a 71 F 250 that sees quite a bit of use and it has the original bumper and does fine. It really depends on the vehicle and what you use it for. I do have a heavier steel "Barden" type bumper on the rear of the 71 but it came that way from the dealer and has been there ever since. It is a bit low but well mounted and I have graded a few trails when exiting a wash.
Mikey

[Gary Wescott]

Since our Land Rover days 40 years ago, our expedition trucks have always used heavy duty bumpers. Yes, they hold a winch and driving lights. Yes, they keep cows and horses out of your radiator. And yes, they will also ward off brush, limbs and shopping carts. Similar to the old Rickard Compartment Bumpers used on The Turtle II, Turtle III and Turtle IV, (see the Vehicle page on www.turtleexpedition.com) our new custom Buckstop bumper (www.buckstop.biz) has sealed locking compartments and a covered 15,000 lb Warn winch. It also has dual trailer hitch receivers and two points where a Hi-LIft Jack can lift the corner of the vehicle off the ground. The front axle weight is still less that the rear, and we have had no steering problems even before we installed a ram assist by Lee Power Steering (www.lee-powersteering.com). The heavy duty Rickard Compartment Bumper on The Turtle II probably saved the lives of two people when it was involved in a serious head-on collision in Pennsylvania by its current owner.

Gary Wescott
The Turtle Expedition, Unltd.

Poised for departure 72.jpg

[the Rewster]

Well said Gary. With your experience that should be the last word!
Fortunately we can all make our rigs to our own wants and needs.

[88Xj]

Personally for me, I hate most of the aftermarket bumpers for my Cherokee (XJ)..I honestly only like the look of maybe 2...

I do however love this...
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f11/t...build-1157408/

Hidden away and if you look, he completely boxed in the front Uni-rails of our Xj's....which will make things quite sturdy up front. I would extend the winch plate on the passenger side a little to act as a splash shield for the alternator, since its located right there. And those 3/16" D-ring mounts look like they will bend sideways if pulled from that angle, so I'd probably go 1/4 on those at least. I'd also extend the mounts back a little further to pick up the HUGE anchor bolt for the factory tow hooks...which would give like 7-9 bolts per side...
Our Xj's are have a incredibly weak steering box spacer, and our driver side Uni-rail takes alot of stress..so with him boxing it in, he replaced the steering box spacer with 3/16" plate....just like the aftermarket "steering box inner brace", but he also spread all that load across both sides of the rail which is awsome.

Add in those few changes above and I'd be happy...I just can't think of a way to add in a thick piece boxed steel (2x2) or something, that will still fit behind the stock bumper. Make it removeable or something, and have it in front of the winch somehow..I'd add that in to help take up some of the force of a impact..kind of help spread the load. Otherwise I love that guys idea!!!

[crazyeyez]

he did a nice job on that XJ. but something i thought of.... dont these winchs have a clutch lever? to disengage the clutch to free spool out the cable? some of these hidden winches, how would you get to the lever?

[redthies]

He said in the last post that he was going to drill a hole in the factory bumper so he could access the clutch.