[fl-mitchells]

Anybody wearing a Rugged Ridge XHD front bumper? I'm shopping a front bumper that meets the following criteria:

1) Stubby or darn near for good approach angle
2) Incorporates factory fogs cuz I'm too cheap to buy new ones (yet)
3) Incorporates winch w/o blocking the entire grill
4) Has a stinger, cuz my wife likes 'em, and it's a good place to hang the winch hook
5) Doesn't look or function like a piece o' crap.

I'm leaning toward the rugged ridge cuz I know it meets 1-4. Anybody have an opinion? I trimmed my fenders last week and now the stock bumper looks even worse than it did in the first place. That's what I get for a free mod Oh yeah forgot to mention I'm poor, so price is always part of the equation...

 

[gijoejd]

I just installed a ruggid ridge front stubby with stinger. I love it! No winch mount though. I know Venom has the same but a winch mount and he said he likes it. I installed delta fogs in my bumper, had to bend the mount brackets a bit to fit but it eventually got in there. I also installed the xhd rear bumper and very happy with it as well. Phil D is running a stubby...I think...with a huge arse stinger. Not sure what it is though. So far, I haven't heard of any complaints from anyone about the ruggid ridge bumpers.

 

[BIGCAT]

Got one with winch mount....love it.

 

[The Joker]

I have a stubby with stinger and winch.AND LOVE IT!!! I have even used my stinger to slide up very steep aproach angles.
good quality welds too.

 

[RMDChewie]

Have the front, rear and tire carrier. They should have put some gussets in the rear bumper ends but other than that they've been awesome.

 

[fl-mitchells]

Sweet thanks for the pics, the bumper looks great with Xenon's. I looked pretty hard at those fenders myself but decided to try my hand at a home trim first, if I can't get it right I figure I was going to trash the stock fenders anyway.... I've got the top halves cut & installed, and the front wells installed, haven't done the rear wells yet and I haven't figured out how to tie the two back together. If it would quit raining for thirty minutes I might be able to work on it..... it's been raining 3 days nonstop and it's supposed to keep going all weekend issed: Anyhow, back on topic...... Everything I'm hearing is good and I found a review on this sight as well...... so the trigger is pulled!

 

[OJTJK]

I've beat the crap out of mine and it is still hanging on there. Don't bother getting the end caps unless you have smaller tires or don't flex, though... I have to take mine off before I go wheeling because they end up rubbing.

 

[cyberpunk]

I've got the XHD with the pre-runner and really like it. It cuts down slightly on approach angle, but has already saved me from a broken headlight, smashed grille or worse.

Once, lady backed into me a drive thru lane, ruined her trunk, not a spot on my bumper.

Another time I slid hard into a tree on a muddy trail, with just the stubby it would've hit the passenger side of the grille for sure.

 

[Rugged Ridge - Alloy USA]

I've beat the crap out of mine and it is still hanging on there. Don't bother getting the end caps unless you have smaller tires or don't flex, though... I have to take mine off before I go wheeling because they end up rubbing.

Just an FYI - we saw this happening on some of the early ends, and have since altered the design to provide a bit more clearance. They will never have the clearance of the stubby, but it is now improved. 37's would still hit, but you'd have to work to get 35's to hit with the updated design.

 

[fl-mitchells]

ARGHH I hate waiting...... stupid bumper is on backorder.... supposed to arrive in Miami warehouse June 1... having it free shipped to Fortec shop in Jacksonville so I can pick it up and save a few pennies. Hey RR guy this backorder is just a minor hiccup right, not some "we're held up in customs indefinitely and wait til Christmas" kinda thing??? I kinda figured since they've been on the market for a good while that all the supply chain issues would be ironed out by now. I swear I'm like a little kid with this stuff... I have all he patience in the world in every other aspect of my life, but the Jeep brings out that "instant gratification" thing in me like crazy.

 

[BigO]

I ordered the RR rear bumper/tire carrier in June '08. Received it in February '09. :lol: If things haven't improved, it sounds like you better go to your doc and get some Valium.

ARGHH I hate waiting...... stupid bumper is on backorder.... supposed to arrive in Miami warehouse June 1... having it free shipped to Fortec shop in Jacksonville so I can pick it up and save a few pennies. Hey RR guy this backorder is just a minor hiccup right, not some "we're held up in customs indefinitely and wait til Christmas" kinda thing??? I kinda figured since they've been on the market for a good while that all the supply chain issues would be ironed out by now. I swear I'm like a little kid with this stuff... I have all he patience in the world in every other aspect of my life, but the Jeep brings out that "instant gratification" thing in me like crazy.

 

[The Joker]

I just wish Rugged Ridge would make a "Stubby" tire carrier bumper.

 

[Bigjerm]

the bumpers are worth the wait. I had the front with a stinger, their rock rails and now their front skid. They all have done their job for much less that the price of other companies

 

[BigO]

the bumpers are worth the wait. I had the front with a stinger, their rock rails and now their front skid. They all have done their job for much less that the price of other companies

I'll agree with that. If you're tired of looking at 500+ dollar front bumpers or thousand dollar rear bumpers, the RR bumpers bring a lot of bang for the buck.

 

[NMJeeper]

Anybody know the thickness of the plate used in that bumper?

Their website doesn't say, no writeups in 2 catalogs say a thing about it. The winch mount, the mounting plate for my winch and pre dilled bolt pattern is all built in right? I've been trying to find a shot down into the bucket of the winch bumpers to see. All the above I ordered 6500.00 in everything else but the front bumper because I'm a bit hesitant.

 

[Bigjerm]

Not sure on the thickness but yes the area for the winch mount is pre drilled so just put your winch on it and bolt it up. From when I installed mine I suggest mounting the winch first and the putting the bumper on... It was a little rough picking up the bumper + the SI9500 mile marker winch. The winch was a bit of a tight fit so I had to feed some cable through the opening first, then put on the fairlead with the bolts reversed and then put on the winch. Good thing was the bumper sits on frame rails so you can then put the stinger on it and bolt it all up and not worry with it falling on you.

 

[The Joker]

Not sure on the thickness but yes the area for the winch mount is pre drilled so just put your winch on it and bolt it up. From when I installed mine I suggest mounting the winch first and the putting the bumper on... It was a little rough picking up the bumper + the SI9500 mile marker winch. The winch was a bit of a tight fit so I had to feed some cable through the opening first, then put on the fairlead with the bolts reversed and then put on the winch. Good thing was the bumper sits on frame rails so you can then put the stinger on it and bolt it all up and not worry with it falling on you.

YUP. IN ORDER OF INSTALL...

1. fairlead
2.fog lights
3.cable through
4. winch
5. TOP bolts of stinger
6. place on frame rails
7. BOTTOM bolts of stinger to bumper

TRUST ME. I learned the hard way.issed:

 

[fl-mitchells]

I just wish Rugged Ridge would make a "Stubby" tire carrier bumper.

Ditto on that. Once my fund is built back up I may go with the one they have and cut it down myself, but I'd rather get it finished out of the box. I definitely don't want the ends on the rear bumper. My fenders are trimmed down and I think the factory one looks stupid sticking out.

 

[Bigjerm]

YUP. IN ORDER OF INSTALL...

1. fairlead
2.fog lights
3.cable through
4. winch
5. TOP bolts of stinger
6. place on frame rails
7. BOTTOM bolts of stinger to bumper

TRUST ME. I learned the hard way.issed:

yep. Only thing I did different was I put the bumper on the frame and then the stinger on. I was by myself, no jacks to get up with so it was much easier to pick up with no stinger on. Who knows, maybe I will get another one when i start spending money on my Jeep again.

 

[The Joker]

I was by myself, no jacks to get up with

yup . me too. That was why I attached the stinger 1st. it gave me somewhere to grab onto. it worked for me, but I'm 6'3", so I had pretty good leverage.