Winch bumper recommendations?

[XJRN]

I have the ORS winch bumper, and they make a version where your grill is damn near the limiter to your approach angle.
I live where I don't need crazy approach, but love the design of the bumper, so had him make mine come out about as much as the stock bumper.
I'm not a fan of the bulk of almost all winch bumpers, the XJ is such a small vehicle it just looks funny with a huge bumper.

http://www.orsfab.com/bumpers.html

I really like that. Wish the wings went back under the fender a little more though. I may have to get one of those instead of making it myself.

 

[xriide]

Re: Re: Winch bumper recommendations?

I really like that. Wish the wings went back under the fender a little more though. I may have to get one of those instead of making it myself.

2" square tubing fits perfectly to extend, and on my list for after I get my bushwacker flat flares on.

 

[NCCherokee]

I have the ORS winch bumper, and they make a version where your grill is damn near the limiter to your approach angle.
I live where I don't need crazy approach, but love the design of the bumper, so had him make mine come out about as much as the stock bumper.
I'm not a fan of the bulk of almost all winch bumpers, the XJ is such a small vehicle it just looks funny with a huge bumper.

http://www.orsfab.com/bumpers.html

As much as I like my rigid, if this bumper had been out 8 years ago I probably would have gone ORS. I'd definitely add the extensions to complete the look. I also like it a little better pushed out and inch or two. I would still add the dirtbound bumper bar, because it will be a nice tie in for a cage through the header panel some day.

 

[floyd]

AJ's Pre-rock:

 

[Boss Cherokee]

There is a lot of controversy on buying or building your own here. What I will feel you from my experience having done both several times. Some times if you look hard enough you can get a blank, or a returned bumper or a junk yard find to start with. My first bumper was for a mud truck I built. It was a blank left over from a discontinued model. Then I bought a bumper for my 1st XJ way back in the 90's. I wanted to match the front on the rear so I talked the builder (Prozap) into selling me a blank. He included longer mount to space it away so I added the tire rack. I recently built my double swing arm and generator box rear bumper for my van and spent over $250.00 and I already had 1/2 of the metal used including the box. It took 2 weeks a couple hours a day and one saturday. When I went to build the front I found a take off winch bumper off an F150 on C.L. When I went to get it I made a template of the van's front clip radius. $350.00 later and some trimming and welding of a new bracket I was done. I will attempt to post picks of the bumpers I've made and adapted! I could not find a pic on the 1st and I added diamond plate to the corners of the vans' rear bumper which were originally were going to be plate or box tubing to give it a finished look and match the front bumper!
[/IMG][/IMG[/URL[URL=http://s1247.photobucket.com/user/BossCherokee/media/DSCN0647-1.jpg.html]
The point is that some times it's cheaper to buy than build but if you look hard enough you can also cut & adapt some thing and make it your own creation! Yes some day I will trim the returns on the XJ bumpers but as of now they have not been an issue!

 

[blondejoncherokee]

I've been pretty happy with the dirtbound offroad bumpers . The DIY ones. Pretty cheap when they go on sale. But you'll be scratching your head here and there since there no directions

 

[xriide]

While monetary cheaper to build almost always being the case, time has a value to it too. And fit and finish on a jig built bumper is hard to replicate in a garage.

 

[Hardkor]

Re: Re: Winch bumper recommendations?

I have the ORS winch bumper, and they make a version where your grill is damn near the limiter to your approach angle.
I live where I don't need crazy approach, but love the design of the bumper, so had him make mine come out about as much as the stock bumper.
I'm not a fan of the bulk of almost all winch bumpers, the XJ is such a small vehicle it just looks funny with a huge bumper.

http://www.orsfab.com/bumpers.html

Just found my next bumper. Thanks.

 

[md21722]

Great ideas here. Last time I was at the dealer parts counters I was looking at bumpers with the parts guys who all wheel XJ's and ZJ's. Thanks for the ideas. Welcome to any others too!

 

[paddlernate]

I have the ORS bumper and made my own wings for it. I really like it, obviously for the winch location, but also because of the weight. It must have weighed less than 40 lbs. And you can't beat the price.
I'm using a brand new 10K Smittybuilt X20 and did have to clearance the bumper a little bit to get the winch to fit- stick with a 9K if you go this route. Also, mine clearly came made a little wide to accomodate frame stiffeners. I didn't ask for that at the time but it worked out great cuz I did put stiffeners on- it might be a little too wide if you don't have stiffeners and don't mention it when you order.

 

[ibjeepin95]

Orsfab or building your own, no need to spend money on a parking bench

This^..... ORS or some other flat with the grille bumper.

The last thing I want is a cow bumper like an ARB keeping me from making a climb.

 

[paddlernate]

Oh, and I should mention the fairlead. The ORS bumper has the slot offset toward the bottom of the bumper, requiring an offset fairlead. The cheapest offset fairlead I could find was like $70, and they're aluminum, intended for rope, not cable. I couldn't find an offset roller fairlead. My winch came with a roller fairlead, but the bolt holes weren't offset. I ended up drilling two holes in the fairlead with the appropriate offset, matching the bottom two winch mounting holes, and then tack welding it at the top. Also, and it may have just been the larger drum on my winch, but the cable would have been sliding over the bottom edge and sides of the slot- so I enlarged the slot by about 1/2" on the bottom and sides. It was kinda crappy to have to modify the bumper to this extent, but I still ultimately really like the bumper.

 

[ibjeepin95]

Oh, and I should mention the fairlead. The ORS bumper has the slot offset toward the bottom of the bumper, requiring an offset fairlead. The cheapest offset fairlead I could find was like $70, and they're aluminum, intended for rope, not cable. I couldn't find an offset roller fairlead. My winch came with a roller fairlead, but the bolt holes weren't offset. I ended up drilling two holes in the fairlead with the appropriate offset, matching the bottom two winch mounting holes, and then tack welding it at the top. Also, and it may have just been the larger drum on my winch, but the cable would have been sliding over the bottom edge and sides of the slot- so I enlarged the slot by about 1/2" on the bottom and sides. It was kinda crappy to have to modify the bumper to this extent, but I still ultimately really like the bumper.

THought he just recommends a Hawse fairlead?

 

[xriide]

Oh, and I should mention the fairlead. The ORS bumper has the slot offset toward the bottom of the bumper, requiring an offset fairlead. The cheapest offset fairlead I could find was like $70, and they're aluminum, intended for rope, not cable. I couldn't find an offset roller fairlead. My winch came with a roller fairlead, but the bolt holes weren't offset. I ended up drilling two holes in the fairlead with the appropriate offset, matching the bottom two winch mounting holes, and then tack welding it at the top. Also, and it may have just been the larger drum on my winch, but the cable would have been sliding over the bottom edge and sides of the slot- so I enlarged the slot by about 1/2" on the bottom and sides. It was kinda crappy to have to modify the bumper to this extent, but I still ultimately really like the bumper.

With steel cable I didn't run a hawse or fairlead. He said he ran nothing with his steel cable just fine, and wouldn't you know, it was fine. Although I quickly went to a synthetic line. And the offset hawse I got needed me to clearance the slot about 1/4".

My bumper fit perfect without stiffeners.

 

[paddlernate]

He can recommend whatever he wants, and I'm sure it will work fine with a hawse or nothing for several winch pulls. I read around the interwebs to see what others have done, and also checked winch manufacturers websites. All the winch manufacturers recommend a roller fairlead with steel cable. Since it came with my winch, and it seems to be the most robust solution, I went with it.

 

[xriide]

He can recommend whatever he wants, and I'm sure it will work fine with a hawse or nothing for several winch pulls. I read around the interwebs to see what others have done, and also checked winch manufacturers websites. All the winch manufacturers recommend a roller fairlead with steel cable. Since it came with my winch, and it seems to be the most robust solution, I went with it.

Make no mistake, he NEVER recommended not using anything. He simply said he never used anything, I had a couple high angle pulls where I needed to unspool it and put it proper and then continue and never noticed any damage to the cable. But yes a hawse or roller is probably better. Most pulls at good angles never even end up touching the roller/hawse/opening.

 

[ibjeepin95]

Re: Re: Winch bumper recommendations?

Make no mistake, he NEVER recommended not using anything. He simply said he never used anything, I had a couple high angle pulls where I needed to unspool it and put it proper and then continue and never noticed any damage to the cable. But yes a hawse or roller is probably better. Most pulls at good angles never even end up touching the roller/hawse/opening.

So is not running one terrible? I never thought that could be an option. I run steel cable.

 

[DesertRunner]

Here is my bumper its the DirtBound Manta Ray winch with hoops

Here is a picture with a winch in it