Outfitting Your Jeep® 101: Bumpers

Posted on Thursday, September 22, 2011 at 10:00 am by Alan and Jackie Ellis in Models

In a previous blog, we talked about the most popular modification to your Jeep^® brand vehicle – tires and wheels.  The second most popular modification is probably a change to your vehicle’s bumper. While the standard equipment bumpers on the all-new 2011 Jeep models are sufficient for most everyone’s off-roading needs, some Jeep 4×4 enthusiasts have a practical need for a specialized bumper – or maybe they just want a different look for their Jeep brand vehicle.  Regardless of the reason, aftermarket bumpers from Mopar^® can be both practical and aesthetically pleasing, and can be installed on almost every Jeep Wrangler.

 

Why do people want to change the bumper on their Jeep brand vehicle?  While the main purpose of a bumper is protection of the engine, grill, and front of the vehicle, a change to the front or the rear bumper can greatly modify the entire look of your Jeep 4×4.  The front bumper helps with protection, but you can also get front bumpers that have additional tow hooks/rings, winch mounts, light mounts, and brush guards.  On extremely modified rigs, bumpers are much narrower for rock crawling; plus, some designs provide the vehicle with increased approach angles.  Rear bumpers are just as important as front bumpers, but for different reasons.  They can help protect the vehicle from damage and include integrated hitch mounts, while providing a platform for mounting a swing-away rack for oversized tires.

 

 

One popular style of aftermarket bumpers are tube bumpers.  Tube bumpers have been very popular for years on older Jeep Wranglers and are available to fit both the front and rear of the vehicle.  Although a tube bumper is primarily added to change the style and look, most people try to find practicality in their new bumper by adding one that serves multiple purposes.

 

Most bumpers are fairly easy to install, but some may require special tools or modifications, which require professional installation.  Either way, changing bumpers on your Jeep 4×4 is a great way to enhance the look or to increase the off-road ability of an already-capable Jeep brand vehicle.  Mopar offers a huge variety of bumpers to fit most models, so check out the specific accessories suggested in this article by visiting http://www.facebook.com/mopar or http://www.twitter.com/officialMOPAR. ; While there, ask a Mopar Specialist about the great selection of bumpers we offer for most Jeep Wrangler vehicles.