matt852

I know this might sound obvious but is having a full width bumper such as the ARB Bull Bars more safe than having a stubby bumper like rancho?

I want something that will increase approach angle but not compromise safty from front impact. In the future it will be lifted around 3.5 inches on 35's so would the full width be really necessary at that height?

JayhawkJeep

It is your call. If safety is your concern do you want a incoming car to hit your bumper or your tire? But remember the wider the bumper the less your approach angle.

Widowmaker

I have a 4" lift and 35's and the bottom of my stock bumper is about 27" off the ground. The way I see it is unless I hit a semi or T-bone a car, I'm going to go over what ever I hit. So, say I rearend a civic, odds are good my tires will make contact no matter the width of my bumper. Now if I hit that civic say in the front on an angle....that's where a full width bumper just might help. Just my

WhiskyPirate

with full seriousness I can say I know a guy that ran over a car with his JK a few weeks ago after it pulled out in front of him without looking. He has a 3" lift and 35's and a stubby bumper. Went right up and over the hood of a Chrysler Sebring with barely a scratch on his Jeep. Unbelievable.

Vrrooom

Wheels and tires can take quite a blow and absorb an impact really well. So as for safety inside the car, I doubt there is much of a difference. My main concern is how drive able your Jeep is after the impact. A low speed impact to the bumper probably won't be much concern to driving away, however directly to your wheels would most likely end up leaving your Jeep on the back of a flat bed.

Alec

If comparing only on the grounds of safety, I'd say the full width bumper has an edge. I have the full width ARB and sometimes look at it and wish I'd gone shorter. However, I've had 2 "incidents" where I'm glad I had the full width. One, a postal worker ran a stop sign and I T-boned the truck. With a stubby, I'd have had suspension damage but I just had a scratched bumper. Two, I accidentally bumped a vertical girder in a parking garage. The bumper saved my fender flares. The ARB and some other bumpers have a mix of both as the sides curve up to meet the factory flares. It blends really well into the factory lines.

With a hard impact, Bumper = chance of frame damage. This frame damage would be confined to the front frame horns and relatively easily repaired. Tires = chance of suspension, axle, and frame damage.

Just my 4 cents.

Widowmaker

I would get whatever bumper you like the most. Stubby, mid, full length.... Just don't get into an accident. I have driven over 500k miles in the past 4 years with not a single accident. So if I can do that, shouldn't everyone else be able to? I met a driver for UPS that retired and never once had a reportable accident. He had over 5 million career miles under his belt. If the average person drives 20k a year that is 250 years worth of driving with no oops

RedRock GatorRaider

How much protection are you REALLY getting from the stock bumper anyway? Especially at the ends.

Shifty_42

A few years back, I replaced the stock bumper with the Mopar Off-Road bumper. As you may know, it is a full width bumper. One night driving back home, we had some scary weather. Extremely high winds and torrential rain (Winds high enough that I saw a tree get knocked right over while driving). I figured it was best to try to get out of the area and while doing so, the wind picked up a garbage container and hurled it head on at a slight angle at my Jeep. Knowing that I had recently installed the bumper (and I was not o.k. with getting rear-ended) I hit the container going about 15-20 mph and deflected/ and or broke it. Didn't leave a mark on the bumper. If that were a stock bumper or a stubby bumper, it may have ended differently. Just something to keep in mind