VBS4

Hey Rebel Heart. I absolutely LOVE this bumper. It turned out so nice. I can't wait until they release their rear bumper.

Here is my write-up on the install. There are a bunch of pic.s in this one

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/jk-write-ups-39/lod-signature-series-bumper-install-30703/

And here's my first review on it.

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/modified-jk-tech-2/lod-signature-series-shorty-arrived-installed-30491/



cibach.....I know you'll love it when it arrives.

Jeff09

Hi Everyone,

I realize this is an older thread; but, I am hoping WOL and others can post additional comments.

I am in process of purchasing some additional mods for my '08 JK Rubicon 2-door. I am interested in functionality and good looks.

LoD is just up the road from us. I like the styling. And, I like the functionality.

I will be wheeling the Jeep primarily in the Midwest; but, eventually, I hope do most of my wheeling out west in the rocks. Based upon that type of use, I have a few questions:

1. Would I be sacraficing anything by going with a short front bumper if a lot of my wheeling is in woods and on trails in the Midwest? (It was suggested that a full bumper would be best because it would keep trees away from the tires; but, I know that it will take away from the approach angle, too.) Would the mid-width bumper offer much more protection in that same scenario?

2. I am considering the LoD short bumper with the stinger. I have seen more rigs with a stinger out West than in the Midwest. Are there any drawbacks to running a stinger in the woods? Is anyone sorry they went with the stinger? Or, anyone wish they had gone with the stinger?

3. I am considering purchasing the bumper unfinished and having it Rhino-Lined. Rhino-Lining offers a "Hardline" coating that supposedly has superior UV resistance. Has anyone tried this on their bumper? (If I go this route, I will also be coating the sliders (which I also intend to purchase from LoD.)

Thanks for any advice you can share.

Jeff

wayoflife

what i don't understand is why it's so important to keep trees away from your tires. i have wheeled in the woods with lots of trees both standing and fallen and have not found this to be a disadvantage. if anything, in the case of fallen trees, it was a benefit as i had the approach angle to help me climb up and over them.

the only disadvantage i can think of is that the stinger make you that much longer up front and if you need to make tight maneuvers, it could get in your way. but honestly, i still can't see how this would be that big of a big deal.

can't help you here. i'm not too fond of bedlining bumper and skids because even the ones that are supposed to be uv "resistant" end up fading and they are dirt magnets that are difficult to keep looking clean. but, that's just me

Jeff09

That's the problem with being a newbie... there are many different points of view to consider. I am still leaning towards the short bumper. I believe everyone's opinion is valuable. The person who suggested the full length bumper probably had some basis for his opinion; but, your opinion and others suggests that I won't be making a wrong decision by going with a short bumper. (It's kind of hard to think of myself as a newbie at 53. Living in Southern California as a teenager I developed a real taste for offroading (even working for a time with the Bill Stroppe group and pitting at races in Baja and in Southern California and Arizona). It has taken this long for me to find the opportunity (aka "money") to rekindle the excitement.)


Good perspective. I'm still leaning toward the stinger; but, I don't want to be viewed as some kind of newbie geek.

That's a really good point. I would rather deal with minor/major scratches than an entire bumper that looks past its prime.

Thanks again for your perspective. And, thanks for responding so quickly!

Jeff

Jeff09

eMETAL,

Thanks for your input, too.

I really thought the bumper and sliders would look good in Rhino... but, the fade factor rules out the initial investment. I'll probably just leave it powder coated.

Thanks again.

Jeff

wayoflife

it's your jeep, who cares what others think

what i like about the matte black powder coat that lod uses is that you can hit it up with a flat black rattle can and it looks new again. my jeep gets used in shows all the time and that's what i do to make her look pretty again.

BadTime

Not necessarily trees, but it going through brush, wider bumper will protect the fender flares.

wayoflife

i suppose if you have a sahara, this might be an issue but the stock fenders that are used on x and rubicons are actually pretty resilient and i have not seen brush to be an issue nor have i seen a need to protect them.

bigbluejk

maybe not a big deal, but I can tell you that I had a sh!ttybilt src on my tj, and my friend had an old school style tube bumper on his... otherwise same jeeps almost. Anyway, on a couple trails at superlift ORV in hot springs AR, he was able to drive around all the tight corners... where on a couple of them I had to back up and make a 2 point turn through them. Was it a big deal.... no. would I have like to just drive around the corner.... yes. Do I think about it when buying bumpers now... yes.

IMO it depends on where you wheel if that is an issue. If you need one/ like the way it looks, and it fits into the driving you do... go for it! Just like eddie said, it is your jeep, who cares what anyone thinks but you!!!

Jeff09

I saw pictures of your JK on another thread this morning. I see that you are running the LoD short bumper with stinger on your '07. (If I would have taken the time to look at your profile, I would have seen that.)

Nice looking rig!

I like the idea of being able to repair the matte black easily. Have you seen many rigs with the semi-gloss textured? Although I am leaning toward the matte black, I don't want to completely rule out the textured. Any thoughts?

Thanks again for your input.

Jeff