Every so often a member on the forum asks about the purpose of the Stinger bumper so I decided it was time to have something on the Off-Road 101 section to help explain it. Hope this information helps!

This article helps to explain the concepts of for the Stinger Bumper as well as a "Oh Sh!t" video demonstrating a Stinger in use.

Rock Crawling Innovations and Evolution...
...What is a Stinger Bumper and how are they used?
Ever been on a side hill with the sensation that a roll over is imminent... but just before you go over, your spotter jumps on the side and pulls your rig back down? You count your blessings and give a big Thank You! to the warm bodies whose ballast saved you.

Do you drive a heavy-nosed, light-tailed trucks, like a Toyota pick up, and have to have people hang on to the rear end while you drop off a steep off-camber ledge? The principle of how this works is not in the simple weight of who ever is hanging on, nor the he-man strength of them either: the real answer is leverage and the multiplication factor of it.
Sure, you can see people draped off the side of catamaran sailboats, riding along on one hull, in the movies. It looks like fun (It most likely is), but it poses a question: Are 4x4 enthusiasts taking full advantage of weight transfer and leverage multiplication?

I don't know about you, but I have sat around the campfire with friends, wondering and brainstorming on the age-old question: How do we get weight to the front end like the awesome climbing power of a Toyota pick up and still have a weight ratio to the rear for those off-camber drops? Sorry, it just won't work if the whole rig is heavy!
An answer, the stinger, was proven in Phoenix at the Goodyear Extreme Rock Crawling Championships.
It isn't a recent invention; off-road racers have used the pre-runner (short stinger) bumpers for years. It took someone like Shannon Campbell to stretch it w-a-y out there. Since then, the design has stayed the same and many different copies and versions have crawled out of the metal shop. Heck, I had mine on a year ago and I did it for roll-over protection of my grill area. A well-built stinger also provides the ability to 'ramp' the nose and drive up a near-vertical wall. It makes you wonder if Shannon had all of these uses in mind?

Video care of Dustin (RED_RUBI_07)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zluB...e_gdata_player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zluBflPX0E&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Stinger Threads:
https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/show...hlight=stinger
https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/show...hlight=stinger

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/show...ger-bumper-for

 

Surprizing it took this long to have the "Stinger Explanation" thread started!! I usually pass on the "....so what is a stinger for" threads.

sm_rubi, you are the coolest!! At least for today.

 

It's good to know there is a real purpose for the boner bar other than pushing shopping carts out of the way in a grocery store lot.

 

Stingers are pretty mean looking, but I have a fine line in between massive hoop and sensible grill guard.

The situation in that video was like winning the lottery. Almost any other situation would have resulted in a definite accident. I know my Jeep is ridiculously heavy in the front and that is a scary thing in some cases. I could definitely see my JK having a good use for a stinger and some fun in the rocks

 

Nice thread! Video really gets the point across!

 

Did he try putting it reverse to get it to lay back down?

 

Well, I've got to say thanks here! I had stumbled across the 3rd linked thread with the pic of the white Jeep on it's stinger, but had wondered about video of it IN ACTION, not just still photos. You certainly answered my questions! Cudos on the vid, or the find...OR BOTH!

Can't wait to get mine...hopefully before the year's end! I'll be going with *******'s. Hmm, looks like I can't say the mfg. So I guess I'll just, not get in trouble...

 

I just got my mind off getting a stinger, no one in my family seems to like it

But now i want one again! I can say a big thanks to sm_rubi for that one

 

Glad the info and video helps!

they aren't for everyone depends on the type of wheeling you do but for us that little bit of insurance is well worth it!

 

I have heard from Yates it also a great tool in winching. You can get different angles for compressing the suspension and if you need to winch around corners. I am pretty sure thats what he said. Just reconfirms me wanting to get one.