Jeep Wrangler Smittybilt XRC Front Bumper Install

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Jeep Wrangler with Smittybilt XRC Bumper

Adding a serious off-road bumper to your Jeep is easier than you think.

Many aftermarket bumpers for the Jeep Wrangler are more durable and better looking than the stock unit, but they can be pricy and some owners question whether or not they will be able to install the piece themselves. When you factor in the possibility of labor rates, the cost of adding something like the Smittybilt XRC front bumper can get to be very expensive, but it really isn’t very hard to install one of these heavy-duty front bumpers.

Fortunately, forum member “JPTwinz” put together a how-to thread showing how easy it is to add the XRC to the Jeep Wrangler JK. After reading this, most owners should realize that installing a new front bumper is well within their mechanical ability.

Jeep Wrangler with Custom Bumper and Lights

The Introduction

When the OP first introduced us to his how-to install thread for the Smittybilt XRC front bumper, he offered some insight into why he decided to change bumpers, followed by an array of pictures and basic instructions, showing the ease of the process.

Hi all, I just received my Smittybilt XRC front bumper today and couldn’t wait to install it. I must say, it was tremendously easy. I had already removed my stock bumper for another aftermarket bumper but was unhappy with it so I decided to go with an XRC that matches my rear bumper. I’ll be adding a winch soon but need to decide on one (or find a sponsor). I did however add some HID lights and a set of Smittybilt shackles.

The OP does not talk about removing the front bumper, as he already had it off when the Smittybilt piece arrived, but he points out that there is plenty of information on removing the stock bumper.

Now since I had already removed the stock bumper, I won’t go into detail on how to do it since there’s already a hundred posts on here about it. But here is what I started with.

What’s Up in the Forums: Jeep Wrangler Smittybilt XRC Front Bumper Install continued…

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com


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