soo i have a new Rugged ridge XHD front bumper under my tree at home. heres the problem, i ran into a thread that mentioned RR bumpers as having crappy powder coating jobs. then i ran into another thread about a guy who just focused on his RR bumper and how the powder coat was peeling. is this something that happens on all there bumpers, or just some?? because some of the guys who commented on his thread said that they had there bumper for over a year and not one sign of peeling??

 

Any steel product REGARDLESS of manufacturer will eventually blister, peel and rust. The phrase ''powder coat'' sounds great and all but what you have in the end is paint applied with a different application system. In over 30 years of automotive repair experience I have yet to see an aftermarket steel bumper or running board or rail that did not eventually rust. These products are not cleaned well, etched or primered before being finish- coated. Sure it's not impossible to get a steel bumper or what-have-you that doesn't rust quickly, but not very likely. Go to a full- line RUSTOLEUM paint dealer and buy a couple of cans in the color and surface ( flat, gloss, etc) that matches your new bumper and touchup any flaws you see before installing it. After some miles on the Jeep and it starts deteriorating, snatch it off, scuff it good, shoot a couple of cans of RUSTOLEUM on it , reinstall and you will be good to go.... P.s. NO I don't sell Rustoleum paint for a living...LOL

 

I had the RR XHD's front and rear for about 2 months now and no problems yet. The quality seems good and I would have no problem recomending them to someone else.

 

it is actually funny to sense some kind of fear in this questions, as stated before all bumpers will chip and rust some, but the good thing is that they are very easy to fix and keep them looking good.

 

With all deference to your experience, and I mean that sincerely and not sarcastically, I do want to say that my Shrockworks products are about as good as I've ever seen welds made (poor welds being where a lot of rust gets started) and a finish applied. In more than two years, the only place I've seen rust is where I've scraped things while rock crawling. But, I do agree, that level of quality is the exception in the marketplace.

 

I had one of the first XHD and the RRC Side Armor, no issue with peeling, bubling or flaking.
I have scratched the hell out of the side armor...a little rattle can of bedliner and it is as good as new.
I have seen a couple of threads on here where even the high end bumpers have had powdercoat issues, so it is not just an RRC thing

 

No I agree Mark, a good accessory certainly can be found. To clarify my post, I meant to convey the idea that all steel accessories will eventually deteriorate. By closely monitoring the surface of the bumper and repairing any nicks or chips the maximum usage and life can be obtained. Does this make any better sense? LOL