Moley88

I'm looking at moving from my stock bumper on my 15 rubicon to an aftermarket. I am considering looks as it is a daily driver at the moment but want to be able to take it wheeling when I get the chances. Im new to the offroad world and I like the look of some of the mid-width bumpers dont really know the difference. Im assuming its amount of avg tire coverage? What are some of the limitations of a full, mid, and stubby versions?

resharp001

A lot of the decision just comes down to personal preference on looks. Whatever you choose will have a big impact on the appearance of your jeep. Some people just want to retain that full width bumper. Full width is going to come all the way out to the fender flares. Doesn’t mean it will necessarily cover the tire the same as the factory because some of them angle up allowing for a bit of gained off roading clearance. Mid width is going to extend a bit past the grille, and stubby is pretty much contained within the width of the grille. You’ll obviously have a little weight savings the more narrow you go, and you gain more in regards to approach angles if you think your offroading will gradually become more aggressive. I guess some could argue some of the full widths might offer a bit more protection in a front end collision. I’m a stubby guy myself, not a fan of full widths, and think mid-widths are a nice compromise of looks/benefits for most DD’s/weekend warriors. Just my 2c.

I will add that often when removing factory front and going aftermarket, you start to notice some hood flutter in windy situations. You might consider getting some hood latches as well to replace the factory rubber ones that have a lot of give to them. You can also remove the spring under the hood (1 8mm bolt IIRC) and that helps.