New JK owner looking at all the available front bumper options...
About settled on LoD mid width front.

All you jeepers out there...what is your rational for choosing stubby, mid width or full length? Almost bought a stubby RR XHD with Pre Runner Guard... I imagine knocking over small trees in the woods or knocking game animals out of my way on the road.

Your reasons for bumper width?

 

the reason most people go with a stubby is because it gives u clearence on larger tires, also theres nothing blocking that front tire often improveing approches. but some state laws reqiure certen bumper coverage. also some people just perfer other types of bumpers.

but who i'am i to say, i still have stock bumpers

 

I have had 4 bumpers on my Jeep in 10 months (brands - OEM plastic Jeep, Bulldog, Smittybilt and Poison Spyder).....



Stock sucked so I wanted a stubby bumper to be able to clear 40" tires (got a Bulldog stubby with light bar)....



After I got the first one I wanted a pre-runner hoop that wasn't bolted on (got a Smittybilt XRC stubby with winch mount but no provision for OEM fogs)....



After I got the 2nd one I wanted a stinger so I could see the front end of the Jeep from the driver's seat and be able to mount my fogs....

 

That's a sik jeep there! Awesome! I just don't have the money to do it more than once....You hit on the highlights for me. I want the factory fogs, the stinger is not so important, but the LoD has all I'm looking for. I think...

 

I love the XRC bumper, I'd switch to it in a second if it took the stock fogs...thats the only downside to that setup.

 

I went with a mid-width Shrockworks because I wanted the additional clearance,
but I wanted to retain my factory fogs. I've looked at it closely compared to the
LOD (which wasn't available when I picked up my Shrockworks) and I believe
there's a perceptible difference in the construction. Not that LOD isn't good:
They are. Shrockworks is just better. On top of that, my one complaint about
the LOD is the wimpy winch hoop. It looks a little off-scale when compared to
the Shrockworks. Having said all of that, Shrockworks is well-known for taking
your money up front, but taking many months to deliver their product. In the
end I think it's worth the wait. And there is the option of checking with Screamin'
Lizard (they carry Shrockworks products). But, if you want the bumper built to
your spec's, order direct from Shrockworks.

 

If you are going to be knocking anything over with the front of your JK, then go with the full width or say goodbye to your fenders and possibly tires.

For improve clearance for approach and tire clearance go with the shorter versions.

 

I'd love to go stubby but in NJ you can't pass inspection so I'm still up in the air as to which full width I'll be getting. The RR XDH bumper gives you the ability to run stubby and full depending on your needs.

 

For looks to me it depends on the rest of the setup. Chopped or narrow flares look better with a stubby or mid-length, IMHO.
I have Bushwackers sticking out, so I liked the full length better.
And I don't do crazy rock crawls where I need the approach clearance of a stubby. My off road time is mostly trails and exploring woods, where I'd need the bumper to push through skinny trees or brush.

 

X2, if my XRC had accepted the OEM fogs I may have stayed with it. But most stubby aftermarket bumpers that allow the winch to sit in-between the frame rails end up sacrificing the ability to mount fogs since there isn't much room left over for where fogs would go. My Poison Spyder bumper has the winch sitting lower than the top of the frame rail but not as low as the XRC bumper.