Ryan's Off Road bumpers

[dabeersboys]

I was wondering peoples opinion on the XJ bumpers from Ryan's Truck and Fabrication? I've been looking at getting a set of off road bumpers for my XJ and I was wondering what people thought?
Thanks,
Matt

 

[hadfield4wd]

I was wondering peoples opinion on the XJ bumpers from Ryan's Truck and Fabrication? I've been looking at getting a set of off road bumpers for my XJ and I was wondering what people thought?
Thanks,
Matt

Link or picture?

 

[DSN46]

I went and looked at the picture provided on his website.
One thing to remember, anyone can make a chunk of steel to hang off the front of a vehicle... some more sturdy than others. With our XJ's, you need to be very concerned with how it MOUNTS. He doesnt show any pics of the mounting. I wouldnt buy anything until I knew how it was mounted to my XJ.

Just food for thought bro..

 

[jmowens]

I believe that when I talked to him via email, he stated that the front bumper used the stock bumper mounting...

 

[2001XJ]

what is the website address? I hope he uses more than just the 2 mounts on the frame rails and it ties back into the frame farther.....tying into the bulkhead would be a bonus too.

 

[monkeyevil]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...Sell_LogicX&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget

http://www.ryansfab.com/

 

[88xjlover]

I looked at the site provided and didn't see anything special. Looks like they make it outa square and cap the ends. I guess buying it is necassary if you don't have a welder but I might consider finding a friend who has one and giving it a go, making the mounts the way you feel is the strongest (using ample space on subframe). You could then weld on tubes and any other winching-pulling mounts. That's the fun of building your own rig, doing it your way and standing back looking with a big grin!:loveu:

 

[87manche]

from the ebay description it sounds as if it's just bolting into the stock bumper mounting locations.
Not really adequate for recovery.
Sounds as if the winch bumper bolts into the stock tow hook mounts.

 

[NighthawkXJ]

if nothing else, just go to his website and order a calender.

 

[2manymopars]

Just so happens, I received a Ryans' bumper today. It does only attach through the 3 existing bumper bolts. It is a very solid built piece with through welded clevis mounts, and it will be easy to modify it to attach more firmly.

 

[KSXJ]

thats expensive for a factory mount bumper. look into JCRoffroad.com

 

[Starscream]

thats expensive for a factory mount bumper. look into JCRoffroad.com

x2. Sorry, but those Ryan's bumpers don't look too hot IMO.

 

[monkeyevil]

thats expensive for a factory mount bumper. look into JCRoffroad.com

In all fairness that price is for front AND rear bumpers.

 

[Jess]

I have these bumpers and if I had it to do over again I would not have bought them(I would have made my own). With that said...mine have held up very well. I have used them for recovery on many occasions and hit trees and rocks with both the front and rear bumpers and the only damage it the paint, however I am still very leary of them pulling off during a recovery situation.

 

[AJsArmor]

from the ebay description it sounds as if it's just bolting into the stock bumper mounting locations.
Not really adequate for recovery.
Sounds as if the winch bumper bolts into the stock tow hook mounts.

This is what really ticks me off, some of you may have noticed this is a pet peeve of mine. I have no problem with other companies, in fact when the workload is high or someone's design or price range doesn't fit what I build, I'll quickly refer them to another company.

BUT...what I cannot stand, is any business building a bumper with FAKE/ NON-FUNCTIONAL recovery points just to make a buck. It boils down to one of two reasons that they don't make the mounts capable enough....either A.) they don't have a clue as to what they're doing, in which case they shouldn't be doing it. or B.) they save a few bucks and make a few extra bucks and don't really give a rat's a$$ about functionality. Either way I'd love nothing more than to meet them in person and hook up a bumper d-ring to their d-ring and rip their front end right off.

Sorry for the rant, as a business you gotta be more responsible than that. People trust you to know what you're doing and provide a product that is functional.

 

[mojojojo]

I have these bumpers also. i am a lil leary of using them for recovery, so i use the JCR tow hook and brackets when it comes time to tug. had to use a thick washer as a spacer on the bracket but it did tie the bumper and tow hooks both to the frame. none the less i still use the tow hooks rather than the bumper it self for recovery. the bumpers however seem to have held up very well so far against trees rocks etc...except for there is no front wrap protection around the side lights.

long story short...if you have tow hooks already use those and the bumper is a cheap alternative, but only as a bumper, but not for recovery. u get what you pay for.

 

[bobnoxious]

While I agree that plating that runs farther down the frame rail with more holes for bolting is far stronger, and I have always since built like this, my first bumper (7 years ago maybe...?) was attached using only the stock attaching points, using the stock hardware. I lost count of how many times I did this with it, not to mention countless times using it for self recovery as well as recovery of other rigs...

It lived on this rig for 2-3 years until I rolled it, and bought/built a new rig that it got installed onto, with the addition of a winch. Yup, I'm strapped to a tree, winching a 30K GVW school bus...

It's now living on it's 3rd rig, using the same mounting, bashing into rocks, being used for recovery, and not ripping off. I'm not saying to build them like this, I'm just pointing out that the stock attachment points can take just a bit more abuse than is generally thought. Like I said, I won't build one like that again knowing what I know now, but it worked.

Man, I can already see the flames:wave:

 

[87manche]

the problem with your towing a bus theory is that there's no shock load there.
If you're stuck really bad and someone is pulling that first pull is going to be hard. Especially if the person pulling is a 5 spd and has to go at it or stall the motor.
a snatch strap can do 20K lbs before it breaks, what's the rating on those three factory bumper sheetmetal bolts?
I'm not hating, but in the interest of safety the mounts should extend back into the wheelwell area of the unibody, just like the factory tow hook brackets do.

 

[AJsArmor]

Like 87manche said, shock loads are a completely different scenario. I could make a plate that has a hook on it and then fasten it to the framerail with one single bolt and pull that kind of weight. It wouldn't be that hard when you're pulling on it steadily from straight on.

I agree there is a lot more strength than what people think, but it in no way is suitable for recovery use.

 

[bobnoxious]

I understand shock loads (I've been "snapped" out of a stuck or 2 in my time wheeling ), and more than once was concerned about the overall strength of the setup, but I did beat the livin snot out of it for a very long time. I don't have pics of getting "snapped" out of stucks or other such abuse (I was usually busy getting un-stuck), but I did. FWIW, the winch almost stalled pulling that bus, strapping to the tree was mandatory, and I had to use 4lo to push them.

Like I said before, that was before I knew any better. I know more now than I did then, and build them much differently now (really, I "get it" ). Heck, I was still beating a D35 with 4.56's and a locker on 33's and 35's (and breaking my share of axles, but I had spares, and it was only one every 3-6 months) before I read that I "couldn't do that":rtm: .

AJ, I must say you build some excellent and rugged products:thumbup: , and fully understand and agree that you know what you're talking about. I agree that a product like that shouldn't be billed as something that's acceptable for recovery. There's no way someone should build something like that for sale as a rugged off road product

Hope you don't think I'm saying you're wrong, 'cause you're not. Just showing what I was able to "get away with"