9 Non Negotiable Features for Aftermarket Bumpers

For four wheel drives, aftermarket bumpers are essential safety equipment and a wise investment. If you use your vehicle for both business and recreational off-road activities, they are an absolute must. Aftermarket bumpers are perfect for:

• Mountain driving
• Extreme rock crawling
• Camping
• Desert racing 
• Hauling

Aftermarket bumpers help to protect your vehicle if you accidentally hit an animal, when you’re driving on rocky or hazardous terrain, and in the event of a collision.

They can also increase the value of your car and make it stand out.

You may want to upgrade to an aftermarket bumper, but feel overwhelmed by the many designs.

To ensure your replacement bumper is the right one for you, we’ve compiled a list of features to consider before buying.

Table of Contents

Durability and Sturdiness in Construction
Aesthetics and Quality Finishes
Bull Bars for Extra Protection
Push Bars
Built-In Recovery Points
Great Tire Clearance
A Receiver Hitch
Recessed Light Pockets
Made in the USA

Drop By For Answers To Your Aftermarket Truck Bumper Questions
Frequently Asked Questions About Aftermarket Truck Bumpers

What are the Pros and Cons of a Steel and Aluminum Bumper?
Where Should Light Bars Be Mounted?
Does an Aftermarket Front Bumper Affect Airbag Sensors?

Durability and Sturdiness in Construction 

The table below highlights materials used by different brands to manufacture aftermarket truck bumpers:

If you intend to use your truck off-road or for heavy-duty tasks, it’s important to invest in a bumper that can withstand scrapes and damage.

A super-duty bumper can protect your 4x4 as it offers extra strength and durability. Steep approach angles that often damage Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) bumpers won’t be a problem with aftermarket bumpers.

Steel and aluminum are the most common and most durable materials for aftermarket bumpers. Fab Four’s bumpers offer the highest level of strength and durability for the best price.

Expert Tip: Steel can increase the center of gravity of your truck. To accommodate the new weight of a steel bumper, you may need to change your springs and shocks.

Aesthetics and Quality Finishes

A bumper can also completely change the look of your vehicle. Heavy gauge steel bumpers are an upgrade in appearance when compared to the average stock bumper.

Powder-coated bumpers offer not only a sharp look, but extra protection and unmatched corrosion resistance as well.

Aftermarket bumpers with these features look and perform the same after a collision or accidental damage. The default plastic bumper covers tend to break easily and can allow damage to lights and other components.

Keep in mind that most bumpers are vehicle-specific. Ensure you choose a bumper that fits your truck’s model.

Expert Tip: Ranch Hand rear bumpers for 1/2 ton and 34+ ton trucks are available in diamond plate and smooth steel options. The brand also offers a smooth steel front bumper.

Bull Bars for Extra Protection

Bull bars offer extra protection for the front of your vehicle. A bull bar minimizes impact and damage to a vehicle during driving incidents.

Without a bull bar, your truck may be rendered immobile. The radiator or other essential components may also be damaged in a collision.

Expert Tip: The bull bar is a perfect complement for most trucks. It acts as a mounting platform for off-road driving lights, winches, sand flags, and other in-built recovery points.

Push Bars

LEX Off Road FRG2PB 2010-2014 Ford Raptor/F150 Gen 2 Push Bar

A push bar is designed to align with the bumper of the vehicle ahead of you. In other words, it minimizes impact if you collide with another truck. The push bars are normally vertical, rubber-coated, and curved. This ensures that pressure is evenly distributed.

A push bar is installed on the front of your automobile and can be extended upward to offer extra protection to your center grille area. As a result, certain push bars are referred to as center grille guards.

Expert Tip: LEX Off Road Gen 2 Push Bar Bumper is ideal for anyone looking for a push bar bumper with superior damage resistance.

Built-In Recovery Points

Ranch Hand FBD065BLR Sport Front Bumper

Bumper replacements should feature a solid mounting point for a winch. If you already have a winch, ensure that the bumper you purchase is rated for and configured to accept it. Alternatively, you can hire a welder to design a custom winch mount for your truck.

Remember: Winches have unique mounting patterns.

If you don’t have a winch, ensure that any winch you do decide to buy is compatible with your preferred bumper.

You can also purchase a winch-ready bumper.

Did you know? Body Armor and Ranch Hand sell a winch-ready front bumper that can accommodate a winch up to 16,500 lb?

Your chosen bumper should have a mounting point for:

• D-rings 
• Bolt-on hooks and tow straps

These accessories give you several options for pulling your jeep or truck should you get stuck in hazardous terrain.

Expert Tip: A winch-ready bumper maintains the body lines of the OEM’s design. It sets the standard for all full-size truck bumpers.

Great Tire Clearance

ICI AL-FBM94CHN-RT Aluminum Front Bumper, Chevrolet Silverado 2500/3500

If you’ve equipped your truck with bigger tires, you’ll need a bumper that won’t interfere with them.

Aftermarket front bumpers enhance tire clearance to prevent rubbing, meaning you don’t need to trim your front bumper if you do have bigger wheels.

Clearance for bigger tires offers the greatest off-road performance. Great tire clearance also enhances the up and down movement of your truck’s suspension.

With that in mind, Fab Fours bumpers (such as the Grumper Series) offer maximum tire clearance.

Expert Tip: The Fab Fours Grumper truck bumper has a front camera option for 2019+ models. A front camera is designed to prevent you from hitting oversized curbs, parking blocks, and pedestrians.

A Receiver Hitch

American Built Cowboy Rear Bumper Dodge 2500 3500 2010-2013

A receiver hitch is a towing hitch that you can attach to your truck’s frame. Most receiver hitches are mounted on the rear bumper, but you can also install one on the front or even underneath the bumper.

A receiver hitch acts as an attachment point for trailers, but it’s also ideal for mounting bike racks, cargo racks, and even certain snow plows.

Expert Tip: Check your jeep’s or truck’s towing capacity before installing a receiver hitch to ensure the new receiver hitch matches the towing capacity—especially if you need to tow heavier loads in the future.

Recessed Light Pockets

Your front bumper should also feature recessed light pockets, which make the process of transferring OEM fog lights seamless. Recessed light pockets are ideal mounting points for aftermarket lights.

Off-road aftermarket lights are a safety feature that allow you to see further down the road and react to obstacles promptly.

Recessed light pockets also aid in the protection of halogens and LEDs—they encircle the lights and keep light from leaking behind and around the bumper.

Expert Tip: Check that your preferred aftermarket lights are approved for road use.

Made in the USA

Most importantly, avoid purchasing bumpers that have been manufactured overseas. Steel quality standards aren't enforced as strictly as they should be, especially when compared to the USA.

The cost savings are minor, but the quality deterioration is significant.

Contact Us for Answers to Your Aftermarket Truck Bumper Questions

Replacing your factory bumper is one of the best decisions you can make for your automobile. Installing a replacement bumper is also easy, with little to no downtime for your vehicle.

At Royal Truck Accessories, we have a proven track record for selling high-quality and competitively priced aftermarket bumpers.

Testimonial from | Erin W.

If you're wondering which aftermarket truck bumper will tick all the boxes for you, check out our wide selection of rear and front bumpers, which includes:

• Ranch Hand Bumpers
• American Built Bumpers
• HammerHead Bumpers
• Flog Industries Bumpers
• Fab Fours Bumpers
• LEX Off-Road Bumpers
• Iron Cross Bumpers
• Body Armor Bumpers

These aftermarket truck bumpers have features that make off-road and on-road travel safer and more enjoyable.

If you have any questions, or need a quote for your preferred replacement bumper,call or email us via the information on our Contact Page. Our team of experts will work with you to determine which bumper is best for improving the functionality and performance of your vehicle.

Testimonial from | Zelda M.

Frequently Asked Questions About Aftermarket Truck Bumpers

What are the Pros and Cons of a Steel and Aluminum Bumper?

The table below summarizes the differences between steel and aluminum bumpers.

Where Should Light Bars Be Mounted?

The front bumper is an ideal place to mount light bars. Aftermarket truck bumpers feature side mounting slots. Side mounting slots can accommodate a variety of lights—you can mount a pair of 3x3 cube lamps per side.

Does an Aftermarket Front Bumper Affect Airbag Sensors?

Yes. The aftermarket front bumper is thicker and can therefore make the airbag deploy sooner.