An Unbiased Review of American Built’s Bumpers
American Built is a bumper manufacturer with headquarters in Texas, USA.
With 10+ years of experience and keen attention to detail, the brand has superior bumper designs, affordable pricing, and accurate fitments.
That said, the market has plenty of bumper brands you can choose from. What exactly makes American Built unique?
Here’s everything you need to know about American Built bumpers.
Table of Contents
American Built’s Bumper Series
1. Heavy Duty Pipe Series
2. Cowboy Series
3. Panther Series
Benefits of American Built’s Bumpers
They Protect Your Truck
You Can Drive Safely at Night with Extra Lighting
Custom-Fit Designs
They Boost Your Truck’s Aggressive Factor
They’re Made in the USA
Cons of American Built’s Bumpers
Best American Built Bumpers for Your Vehicle
1. American Built Cowboy Front Bumper Chevy 2500 3500
2. American Built Heavy Duty Pipe Front Bumper Ford F-250 F-350
3. Panther Front Bumper Chevy 2500 3500
4. American Built Cowboy Rear Bumper Dodge 2500 3500
5. American Built Heavy Duty Pipe Rear Bumper Chevy GMC 2500 3500
What Should You Consider When Buying a Bumper?
Bumper Features
Bumper Construction: Material and Design
Bumper Manufacturer
Weld Quality
How Can I Be Sure the Bumper I Buy Online Will Fit My Vehicle?
American Built Versus OEM bumpers: How Do They Compare?
How Are American Built’s Bumpers Different From Other Aftermarkets?
Are Locally Manufactured Bumpers Better Than Imported Ones?
American Built’s Bumper Series
American Built has three bumper series:
Heavy Duty Pipe Cowboy PantherYou can choose the style, construction, and bumper finish suitable for your vehicle.
1. Heavy Duty Pipe Series
These bumpers are built on a four-inch schedule 40 steel pipe frame.
Steel offers uncompromised strength to withstand off-road conditions.
Heavy Duty Pipe bumpers have a receiver tube for mounting a winch or shackles, equipping your truck with towing capability.
2. Cowboy Series
If you’re looking to transform your vehicle into a beast, you can’t go wrong with an American Built Cowboy bumper.
The front designs have a full grille–guard option for extra protection, helping you enjoy your off-road adventures without worrying about your vehicle’s safety.
The grille-guard front bumper also gives your truck an aggressive look. When combined with a matching rear bumper, it achieves an all-around beauty.
These bumpers are lighter than the Heavy Duty Pipe ones without sacrificing strength—less weight on your vehicle improves maneuverability.
Cowboy bumpers have plenty of lighting options, as well. They accommodate light bars, fog lights, and other accessories, depending on the design you choose.
3. Panther Series
The Panther Series bumpers have a stylish design that transforms your truck into an off-road machine.
They’re made of steel with a powder coat–wrinkle finish for ultimate protection against scratches and corrosion.
The front bumpers have four pre-drilled holes to accommodate off-road lights—these ones will suit you best if you mainly drive at night.
Panther Series bumpers are winch-ready with a bolt pattern of 10” × 4.5”. They have a built-in winch tray that can support a mass of up to 16,500 lbs.
Benefits of American Built’s Bumpers
With plenty of bumper brands on the market, why choose American Built?
Best American Built Bumpers for Your Vehicle
1. American Built Cowboy Front Bumper Chevy 2500 3500
American Built Cowboy Front Bumper Chevy 2500 3500 2020-2021
This Cowboy front bumper is lightweight and offers the ultimate protection for your truck.
Here are its specs:
- It’s easy to install—no fabrication required
- It’s a non-winch bumper but retains the factory fog lights’ and tow hooks’ mounting locations for comfortable night driving and towing capability.
- It’s made of 16-gauge diamond plate steel and a high-quality powder coat for maximum durability.
- It has one-inch schedule 40 steel pipe wings and 1/4” thick steel uprights for additional protection.
2. American Built Heavy Duty Pipe Front Bumper Ford F-250 F-350
American Built Heavy Duty Pipe Front Bumper Ford F250 F350 2017-2019
Uncompromised protection, beauty, and more room for accessories make this bumper a perfect option for your truck.
Below are its features:
- It retains the factory tow hooks and fog lights during replacement
- It’s a winch-ready bumper for recovery in case of a breakdown
- It’s made of 14-gauge diamond plate steel with a tough powder coat finish
- It comes with a 16-gauge steel center screen and accommodates a front camera
- It has one-inch schedule 40 pipe wings for additional protection
3. Panther Front Bumper Chevy 2500 3500
Source: americanbuilteq.com
This bumper has a simple, strong, and beautiful design.
The following are its specs:
- It’s made of 10-gauge smooth steel and powder coat wrinkle finish for corrosion resistance
- It’s winch-compatible and has tow hook mounts for more recovery options
- It has four mounting holes for “KC type” lights—also compatible with round lights
4. American Built Cowboy Rear Bumper Dodge 2500 3500
American Built Cowboy Rear Bumper Dodge 2500 3500 2010-2013
This Cowboy rear bumper compliments your vehicle’s body lines for a stylish look.
Here are its features:
- It’s made of 14-gauge diamond plate steel, four-inch schedule 20 steel pipe, and powder coat smooth finish
- It’s compatible with your factory receiver hitch, backup sensor, and two tag and backup lights that come with the bumper
- It retains factory tow hooks during installation
5. American Built Heavy Duty Pipe Rear Bumper Chevy GMC 2500 3500
American Built Heavy Duty Pipe Rear Bumper Chevy GMC 2500 3500 2008-2014
The Heavy Duty Pipe rear bumper boosts your truck’s ability to withstand off-road conditions.
The following are its specs:
- It’s made of tough plate steel and powder coating for corrosion resistance
- It’s compatible with aftermarket lights and a backup sensor
Note: All American Built bumpers come with hardware, installation instructions, and mounting brackets.
The table below summarizes the five American Built bumpers:
| American Built Bumper | Winch Compatibility | Accessory Accommodation |
| American Built Cowboy Front Bumper Chevy 2500 3500 | No |
|
| American Built Heavy Duty Pipe Front Bumper Ford F250 F350 | Yes |
|
| Panther Front Bumper Chevy 2500 3500 | Yes |
|
| American Built Cowboy Rear Bumper Dodge 2500 3500 | No |
|
| American Built Heavy Duty Pipe Rear Bumper Chevy GMC 2500 3500 | No |
What Should You Consider When Buying a Bumper?
Bumper Features
A bumper’s features determine its performance on your vehicle.
Here’s what to look for in a bumper:
- Customization options: The best bumpers accommodate more accessories—fog lights, parking sensors, tow hooks, light bars, and more.
- Off-road features: Off-road bumpers are heavy duty with unique brush guards, skid plates, and recovery options. They also have a better departure and approach angle.
- Ease of Installation: A good bumper has a custom design for fast and easy installation.
Bumper Construction: Material and Design
The bumper material determines its durability and strength, while the design reflects the beauty of your truck.
When selecting a bumper, consider the following:
- Steel Versus Aluminum: Steel is heavy duty and durable, while aluminum is lightweight and corrosion-resistant. The two materials are excellent for bumper construction. However, steel is more expensive than aluminum.
-
Plate or Tubular Steel: You have three options when selecting the metal design of an off-road bumper—tubular steel, plate steel, or a combination of both.
The steel used should be thick enough for ultimate protection. 11-gauge, schedule 40, or 0.12 wall thickness are perfect for tubular bumpers.
On the other hand, the 3/16”–1/4” thickness range works well for steel plate bumpers.
-
Bumper Finish: An inferior finish exposes a bumper to corrosion, reducing its lifespan.
A powder coat is a better option, and it covers the metal surface with a hard, ceramic-like coating for superior resistance to scratches and corrosion.
Bumper Manufacturer
The brand you choose determines the quality of your bumper.
Consider the following when looking for the ideal manufacturer:
What’s the brand’s reputation? You can use online reviews to evaluate your options.
You should also check the manufacturer’s warranty to know the protection period. A good one should last for at least a year.
Lastly, the best manufacturer offers custom designs, installation instructions, and hardware for easy bumper replacement.
Weld Quality
Top-quality welds improve performance and durability.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can I Be Sure the Bumper I Buy Online Will Fit My Vehicle?
Most online sellers include fitment compatibility forms on their websites. You can fill in your vehicle’s details to get a perfect-fit bumper.
American Built Versus OEM bumpers: How Do They Compare?
An OEM bumper comes from your vehicle’s manufacturer.
On the other hand, American Built bumpers are aftermarket parts that are just as new as OEMs but affordable.
How Are American Built Bumpers Different From Other Aftermarkets?
American Built bumpers have a combination of schedule 40 pipes, thick diamond plate steel, and a powder coat finish for the ultimate protection of your truck.
Are Locally Manufactured Bumpers Better Than Imported Ones?
That depends on two things—the brand and bumper supplier.
The brand determines bumper quality while the supplier dictates the price.
Generally, most locally manufactured bumpers are superior to imported ones.
Leave a comment