[blackbelt]

I am planning on buying a bumper in the near future and wanted a coupe opinions. I am pretty sure that i want this one Aries Automotive - JEEP PRODUCTS

It comes in steel or aluminum. I am leaning toward the aluminum because of weight but would it be as strong? Also this is my daily driver so how would they compare in a crash to the stock bumper and will it effect my airbag?

 

[kjeeper10]

Cool bumper.

 

[SilverSport]

Didn't see anything about aluminum, just steel or stainless steel.

 

[FreezerJeep]

Refer to thread semi vs jku to see how the steel bumpers hold up.

As for your airbag, it won't be affected as they use a sensor (gyroscopic???) That's mounted in the middle if ur jeep and that's what senses if ur air bags need deployment as well as side to side for side impact airbags.

Bryce

 

[DJL2]

When it comes to steel you need to know what specific steel they're using. Steel starts at a yield strength of around 36 ksi and can easily go over 100 ksi depending on the alloy you use. Aluminum is much the same, different alloys, different strengths.

Two things I'll point out in steel's favor - it has a fatigue limit (not as important for bumpers without cyclic loading) and it generally enjoys a superior strength to weight ratio. So, ideally you're bumper would be made of high grade steel.

If you want to cut weight, you can go with aluminum...it is basically guaranteed not to be as strong as the comparable weight steel product unless you're comparing a high grade aluminum to pig iron.

This is always a fun topic...gets even engineers riled.

 

[Rtone1583]

First off, I would look elsewhere since they don't seem to find it important enough to spec out their materials.

Nemesis Industries makes a couple of nice aluminum skinned bumpers.

As far as aluminum being as strong as steel, it depends on what alloys each bumper is made of. Some aluminum alloys are stronger than some steel alloys and vice versa. It also depends on how thick the aluminum plate is.

 

[blackbelt]

You have a point about the specific material. I did call a few days ago to check weight and the steel weighed 110lbs and the aluminum weighted 34lbs. I was leaning toward the aluminum because their would be minimal sag.

 

[tabber02]

You have a point about the specific material. I did call a few days ago to check weight and the steel weighed 110lbs and the aluminum weighted 34lbs. I was leaning toward the aluminum because their would be minimal sag.

why worry about the sag? buy the stronger bumper and throw a spacer in your front springs to level it back out. :thumb:

 

[blackbelt]

why worry about the sag? buy the stronger bumper and throw a spacer in your front springs to level it back out. :thumb:

Being totally new to all this how would that affect the overall life of the suspension? I plan on keeping this for quite a long time and not sure how long it will be before i can get a lift and or better suspension components.

 

[MTH]

Being totally new to all this how would that affect the overall life of the suspension? I plan on keeping this for quite a long time and not sure how long it will be before i can get a lift and or better suspension components.

It's less about life than it is sag. Get a 110 lb middle schooler to sit on your current bumper and see what happens--that's how much your front end will sag. It will also have a more pronounced dip when you slam on the brakes.

The coils will still last for many years, they'll just be extra squished. Nothing further is required.

In general, the cheap way to mostly fix this if it bothers you is to add a cheap spacer lift to the front. Put a 3/4" spacer on top of each of your front coils and *poof*--you got back 3/4" that you'd previously lost to sag.

Eventually, you'd want to put on a real coil lift in which aftermarket coil springs replace your original coils. If you get a quality lift, the coils will be stouter than the factory ones and will handle the bumper with little to no sag.

 

[SilverSport]

A well built aluminum bumper is still going to be stronger than the cheapo factory one.

 

[tabber02]

It's less about life than it is sag. Get a 110 lb middle schooler to sit on your current bumper and see what happens--that's how much your front end will sag. It will also have a more pronounced dip when you slam on the brakes.

The coils will still last for many years, they'll just be extra squished. Nothing further is required.

In general, the cheap way to mostly fix this if it bothers you is to add a cheap spacer lift to the front. Put a 3/4" spacer on top of each of your front coils and *poof*--you got back 3/4" that you'd previously lost to sag.

Eventually, you'd want to put on a real coil lift in which aftermarket coil springs replace your original coils. If you get a quality lift, the coils will be stouter than the factory ones and will handle the bumper with little to no sag.

^^ yep! :thumb: very easily done.