Why bother shopping aftermarket Jeep front bumpers? Because as any experienced off-roader will tell you, out on the trails, contact with the odd tree or rock is all but inevitable, no matter how cautious you are. In such events, a good, rugged front bumper upgrade will help protect your investment from costly damage by providing a first line of defense against these and other hazards.
In addition to added protection, more often than not, aftermarket Jeep front bumpers have provisions for mounting recovery winches, making it easier to extract the vehicle should it ever become stuck – again, a virtual inevitability off-road. Frequently, they also have provisions for mounting things like ancillary lights to help illuminate the trails in dark or inclement conditions, and D-ring shackles that give off-roaders additional options with regard to vehicle recovery and towing.
As an added bonus, aftermarket Jeep front bumpers can also enhance the appearance of your ride, making it look as serious, adventurous, and aggressive as it feels. Who wants to mess with a Wrangler wearing an angular, militant-looking bumper with a big, protruding brush guard? No one – that’s who.
Here, we’ve taken the hard work out of looking for the right bumper upgrade, listing the best aftermarket Jeep front bumpers available for the JL Wrangler today.
Feat photo courtesy of WARN Ind.
Table of contents
1. Editors Choice - DV8 Off-Road Stubby Front Bumper
If your search for the best jeep front bumpers, has you looking for something with stylish looks and is tough as nails, look no further than the DV8 Stubby Jeep front bumper. With full-size, mid-size and stubby widths, our standout favorite is the stubby. The DV8 Stubby Front Bumper gives your Jeep Wrangler a sleek minimalist look with loads of protection where you need it. Their stubby front bumper is constructed of 3/16” steel and 1.75” steel tubing that have been precisely welded for an accurate fit and stout protection for your Jeep Wrangler JL.
The bumper is designed with high clearance angles and raised corners to allow for increased tire travel and clearance, welded lighting tabs for numerous lighting options, welded recovery points complete with D-rings, and options for integrated or weld-on winch mounting plate to install up to a 12,000lb. winch, though some reviews claim it doesn’t fit all brands. To ensure the bumpers look good and can tough the elements, DV8 covers their bumpers with a 2-stage powder coating process. It’s a solid Jeep Wrangler bumper from an equally solid company.
Pros: Clean compact design, loaded with features
Cons: While it claims to accommodate a 12,000lb. winch, some reviewers claim not all brands fit.
2. Best Value Front Bumper - Rock Crawler Front Bumper w/ LED Lights & Winch Plate
If you want a bumper with a bunch of features on a limited budget, the Rock Crawler front bumper might be for you. As the least expensive bumper on our list, under $300, the Rock Crawler earns it’s title of best bang for the buck. The bumper itself is solidly built with 5/32″ steel plate and 2″x.120″ tubing with clean aggressive styling. What sets this bumper apart from the rest, aside from the price, is that it comes loaded with 4 pre-installed LED lights, and a built in winch plate capable of supporting a 12,000lb. winch. While the manufacture claims simple installation, some reviewers claim that it’s not as easy as they claim but that’s where the negative ends and it’s 5 out of 5 star rating on Amazon supports the claim.
Pros: Low cost, loaded with premium features
Cons: While it has a 5 out of 5 star rating on Amazon, some reviews claim installation isn’t as easy as the manufacture claims
3. Best Over The Top Bumper - Fab Fours Grumper
If you want your Jeep Wrangler to stand out from the crowd and money is no object, then the Fab Fours Grumper is the best Jeep bumper that you can find. It’s a sturdy steel stubby design that takes protection a step further than most Jeep front bumpers on the market by enveloping the whole front fascia of the Wrangler (don’t worry; there’s a big mesh insert and side vents to supply cool air to the radiator). It includes D-rings, a winch mount compatible with Warn Zeon winches, and an “angry” headlight cutout. What’s more, it can accommodate most 20″ light bars with an optional insert (GR4606-1) and it has connections for Fab Fours’ optional integrated Grumper Fender System (JL4600).
Pros: Stout, customizable, lots of features
Cons: High price
4. Warn Elite Series Front Bumper
If a stubby bumper isn’t going to cut it, and you need the protection of a full-width unit, you could do a lot worse than the Warn Elite Series Front Bumper for Jeep Wrangler JL. Warn Industries is one of the most well regarded names in off-road equipment for good reason: they never compromise on quality. This Warn bumper is certified to withstand up to 12,000 pounds of pulling force without deformation, says Warn – an industry-leading figure – and its black powder-coat finish is tested to hold up to 408 hours of salt spray. It’s winch-ready, has a built-in light port for mounting OE or aftermarket fog lights, and can clear 37-inch tires with only a 2-inch lift. It’s one of the best Jeep front bumpers going.
Pros: A winch bumper built by a winch company
Cons: One of the more expensive pieces
5. ARB Bondi Deluxe Front Bumper
Another full-width option on our Jeep front bumpers list, the ARB Bondi Deluxe Front Bumper provides excellent protection with a long striker that spans the full width of the Wrangler’s front fascia. It has a bash plate underpanel for extra protection, two easy-to-spot red chassis-mounted recovery points, centrally located high-lift jack points, and a pair of light brackets located atop the center tube. ARB says its Jeep front bumper can accommodate Warn, Bushranger, and Smittybilt low-mount model electric winches, with ratings up to 10,000 pounds.
Pros: Top quality piece from people that live and breathe off-road
Cons: None we could find
What are important features to look for in a bumper?
First you have to like the style. A bumper can have the greatest ratings and reviews in the world, but if you don’t like the way it looks, why bother. Once you find the style you like, it’s time to figure out what features you want versus what features you need. The most common are winch plates, light mounts, etc. Finally you want to make sure it’s constructed with quality materials and a finish that will keep your investment protected out on the trails.
I just got my Jeep Wrangler and wonder where the bumper falls in the list of my needed Jeep mods?
If you’re going to increase your tire size or do any serious crawling, I’d rank the bumper pretty high. Most aftermarket bumpers not only provide additional protection to the front end of your rig, but by design offer increased tire clearance and approach angles to tough obstacles. Additionally if you tackle the aggressive trails, you’ll probably want to add a winch to ride and most of these bumpers and a good bumper will usually offer some kind of mounting solution for you. So if you really look at the big picture, a good front bumper should rank pretty high on your list.
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Updated 0/13/2021: Updated product descriptions, added new products, added FAQ and ranked products.