The
Aries Modular Jeep Bumper is one of the coolest, and most complicated, of
Tonno Cover Depot's Jeep Accessories. In this blog, I will walk you through the details you need to know if you're looking to order a modular bumper. The product is relatively new, and man does it impress. While perusing through the
product page may give you the information you need, some of the complexities of the product construction and great variety of customization may leave you scratching your head. To start, let's talk a little bit about the available materials.
The modular bumper is available in two different materials; 3/16" T6 TIG welded aluminum, or 3/16" MIG welded carbon steel. So, what's the difference? What it comes down to is the materials impact resistance and weight. The carbon steel is much heavier than aluminum, which could weigh your Jeep down a little. The biggest issue with carbon steel is that it can rust. Yes, it is plated to protect against corrosion, but after extended use, especially off road, the coating could wear down and your bumper may be exposed to rust. The up side, however, is that carbon steel will outperform aluminum for sheer strength any day. Its impact resistance is much high, and it's more reliable as support for a
winch, which can be added separately.
The aluminum, however is much more lightweight. This can be beneficial, but the biggest benefit to aluminum is that it's rust proof. Yep, you heard me right. Because of it's elemental properties, aluminum doesn't react with oxygen, meaning no rust will form. This longevity comes at the price of impact resistance. While aluminum is still durable and able to take a hit, it won't hold us as well against a heavy impact with a large object, like a boulder,
So, once you've made up your mind on the material you want to use, you'll need to consider your finish. Aries offers two tones, either a textured black or silver. Both finishes are available in both materials,so you don;t need to worry about choosing material based on style. Each customisable segment can be finished individually, so you can choose a unique colour pattern rather than just flat black or straight silver if you want. So all you need to worry about is how the bumper will look on your Jeep.What patterns will best match your vehicle's style; what will work best with your Jeep build?
Now you've got to plan out which components you want. Every bumper requires a center piece, that just makes sense. Without the center piece, nothing else would come together. But do you want a large bumper? Are you trying to build a rugged looking off road beast that can plow through the brush without fear of scratching? Alternatively, do you want something that's a little more subtle, or low profile?
This will help you determine whether or not to put on the side extensions. These extensions, as I mentioned earlier, can be colour coded as you'd like to make the style more your own. If you're looking for a big bumper with full protection, these are the way to. If not, you can instead cap off the ends of the center piece to leave you with a more low profile design.
Then it's on to the bush guards. These bars add a unique look to your bumper, but they're more than just a pretty feature. They will help protect your Jeep's lights, hood, front end, fenders, and quarter panels from scratches and other damage caused by branches and other wilderness obstacles.
So, how much ripping around in the bush do you usually do? Are you a big off roader, or do you usually stick to gravel roads and secondary highways? If you aren't carving trail, the bush aren't necessary unless you're a big fan of the style. Do you want all three? If you've installed the side extensions, you can have all three pieces, or you can stick with just the center piece. Likewise, you could choose to leave the bush guards off entirely if you don't need them.
Once you've selected the number of guards, if any, you'll need to choose the material. Just like the core bumper, there are two available finishes for the bush guards; 304 grade stainless steel or textured matte black. While this choice is primarily driven by aesthetic preference, there are a couple of physical elements to consider.
304 grade stainless steel is a very high grade metal. This means that it contains a large quantity of nickel within the alloy. The more nickel, the better rust resistance the metal will have. 304 is one of the top grades, so you can be sure the stainless steel will stay looking sharp keep intact for a long time. It does, however, scratch more easily than the matte finish. While this won't affect the longevity of the part, these thin scratches will become more and more pronounced over time, and may eventually wreck the look of the bumper. These scratches, if they're small enough, can be buffed out with a stainless steel polish fairly easily. So if you're willing to perform the polish, or the potential for scratches doesn't worry you, this material will last longer. The matte won't scratch as easily, but if there is a heavy impact, the matte finish could chip or peel off, and once this happens your guard will begin to rust. There is, unfortunately, very little that can be done at that point.
No matter which configurations you choose, you will have access to all of the Aries line of related accessories, and there is a tonne of them. From winches and tow hooks to OE light mount cutouts and tabs, Aries has though of everything needed to keep you out of trouble on the road, or off of it. Once all of your pieces have been ordered, installation is a breeze. Mounting it is often a 2 person job, but all you have to do is take off your factory bumper and install the new, modular bumper to your factory anchor points.
And the final touch? A rear bumper assembly of course! The rear bumper is available in three pieces, a center chunk and two side extensions just like the front. And also like the front, you can customise the colour and material of the bumper. Do you want it to match the look on the front, or do you want to change it up a bit?
And now you have the most personalised Jeep Wrangler bumper around! You'll be drawing eyes across town, including your own. The true value in the Aries Modular Bumper, though, is its versatility and durability when it counts, out in the wilderness. With the potential for hard working, functional off road accessories, and a 22 1/2" x 7 3/4" winch housing, you'll never feel like your vehicle is missing anything out there again!
107, 42 Ave SW, Calgary, Alberta
info@autotruckdepot.ca
