I just bought an 2009 off road edition and I'm planning on installing a winch bumper.
I'm trying to decide on an ARB or a Shrock works. Any feed back would be appreciated.

Actually I have the same question for a 2003 se 4x4.. What are the best after market bumper options for me?

search the sites, its been discussed before, everyone has their own opinion on them, pro's and con's with each although nothing too major either way , each has something a little different to them, all depends on how particular you are about what you want/need.

There's a few choices, but between ARB and Shrockworks, I'd go with Shrockworks.

They're about the same weight, but the ARB uses 10 ga sheet metal for facing, and the thickest metal on it is 3/16" for the mounts, the Shrock uses 3/16" thick steel plate for the FACING, and 5/16" - 3/8" steel for the mounts and bracing, etc.

Both work with air bags (As do all of them...the bumper doesn't change anything there...)

Both are well made, and have good powder coating that holds up.

The shrock has thick, built-in recovery points that are PART of the mounts, so the recovery point is tied DIRECTLY to the frame of the truck, the strongest system possible.

The ARB doesn't HAVE front recovery points, just a shackle designed to hang your winch hook on when its not in use. (People who have accidentally used those for recovery have pulled them OFF.)


It primarily just comes down though to the the Shock using thicker steel, and not wasting metal covering air...

...and the ARB wasting steel covering air, which increases weight with no benefit (Other than styling...)

The ARB - due to the extra metal sticking out, has a worse approach angle than the Shrock...

..But, if you live where its OK to drive around with the winch exposed/in front of the radiator grill, etc...the added protrusion of the ARB does make room to top-mount the winch...but eliminates the option of a concealed mount.

The Shrock, due to being tighter to the X's lines, allows a concealed mount of the winch, but doesn't allow a top-mount.



So, some like the look of the ARB, some like the Shrock....that's a personal opinion.

For me, I'm a form over function guy...and I'd take the one that WORKS BEST.....and its gravy that the one that worked best, also looked best to me, so I got the Shrock, and its been GREAT.

Thanks for your input, it's much appreciated. One question I have for you is about the concealed winch. Do you ever have problems reloading the line due to the concealed winch design?

Its the same really, you hit the remote, and it spool in, about the same.

The winch has a cut out about the size of the spool, so you can SEE the spool/spooling line...and do the usual back and forth re-spool motions you'd do with any winch.

The only real difference is you're looking down at the line on the spool, which you can see if you're within say 10' or so of the winch, rather than the spool being upright in front of the radiator grill, but blocked by the fair lead, etc.

If you manage to foul the line/overwrap it, etc, its still completely exposed at the bottom, and if you are under the winch, you have access to the full 360º circumference of the spool, etc....making clearing it about the same unless you're in mud.

I've had the winch on there for many years (Since ~2003?), and I have yet to foul it like that, but, I have looked at what I'd need to do if I did, so I wouldn't be surprised.


I need my mounts concealed: we use the trucks for work, and we go to places that include urban environments/places where people steal things that they can see.

When we had upright/exposed mounts...the fact that you have a winch sitting on the front of the truck, where people can see it, see what type, calculate its PAWN VALUE, and then plan accordingly...was too tempting, and, we LOST a few winches that way.

Since going to the concealed mount, we have not lost a single winch, not ONE got swiped....

...even though they can still see the fairlead if they look...they CAN'T see the winch w/o being very obvious...and, they typically didn't NOTICE them...out of sight/out of mind.

Thanks for all your input, I was leaning towards the Shrock bumper and I believe that's what I'll be purchasing.

mh2

Having checked a few winch bumper web sites, I have to agree that the Shockworks bumper looks to be the best.8^)