Wheelin' the 'Con - Jeep Wrangler JK Bumper Trail Test

What better place to test the strength and durability of Fab Fours new Jeep JK replacement bumpers and Warn's 9.5ti Winch, than the all mighty Rubicon Trail. After trashing our stock bumpers in Moab, for the '07 Easter Jeep Safari, we were in dire need of replacements. It really doesn't take much effort to disfigure the stock JK front and rear bumpers, which we experienced firsthand. The stockers span the entire width of the new JK, reducing the approach and departure angles and quite frankly, they just get in the way of things.

Traversing the Rubicon Trail, without inflicting major damage to your rig, takes skill and a little bit of luck. So, to help ensure a trouble-free trip, we outfitted our new '07 Jeep JK Wrangler Rubicon with Fab Fours heavy duty front and rear bumper protection, as well as a "get out of jail free card", in the form of a Warn 9.5ti Winch.

The Fab Fours JK front winch bumper is built from 3/16 inch steel plating and is finished off in a textured powder coat finish. The stealth fighter-like design, includes a winch mount and two 1" D-ring mounts. Another benefit is recessed turn indicators and Hella fog lamps. The tapered bumper ends and front fascia literally slide off obstacles. The front bumper is relatively lightweight at 140 pounds, compared to the chintzy stock bumpers which weigh a meager 30 pounds. There's an optional pre-runner style hoop, made from 1.75" by 1/5" steel tubing.

Fab Fours JK rear bumper with integrated tire carrier, evens out the entire package, with its innovative "knife-edge" design. While sliding off the Rubicon Trails granite ledges, the tapered bumper ends enabled the rear end of the Jeep to slide off ledges, instead of pounding down on a flat surface. On a few occasions, I thought for certain that I had caved in the rear body corners of the Jeep. But, after closer inspection, the rocks that did happen to touch the rear bumper, merely etched the powder coat finish. There were no dents or dings to be had on the bumper or the body.

The tire carrier pivot is rated to 1,250 pounds and has a locking pin that enables you to swing the tire rack out of the way for rear storage access. The tire carrier will handle up to a 37" tire. Located next to the spare tire carrier is a vertical hi-lift jack mount. The mounting threads are the same thread as the JK's wheel lug bolts, so you can secure your hi-lift jack with matching wheel locks. Also included is a CB antenna mount, two recessed 1" D-ring mounts and a 2" tow receiver. The tow receiver was the only portion of the bumper that really showed any sort of rock rub, but this was to be expected.