🛠️ Member Build GX 550 Front Winch Bumper options

[SethGX]

Hey everyone, I am currently aware of two front winch bumper options for the GX550.

The first one that came out was from Victory 4x4 and can be seen here: GX Front Bumper | Blitz | 550 (24+) - Victory 4x4


The second is from JW Offroad and can be seen here: GX550 LOW CUT FRONT WINCH BUMPER.

I contacted NYTOP because they have a nice looking bumper render without a winch to ask if they would have a winch version and they said... maybe, but no plans yet.

If you know of other bumpers or if you get one of these, we would like to hear your experience with getting it installed and how you like it.

 

[Bluegill]

Damn...that JW bumper looks perfect! I hadn't seen that one yet.

CBI Offroad has a really nice front winch bumper prototype with plans to have it available "soon". Let me see if I can find the facebook photo....

 

[Bluegill]

Not the best photo....

https://scontent-phx1-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...cYZjVTtKC2AmPsiLcL1D8kcKXO-BvhOsQ&oe=670E018C

 

[SethGX]

I like that the JW bumper has openings to reach in and free spool the winch, or even plug in a cable if you have a wired remote. What I'm not sure about is what it looks like behind the bumper and in front of the wheel wells. Seems like it might just be open. Victory seems to have a slotted plate to cover that area. But I agree, the JW version looks so good.

 

[Jrox]

I like that the JW bumper has openings to reach in and free spool the winch, or even plug in a cable if you have a wired remote. What I'm not sure about is what it looks like behind the bumper and in front of the wheel wells. Seems like it might just be open. Victory seems to have a slotted plate to cover that area. But I agree, the JW version looks so good.

Nice low profile option, here in Aus we need a bar to protect kangaroo strikes which has winch options just don’t want to detract from the front grille profile, was hoping NYTOP might come up with a good solution otherwise will have to wait for ARB or TJM to design one.

 

[Bluegill]

I've emailed JW twice with a few basic questions about their bumper....no response. I'm kind of hesitant to order one if there's no communication.

 

[Jrox]

I've emailed JW twice with a few basic questions about their bumper....no response. I'm kind of hesitant to order one if there's no communication.

I would agree, if they don’t have the decency to respond when they don’t have your money then they likely won’t respond if they do have your money!

 

[Zach993]

I've emailed JW twice with a few basic questions about their bumper....no response. I'm kind of hesitant to order one if there's no communication.

Same. No response to calls or emails

 

[Bluegill]

Shoot, I really like their bumper!

 

[Bluegill]

I just received a reply from JW. Very nice reply answering my questions. I'm going to order their bumper. Need to decide on the winch I want....

 

[Mainelexus]

12000 warn

 

[Mainelexus]

I just received a reply from JW. Very nice reply answering my questions. I'm going to order their bumper. Need to decide on the winch I want....

How much, how long, and how much cutting?

 

[Snooperstyle]

I am diggin all three of these winch bumpers. I also wonder about the covering up of the area in front of the tires. The rear bumpers are gonna be more difficult.

 

[Bluegill]

$1600 powder-coated

Not sure how long, hopefully before Christmas I'd hope.

No cutting (as far as I know) - have to remove the whole stock bumper but the majority of the bumper goes back, just not the lower black & silver part.

I think a 12k winch is in order. I'll have to shop them. I've had a a Husky 12,000 worm gear and a Superwinch 9,000 and a Superwinch 9,500 lb winch. The JW site says there is plenty of room for a 12k so that's what should go there.

 

[Mainelexus]

$1600 powder-coated

Not sure how long, hopefully before Christmas I'd hope.

No cutting (as far as I know) - have to remove the whole stock bumper but the majority of the bumper goes back, just not the lower black & silver part.

I think a 12k winch is in order. I'll have to shop them. I've had a a Husky 12,000 worm gear and a Superwinch 9,000 and a Superwinch 9,500 lb winch. The JW site says there is plenty of room for a 12k so that's what should go there.

I am tempted but I still worry a bit about these companies I have never heard of. I wish arb would come out with one.

 

[Bluegill]

for the record, here is the info supplied to me by JW Offroad's email reply:

This bumper is currently a fully welded design but in the future I may revisit the bolt on wing design idea . It will ship on a pallet freight. Bumper is designed to house a 12k winch of various brands. The one we decided to run is a rough country 12k winch. You can also run Badlands, Warn etc. as there is plenty of clearance once bumper is mounted. Current design of bumper will work with factory skid plate. We do have skid plates that we are also working on that will be available in the near future as well. I should have rough shipping quotes by Tuesday of next week as I am working with a freight company to bring cost down a bit.


On their website they suggest delivery to a business with a forklift to save $150 on freight. I'm heading to a nearby offroad shop to ask politely if I can get it delivered there and I'll offer them $50 for the service. I want to install it myself so I'd just load it in the back of my truck and bring it home.

 

[Snooperstyle]

for the record, here is the info supplied to me by JW Offroad's email reply:

This bumper is currently a fully welded design but in the future I may revisit the bolt on wing design idea . It will ship on a pallet freight. Bumper is designed to house a 12k winch of various brands. The one we decided to run is a rough country 12k winch. You can also run Badlands, Warn etc. as there is plenty of clearance once bumper is mounted. Current design of bumper will work with factory skid plate. We do have skid plates that we are also working on that will be available in the near future as well. I should have rough shipping quotes by Tuesday of next week as I am working with a freight company to bring cost down a bit.


On their website they suggest delivery to a business with a forklift to save $150 on freight. I'm heading to a nearby offroad shop to ask politely if I can get it delivered there and I'll offer them $50 for the service. I want to install it myself so I'd just load it in the back of my truck and bring it home.

Just realized the JW doesn't have a light bar area (I don't think). I like how the JW will likely get less mud/debris smashed up in there. If somebody wanted a light bar in the bumper, I guess it'd have to go in the area right above the fairlead? What is the little horizontal cover for on the skid part on the JW? Why can't that be solid? That's not for a LED bar is it?

The Victory and CBI bumpers have the winch fairlead lower and on an angle, and their access holes are gonna be like shovels when you plow into a mud hole. However, I do like each of their LED bar locations and I like the look on the winch being more 'hidden". So many considerations!!

 

[Bluegill]

Not sure what the lower panel that has slots on it is for...I suppose it’s an access panel if you need to get at the winch through a bigger opening. I guess it could be solid. You could put a solid plate there or add some thin sheet metal behind the slotted screw-on panel.

I’ve had the same thoughts as you…..the lower the fairlead opening, the more crap that’s going to get shoveled in there.

 

[Bluegill]

Also, I’m not a lightbar kind of guy so the two openings for 3” Rigid or Baja Designs lights or similar on the JW is perfect for me.

 

[Overandunderland]

I've been a bit of a Debbie Downer in this forum, but I'd like to know how these bumpers are designed to handle accidents and what safety testing is being done (My guess is not much.)

On my 200, I had an ARB bumper that was designed to slide back on its mounts a tiny bit in a low-impact collision. This would minimize damage to the frame in a fender bender or minor offroad mishap, with the factory plastics no longer there to take the initial crush. The arb also had a bunch of safety testing performed prior to release.

I worry the bumpers from some of these smaller welders and/or new companies to the market could end up being damage multipliers. I'm mostly concerned about the versions that hold winches. In an accident or trail mishap, these could basically become cannonballs aimed at the radiator. Makes me a little nervous if I don't see any safety testing details.

The small boutique guys with the strongest reputations in the premium Toyota/Lexus space, like Slee and Dissent, don't have anything out yet. Meanwhile, I see them out on the trails with pictures testing their prototypes, taking hits on the rocks, spending time to refine and get things as right as they can with the smaller-company budgets they have. If I can't get a highly tested product from ARB, I'll incline toward Slee or Dissent myself for products where safety is crucial.