Will Custom Bumpers Void Your Jeep’s Warranty?
Installing custom bumpers on a Jeep is an excellent way to enhance your car’s look and functionality. A properly fitted bumper can provide extra protection, too. But before you upgrade your bumper, it’s important to know how it will affect your Jeep’s performance and longevity. Will custom bumpers void your Jeep’s warranty? You must fully understand the extent of your coverage to ensure you won’t break its terms and conditions.
Let’s dive into to discover how to upgrade your car’s bumpers while maintaining your warranty coverage!
Key Takeaways
• The Jeep’s stock factory bumper is made of aluminum and plastic end caps, which isn’t very effective at protecting your Jeep from impact.
• Upgrading with custom bumpers is the best way to offer protection for your Jeep, especially when navigating off-road and tough terrain conditions.
• There are various bumper styles available for the Jeep, such as full width, base, modular, grille guard, bullnose, mid-width bumpers and more.
• Choosing the right material type on your custom Jeep bumpers can also determine its ability to protect your vehicle from impact.
Why Do You Need to Upgrade Your Jeep’s Bumpers?
There are several reasons why you would want to consider upgrading your car’s bumpers. The most important one is for the safety and protection of your vehicle.
The Jeep factory bumpers come in various materials and designs. The most common material used for s standard Jeep factory bumper is an aluminum plate and the factory rails have plastic end caps. This applies to the front bumper while the rear bumper is made of mostly plastic and metal plates.
Because of the material choice, the factory bumpers on Jeeps rarely offer maximum protection, requiring an upgrade to protect the Jeep from damage even with the slightest impact. It only takes bumping into a tree or a minor fender bender to cause significant damage to your Jeep’s front.
Knowing that, it’s time to consider upgrading your Jeep’s bumpers given that the stock ones won’t do much of a great job to giving you peace of mind, especially if you’re navigating off-road conditions and tough terrains.
Choosing Custom Bumper Designs for the Jeep
Whether you’re driving a Wrangler or Gladiator, you’ve got many styles available when customizing your Jeep’s bumpers.
• Full-Width – It is an extra-wide bumper design that extends the full width of your Jeep’s front. It is bulky but offers the best impact resistance. However, it isn’t the best option for off-road Jeeps that have oversized tires because of the possibility of rubbing against the tires when making full articulation.
• Base – Base bumpers offer a no-frills approach to design. They don’t have add-ons but are made of heavy-duty construction and rugged aesthetics.
• Bullnose – Bullnose bumpers are essentially an upgrade to the base design, which offers a rugged design and steel plate construction. It comes with a bull bar that juts outward to improve impact resistance and protect your Jeep from punctures and other causes of damage. The downside is that it is heavy and makes your Jeep extra longer.
• Grille Guard – It offers full front-end protection due to the additional tubes that extend upward. It boasts a heavy-duty, utilitarian design.
• Stinger – A stinger bumper is a classic choice within the Jeep community because of its tire clearance and front impact protection.
• Stubby – This bumper design is built with one purpose in mind: tire clearance. It is the best bumper design choice if your Jeep have oversized tires, which also means you are sacrificing the front-corner protection.
• Modular – A modular bumper features a minimalist design comparable to the base bumper. It is called as such because if comes with multiple pieces, while maintaining its low-profile center. However, this bumper design is less resistant to impact compared to a fully-welded bumper.
• Tubular – A tubular design perfectly suits the Jeep styling. It comes with an all-tube construction that is cost-efficient and lightweight. It offers full protection, especially when integrated with bull bars.
• Mid-Width – A mid-width bumper is somewhere in between of a stubby and a full-width bumper. It aims to improve on the clearance and angles of a factory bumper, and in doing so compromises some of its ability to resist impact.
• Prerunner – It is low-profile and high-clearance, while its tubular design elements give it an iconic look. Aside from its improved impact resistance, it has recovery options available, making it suitable for off-roading.
Considerations When Installing Custom Jeep Bumpers
Now that you know the different types of bumpers, you must consider these factors to maximize the benefits of your new installation.
Jeep’s Use
Do you use your Jeep for daily driving or for off-roading? Depending on your answer, it will also determine what type of bumpers you need to install.
Jeeps that are used for daily driving needs maximum front-end protection because of the risk of collision on the street. As such, you can choose from the full-width, bull bar, base, and grille guard!
On the other hand, driving your Jeep as a dedicated off-road vehicle means that you will less likely encounter on-road collisions. The best protection comes from the modular and stinger bumpers. They offer great tire clearance and the lack of front-corner protection makes them suited for off-road driving.
If you are splitting your use of the Jeep on the road and off-road, you need a bumper that offers maximum protection. A prerunner or mid-width bumper can get the job done.
Durability
It’s an obvious consideration when installing custom bumpers for the Jeep. As an accessory designed to protect your Jeep from impact, it should be durable enough to withstand that impact.
Steel is the most durable material that can sustain the impact from rocks, trees, and other obstacles when off-roading. But for daily driving, aluminum should suffice.
Weight
In addition to durability, the weight of the material and design is worth considering when customizing your Jeep’s bumpers. Steel is the heaviest material. It adds a substantial amount of weight to your vehicle. While the extra weight can hurt your fuel economy, it is most effective against impact. Weigh the pros and cons of each material if the added weight’s drawbacks are outweighed by the benefits it can give your Jeep.
Construction
The advantage of customizing Jeep bumpers is the ability to customize how it’s constructed and its overall design. You have the liberty to choose the material and design that is tailored fit to your vehicle’s needs.
Tire Clearance
Tire clearance is one aspect that is often overlooked when installing custom or aftermarket bumpers. When installing custom bumpers, make sure you add enough clearance to prevent rubbing.
However, providing enough clearance is only a concern for off-road enthusiasts. If you are one, go for a high-clearance bumper design!
Will Custom Bumpers Void Your Jeep’s Warranty?
The short answer is no. Customizing your Jeep’s bumpers won’t void the warranty.
However, you must review the terms of your Jeep warranty when modifying and upgrading its external components. It is essential to understand the impact of each modification on your vehicle’s overall performance to maintain its efficiency and functionality. Some modifications can add extra weight, reducing your Jeep’s fuel economy, and so on. Understand how your choices can also impact driving and handling.
Are Custom Jeep Bumpers Worth It?
There is an overwhelming array of choices when customizing your Jeep’s bumpers. However, review the information provided here and align it with your Jeep’s intended use and the level of protection required to make it worth your money. Also, consider if style or protection means more to you because there is a right design that fits your needs!
Will custom bumpers void your Jeep’s warranty? If you’re worried about how it affects your warranty, contact your provider directly to know how you can update your bumpers while maintaining your warranty coverage.
FAQs
What is the purpose of a bumper on a Jeep?
It provides an added level of protection, especially in wooded environments or rough terrains. It also protects the front against on-road collisions.
Do Jeeps have steel bumpers?
Many factory Jeep bumpers are made of steel. It is an excellent choice for its strength and protection, but they are vulnerable to rust.
How thick should a Jeep bumper be?
A 1/4-inch thick bumper is suitable for off-roading purposes. However, you can customize the thickness based on your intended use of your Jeep.
Are aluminum bumpers strong?
Yes. They offer excellent protection without the added weight and the vulnerability against corrosion.
