Im trying to read up on as many threads as I can before I make my final decision. I just got all my grad money, and its goin towards a front bumper. I would really love a Shrock. I have heard nothing but great things, except for the wait time. How similar in quality are the ARB's? Is there another company I should be considering? I guess I am just looking for some final input before I make a purchase.
Thanks guys.

calmini makes a front bumper. i think its only like 650

if i had unlimited funds i would do shrock

Keep in mind your in CO... there's a few of us that could fab up something custom for a lot less than a shrock...

here's a guy in windsor..

I say custom... it's up to you though...

http://www.roninwheelers.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=4656&page=4

there's also Concept customs.. in CO springs.. James digs his work

http://www.concept-customs.com/

Im trying to read up on as many threads as I can before I make my final decision. I just got all my grad money, and its goin towards a front bumper. I would really love a Shrock. I have heard nothing but great things, except for the wait time. How similar in quality are the ARB's? Is there another company I should be considering? I guess I am just looking for some final input before I make a purchase.
Thanks guys.

As pointed out, you are in a place that has many local shops to draw from....check them out.

As far as what's important in a bumper....just as an example, I'll compare the Shrock to the ARB, and you can then apply the differences to what a custom shop would make for you, if you relay that these are the factors you find important.

Approach angle - The ARB hits stuff before the Shrock does, because it hangs lower, and sticks out further....so you want a bumper with excellent approach angle and ground clearance.

If you have to go places where people steal stuff, mounting the winch INSIDE the bumper - rather than up in plain sight, is more secure and protected.

If not, mounting up where you can see the spool more easily, etc...is convenient.

The hidden mounts don't block airflow as much as putting the winch infront of the grill.

The top mounted winches force you to use a deeper bumper, to have room for the winch between the front of the bumper and the grill...the hidden mounts tuck the winch in tighter.

The tighter mount is one way to get a better approach angle, as the tighter it mounts, and the higher, the better you are at clearing obstacles w/o it hitting.

Wall thickness - The ARB uses thin sheet metal, the Shrock uses 3/16" steel plate...as its THINNEST metal....and it uses much thicker metal plate for the other parts, including the mounts to the frame horns.

Recovery points - The ARB doesn't have ANY (It has a place to hook the winch hook when not in use, but NOT to pull from)...so you can't do doubled or off angle pulls, etc.

The Shrock has super strong recovery points that run from the face of the bumper, through it, and all the way to the frame horns...so you have a DIRECT connection to the frame, welded through the bumper, and also acting to cross brace the bumper itself.

Both bumpers have great powder coat.

Both bumpers weigh about the same....even though the shrock uses much thicker steel plate, it uses less surface area, as it only protects truck parts, not air....the ARB has an enormous expanse of sheet metal covering air, for styling purposes....and, to get back to the truck, from the more extended/deeper bumper face, etc.

The Shrock leaves room for larger tires.

The ARB has wings covering air in the wheel wells, which you have to cut off to fit larger tires (Which is easy, a dremel works, as its just sheet metal...)

:D

And so forth.

:wink-big:

How does the calmini size up to the ARB and Shrock?

And steeze thats a good idea. Concept customs isn't too far away from me at all either. Ill have to look into that.

TJTJ, I knew the Shrock had a better approach angle but I had no idea the ARB has no recovery points.. That might be a deal breaker for me on the ARB.

AFAIK the calmini doesn't even touch the ARB or the Shrock

Cant get much better than that....
But I say look at custom 1st

AFAIK the calmini doesn't even touch the ARB or the Shrock

The Calmini is strong though, and well put together...its paint is crap, most of them are rusty as hell in no time flat...but I've heard rumors they might one day fix that.

The approach angles are in between the ARB and Shrock's, not too bad really.

I believe its front recovery points are missing too though....IIRC, they say to use the factory front hook. :D

If it was made by a company who hadn't screwed so many people I knew, I'd be more fond of them.

:wink-big:

hmmm well my arb i use the "hooks" or holes on the front of my arb for recovery points woops

I specifically asked ARB (when I was getting mine) about the lack of front recovery points and was told it's because of the frame horn mounts having a built in crumple zone (which the Shrock doesn't have), with a big winch and a double line pull back to the bumper it would be possible to pull your bumper out about 1/4".
You can do a double line recovery back to the factory tow hook no prob.

The ARB has been a great bumper for me. I've winched myself up and out of a pretty nasty sand dune where the rear of the X was buried all the way to the bumper steps. Another time I winched myself back on the road sideways after using some poor judgment and pressing on in snow too deep for my tires/lift.
No problems at all with the bumper.

I believe the ARB's for our 2nd gens are built differently than the previous ones.

What sort of wheeling are you planning on doing?

I have no doubts about its capabilities. The only problem is I have no idea when I am going to be able to afford a winch when I am spending all my money on the bumper! So it would be convenient to have some recovery points.
Im gonna be spending a lot of my time in the mountains camping and fishing. But I also want to explore some somewhat difficult trails. In the winter months I will also be dealing with DEEP snows being in the UP and Wisconsin area.

Watch Craigslist.. I see used winches all the time here

Thats a good call. I just have the worst luck with craigslist and ebay :/

I say custom too. Why look like everyone else when you have the option to be different. Anyway an offroad buddy of mine just got a bumper by http://cbioffroadfab.com/ they do some sick custom work.

id go prerunner shrock like kumas

Ya Kuma's is looking realllly nice

you can buy a jeep front bumper for under 400 and weld on mounting brackets

AFAIK the calmini doesn't even touch the ARB or the Shrock

Where are you getting this information from? The calmini uses thicker materials than the ARB and Same as the Shrock. The shrock has slightly better aproach angles, but also limits you with winch options. The only problem with the Calmini is the powder coating which most people just herc the bumper anyway. If I wouldnt have gotten such a great deal on my Calmini I would have went with a Shrock