In the bumper arena you basically have three choices. You can either build one from raw materials yourself while buddies look on and gawk at your fabrication skills (or lack thereof); or you can plunk down the money to be different and find a company who has the bumper you're looking for. The third choice is to simply remain part of the generic-looking, factory-equipped populace and ignore your aftermarket bumper agenda altogether. Chances are, if you're one of those people, you've already flipped past this article in search of that advertisement for the company who thinks revealing pictures of beautiful young women somehow help to sell tires. As for those of you still reading who actually would smash their piggy banks and invest time researching bumpers to see what appeals to them, the task is tedious. This is partially because aftermarket bumpers come in many styles, but also because the burden of finding one is complicated by additional accessories, such as lights, tow hooks, finishes, and even the materials used in their construction. So, why do it? Well, it's simple: A custom bumper rounds out the aesthetics of a vehicle while providing crucial protection from foreign objects that can unknowingly impede your path, like ill-fated reindeer and small children. Well, maybe not the latter, but we're sure most small children will agree: A set of custom bumpers sure makes a truck look tough.
Road Armor of Eugene, Oregon, builds custom bumpers that command attention and leave wayward cattle scampering for the barnyard. Recently, we observed an install at Auto Concepts in Helena, Montana. The donor vehicle was a 2004 Dodge Ram 3500 Cummins turbodiesel. You may remember a similar-looking bumper from the short-lived blockbuster "The Fast and the Furious." Road Armor supplied at least a dozen cattle catchers for the movie to aid the efforts of stopping police cars during high-speed chase sequences. The only difference with our unit (other than we have no plans for vigilante antics associated with street racing) is that ours was ordered without the Titan II Intimidator over-the-hood brushguard. Road Armor uses state-of-the-art technology to design and build each and every bumper in their extensive portfolio. All standard bumpers they build are available for shipment the same day the order is placed and each comes with a lifetime warranty. Varying greatly in price, most fullsize truck buyers can expect to spend around $1,300 for the basic-front Stealth model, and around a grand for a rear like the one shown in this article. Each model comes powdercoated with all the necessary mounting hardware and can be shipped right to your door on a large pallet (forklift not included).
"Custom bumpers that leave wayward cattle scampering for the barnyard!"
Once the factory front bumper was removed, the guys from Auto Concepts installed four PIAA 510 auxiliary lights into the provided openings. Road Armor carries PIAA lighting products and recommends them for a perfect fit with each bumper they build. | 
It took two people to pick up and mount the new bumper on the front of the truck. Two brackets are provided with the bumper. They utilize existing frame holes to simplify installation. | 
This picture shows the above-mentioned Road Armor bracket where it mounts to the truck's frame. Notice the slotted holes, which make the bumper easy to adjust and fit up. |
These recessed light mounts look trick and protect the lights from damage or theft. | 
Surprisingly, the rear bumper was more difficult to install than the front. It required removal of the factory receiver hitch. | 
Once mounted, the bumper looked nice and will surely help protect the truck if a rear-end collision ever occurs. |
The rear bumper also has auxiliary light mounts incorporated in it. Road Armor supplied our customer with two PIAA 1490s, which fit perfectly. We wired these directly to the rear backup light circuit. | 
Light Force manufactures high-quality off-road lighting systems for just about any application. Our Road Armor bumper had to be drilled before mounting a set of RMDL170 lights. A few nice design elements Light Force uses include durable polycarbonate housings, shatterproof lenses, high-performance Xenophot bulbs, high-efficiency parabolic reflectors, and a satisfaction guarantee. We like the easy-change yellow fog lenses included in our set. They actually worked killer in thick fog. For more info, check out www.lightforceusa.com. | |