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 ShrockWorks
Winch Bumperwith Bill Johnston
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  There
is a lot of 1/4" and 3/16" steel in this component. The early prototypes had
tow points lower on the bumper. They have now been moved up and incorporated
into the stronger 'winch box' area. The box itself blends into the rest of
the bumper without the 'stuck on' look that is seen quite often out on the
trail. |
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  ShrockWorks
sends out their bumpers 'ready for paint'. There is an option to get it
powder coated, or if it is going on a rock crawler that could see heavy rock
abuse, you can paint it yourself using a decent paint that can be touched up
when needed. These two shots of the bumper after painting show the care that
went into construction. There was almost no prep done before painting
because it wasn't really needed. The welds were perfect and the corners were
so smooth and blended, it looked like it came out of a mold. |
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  The
key to any bumpers strength is in its mounting system. ShrockWorks includes
bolt sleeves with their bumper to strengthen the main frame mounts. Welding
them in is a nice touch, but not required. They also include a special
bracket that mounts to the frame on the passenger side to keep the bumper from
rotating in its mounts when winching. This mount adds serious strength while
hiding in the background. This brings the number of mounting
points for the ShrockWorks Winch Bumper up to 7. |
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  The
bumper was specifically designed to allow the use of aftermarket suspension
upgrades (that use the ends of the frame) without having to change the
bumper in any way. The photo on the right shows the spacers that are used
when running a stock style suspension. You can also see one of the U-bolts
that attach the bumper to the stock front cross member for added strength. |
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  Without
the spacers, there is just enough room for an aftermarket suspension upgrade
bracket like this YJ spring conversion bracket from Trail Tough. This
component is a good example, as you can see the tabs of the bracket go
around the front of the frame and the bolts go through the whole thing. It
would be pretty bad if you had to decide between a new suspension OR a
beefy bumper. This bumper lets you have both! |
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  This
is actually a shackle rest for the Trail Tough 'J Link'. But when installed,
it looks like an integrated component that compliments the lines of the
bumper. |
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  Here
you can see more of the Trail Tough Front YJ Spring Kit with its Missing
Link style drop links. But sitting at rest under the ShrockWorks Winch
Bumper they look very natural. |
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  Another
great feature is the virtual roll cage built on top of the bumper. It
follows the lines of the vehicle very closely while protecting the grill and
front corners. The lights were picked specifically for the 'replace-ability
factor'. You can pick up a replacement set lights at any truck stop and at
most auto parts stores when the needed. |
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  This is a well made, well thought out design
that will survive the rigors of the trail. Next month we follow up with the
rest of the installation of the Trail Tough Front YJ Spring Kit (with Trail
Tough Missing Links) and then we will show a simple winch installation to
make this front end complete. |
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| Component Source:
ShrockWorks - Offroad Fabrication
Trail Tough Products
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07/18/05 23:11:28
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