Has anyone removed the crappy plastics that surround the factory front bumper and left it that way? if so can you post up some pics, i would like to see what one looks like before i take the plunge and remove mine. thanks.

thats a good looking bumper. but i think i would like to have something along this line.

yeah. see, to me, that middle lower section looks just too bulky for my tastes..

it reminds me of this:

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS_LKLetM9ULqshTBEATC7x7PzaVEc8444uK8HcyaogvdW-QSV7

OOops, I mean this:

thats a good looking bumper. but i think i would like to have something along this line.

i like this version too.

--- Update to the previous post...

I completely disagree but my mom always said:

"Different strokes for different folks" which is funny considering how often she tells me that something is wrong,

not a little bulk is never a bad thing!

I'd like a version of the BuckStop. I'd prefer that the girth of the bumper wasn't so broad, or low hanging.. Something like this: http://www.4x4groupbuy.com/store/imagemagic.php?img=images/Hanson_Offroad_XJ_Prerunner_Front_Bumper.jpg&w=400&h=&page=popup

somehow it just reminds me of:

well i think it reminds Rogan of the good ol rock crawling days!!

yea i'm sure, for me having more protection on the bumper is ideal for my area. so a small bumper like that doesn't look like it would hold up to deer or the stray pedestrian that thinks they are deer.....:cookoo:i do like the hooks and winch however

yes thats my biggest fear is deer! i would hate to hit one with my factory bumper! i would love to have one of these beasts!!!

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:o318Wsos5kryQM:http://www.applehill4x4.com/images/bumper013.jpg&t=1

yea i'm sure, for me having more protection on the bumper is ideal for my area. so a small bumper like that doesn't look like it would hold up to deer or the stray pedestrian that thinks they are deer..... i do like the hooks and winch however

yes thats my biggest fear is deer! i would hate to hit one with my factory bumper! i would love to have one of these beasts!!!

Yeah when I build/buy a bumper grill gaurd for mine, it has to be able to take out a buck or some stupid driver! We've hit a lot of deer over the years with the Mazdas and even the '64 Ford a couple of times. I hope not hit, or be hit, by anything unless she is really cute and single.

I bought the ranch hand for my 02 off of e-bay for 800 bucks and the one on my 05 I bought at a local dealer for 1100. I looked for several years and found that ranch hand is the best bang for the buck. I like the looks of them better than others also but that my preference. I can say I have tested them both quite regularly on both deer and lets just say "Other things" and they are still flawless. Except for the one on my 05 where my wife thought it OK to wrap a chain around the headlight gaurd part of it and pull a suburban out of a snow pile on saturday. Didn't hurt the bumper but it scratched the hell out of the coating. She got a talking to and wasn't happy about it as was I not a happy camper. as I pointed out the receiver AND the tow hooks right below it.All I got was I knew I shouldn't have said anything to you about it. Good luck finding anything for 500 bucks unless you find a used one some where. And as long as they have been around and the number and popularity of them in recent years should be starting to pop up if you keep an eye out. I attached pics of both of mine.

thats a good looking bumper Rogan!!! W&F thanks for the idea i have looked around on ebay a little but the shipping is usually pretty high but i'll keep lookin.

I got the one on my 02 a couple hundred bucks cheaper due to it having been scratched during shipping which I could live with so they refunded the shipping cost back to me which was around 200 bucks.

well that's a heck of a deal sweet!!!

thats a good looking bumper Rogan!!! W&F thanks for the idea i have looked around on ebay a little but the shipping is usually pretty high but i'll keep lookin.

yeah so when can i expect it!!!