The old saying "You get what you pay for" holds true in 4x4 products. Although price is not necessarily the only measure of quality, it usually costs more to produce a higher quality product. We'll try here to give you some pointers on what to look for when comparing products from different manufacturers to help you make the best buying decision for your needs. Click here to read our Lifetime Warranty policy.

 

 

PLATE STEEL vs. TUBE

The first step is choosing the steel that is used. All steel is not created equally, nor is it priced the same. It varies in strength, bending characteristics, finish and more. Square tubing and hot roll are usually structural steel with a rough surface and mill scale. Structural steel although strong is not intended for use in manufacturing finished products. It is used for building frame work, bridges, etc. where the rough surface doesn't matter. Mill scale is a crust left on structural steel that creates a rough surface that shows through the paint or powder coat. It is costly and extremely hard to remove by sand blasting or grinding which usually results in the grinding marks looking worse than the mill scale.

 

 

Durango 4x4 uses the more expensive high quality p&o plate steel which is acid treated to remove all mill scale. This insures a smooth finish without the possibility of mill scale lifting beneath the powder coat and ruining the finish.

 

 

 

Durango 4x4 formed steel = workmanship like no other

 

 

 

Most bumpers are made from 2"x4" or 2"x5" rectangular tubing which is a much cheaper way of building that can be done without much investment in tooling or equipment. They simply cut the ends off at an angle and weld plates over the ends. All tubing has mill scale which never allows a finish anywhere close to p&o steel.

 

 

 

An example of cheap tube construction. Note the visible brackets

and the full length welds.

 

Durango 4x4 bumpers for Wranglers are laser cut from ¼" thick p&o plate steel, formed on a press brake then welded. Bumper end caps are welded on then all welds are ground smooth to perfection. This is the only way to achieve a smooth highly finished look. 

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POWDER COATING
Powder coat is now the most common coating on accessories. It is applied as a dry powder and then baked at over 400 degrees. Processes vary but as in all coatings they are only as good as the preparation before the application and this is where differences come into play. Low priced products are often just wiped down with solvent then coated. These are the ones you eventually hear the complaints about of peeling, rusting, and flaking. We talked earlier about mill scale. If it is not removed before coating it can later begin to lift away from the steel and lift the coating with it. This is where you should be wary of the tubing built bumpers with the rough surface under the coating. Steel should be sand blasted or acid dipped before coating. Ask before you buy.

 

Durango 4x4 products are acid dipped and washed in a 5 step state of the art process. Powder coat is a very durable coating but not indestructible and will still chip and scratch with abuse.

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MOUNTING BRACKETS
Durango 4x4 design hides all mounting brackets and closes up the unsightly gap between the rear bumper and the tailgate. Tube bumper designs have fabricated mounting brackets and exposed welds which are always in plain sight and leave a very crude unfinished appearance.
Tow tabs or shackle mounts must always be inserted all the way through the bumper and be welded both front and rear.

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WELDS
Welds are not all equal either. Welding is both a science and an art. Visually a good weld should look like a row of dimes laid out like dominos. The weld does not have to be bulky to be strong. That is a matter of the proper amount of heat and penetration.

 

   

An example of a bed weld.                                            An example of a good Durango 4x4 weld.

 

We can't cover nearly all that should be said about proper welds here but you should never consider a product that doesn't have a very good looking and consistent weld pattern. Big, ugly, rough welds with a lot of spatter or bb's are a sure sign of poor skills and a bad product and should be avoided no matter how cheap it is.

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RECEIVERS
Receivers are of varying quality. Durango 4x4 receivers are made from actual heavy receiver tubing that has had the seam removed. This is the same receiver you would get in a quality brand class IV hitch. It is installed through the center of the bumper for maximum clearance and does not protrude more than the thickness of the collar.

 

It is welded front and rear plus additional gussets welded in the rear. There also are safety chain provisions cut into the ¼" thick bumper and neatly hidden in the bottom flange. We have had this bumper/receiver pull tested by a government certified company to over 31,600 lbs. We have since added two more welds to further strengthen it. Only Durango 4x4 offers proof of strength.

Durango 4x4 tested and certified to over 31,000 pounds.

 

 

 

 

Other brands make claims but offer no proof. Other manufacturers cut costs by using standard thin wall 2" tubing with seams for receivers and usually don't include a collar and safety chain provisions. They are often labeled "For Recovery Only, Not For Towing" If you can't tow with it you may not want to try too hard a recovery either.

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Receiver sticks way out. Tubing type leaves gap

bumper to X-member.

TOWING

Durango 4x4 bumpers are not certified by the DOT, NHTSA or any government agency for towing, however, they exceed all structural requirements for certification and have been used for towing for nearly ten years without a single known failure.

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FRAME TIE-INS

The rear cross member on all Jeeps is made of too thin a material to support a swing away tire carrier with over sized tire or to handle any hard pulling whether recovery or towing. Extra support to the frame is an absolute necessity regardless of the brand of bumper you choose. All rear bumpers use the rear cross member for their mounting point. Some brands sell frame tie-ins as an accessory and charge extra, usually $50 or more.

 

Frame tie-ins are standard with every Durango 4x4 rear bumper.

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TIRE CARRIERS
Tire carrier-ready bumpers are those that are built to add a swing-away tire carrier to at any time. This allows you to buy them separately if you prefer to. Make sure you know if the bumper you choose will accept a tire carrier if you ever decide to add it later. Tire carrier construction has many variables to consider. Most are constructed of 2" square tubing while a few are made with bent round tubing. Wall thickness is the main determination of strength but both are adequate and the decision comes down to looks. Other features are more important beginning with the pivot or hinge point. Size does matter, but not that much. The outer diameter is not nearly as important as the diameter and type of material of the inner shaft. A large diameter shaft such as a 1 ½" dia. made of bar stock is not nearly as strong as a 1" hardened grade 9 bolt. The best tire carriers have bronze bushings that can be replaced, grease zerks, and incorporate bearings for easy use and long life. The tire mount must be adjustable to accommodate different wheel back sets.

 

Latches should be a simple, easy to use one hand operation both opening and closing. They should be adjustable and include a safety to prevent accidental openings and have a no rattle guarantee. Beware of the little red handled u-bolt style. They tend to break the u-bolt and do not have a safety built in. They are commonly poorly located to hang in front of the bumper inviting damage if you back into even a small bush. They were designed for stationary bench work and not for automotive use.

 

            

Red handled DeStaco Latch high failure rate and poorly        The Durango 4x4 Latch sits directly ABOVE the bumper

located subject to damage.                                            and is designed for easy one-handed operation.

 

 

The tire carrier should not sag when opened unless it is so heavily loaded that you are flexing the steel. Tire carriers should be designed to carry the weight of the tire and accessories directly above the bumper and frame. Poorly thought out designs place the tire, gas cans, cargo baskets etc. farther back or stack them behind each other, thereby leveraging a tremendous amount of weight and causing probable damage to the cross member and frame.

Worst possible design for weight

distribution. The tire and cans are

positioned BEHIND the bumper.

 

This is also the worst possible design when you're trying to climb steep objects because the system will hang up when the Jeep goes vertical. We have actually seen them torn off on the trail. Imagine carrying a heavy back pack that is hanging low and a foot behind you.

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TIRE CARRIER ACCESSORIES
Tire carrier accessories such as hi-lift jack holders, gas and water cans, cargo racks and much more are often mounted to the tire carrier. Make certain the manufacturer offers these options and know whether they can be added later. Durango 4x4's modular system allows you to build and customize your system as you want. We recognize that budgets sometimes dictate and needs change so we make all of the modules or accessories easy to add on or take off in just minutes. That not only makes it versatile for different trips and trails but they are quickly removed to strip down for the daily driver.

 

Durango 4x4's modular system is second to none.

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Durango 4x4 never tries to be the low price leader. Our aim is to provide the finest quality products in the industry, bumpers so strong we guarantee them for life and accessories that complement your style of outdoor recreation. And finally, we want to be easy to deal with. So if there is anything we can do for you, or if there is anything you want us to know please call toll free at 888-259-8676 or drop us a line. We are interested in your opinions.