Aftermarket Bumpers For Big Trucks

Posted: December 15, 2023

 Heavy-duty pickups, like Chevy, Ford, GMC, Ram are one of the most dominant forces in the ¾-ton class, fighting tooth and nail year after year with the Ford F-250 and Chevy Silverado 2500 and Ram 2500  for the top slot.

The RAM offers several benefits over its competition, optionally sporting the awarded 6.7L Cummins I6 Turbo Diesel, a unique multi-link rear suspension, and RAM’s massive 129-cubic/foot Mega Cab. However, one area where the RAM doesn’t stand out from the factory is its conventional stamped steel bumpers. While offering moderate impact resistance and sleek styling, doesn’t a heavy-duty pickup deserve an equally heavy-duty bumper? If you ask us, of course! 

While RAM doesn't offer an upgraded bumper from the factory, Tufftruckparts.com has you covered. We offer several aftermarket bumpers in various sizes, enabling you to drastically upgrade your Chevy, Ford, GMC or RAM aesthetics, impact resistance, and accessory mounting provisions! In this guide, we detail the various bumper types, their characteristics, and our top picks in each category, ensuring you settle on a product that best suits your RAM.

Bumper Styles

Aftermarket bumpers aren’t all the same, quite the contrary! There are several popular styles offered by most body armor manufacturers, including base, tubular, grille guard, and more! Let’s dive deeper into the characteristics and features of each.



Base

Base front bumpers feature a simple, no-frills design without protective guards or additional accessories. They typically feature a fully-welded, one-piece plate steel construction for exceptional durability, and may include provisions to mount LED lights, D-Ring recovery shackles, or a winch, depending on the manufacturer. These bumpers are ideal for increasing overall durability without impeding your RAM’s factory body lines, especially if you apply a custom paint-matched finish!

Expert’s Choice: Hammerhead Low Profile Front Bumper

The Hammerhead Low Profile Front Bumper is a sleek and simple base bumper for the RAM 2500, but don’t let its mild appearance fool you! This bumper is constructed from rugged 3/16-inch steel, ensuring maximum impact resistance and strength. For additional durability, the Hammerhead Low Profile Front Bumper is finished in a stealthy black powder coat finish, guarding the underlying steel against corrosion. 

This bumper also features provisions for various LED lights and D-Ring shackles, allowing you to bolster your RAM’s light output and recoverability!  

Features: 

  • High-quality 3/16" steel construction

  • Provisions for four 3.25" LED pods and a 20” LED light bar (lights sold separately)

  • Textured black powder-coat finish

  • D-Ring shackle mounts tie into the frame rails for superior strength

  • USA-made

  • Limited 1-year warranty


Bullnose

Bullnose bumpers are incredibly similar to Base bumpers; however, they feature an integrated bull bar welded to the bumper’s body, bolstering front-end protection and providing a rugged, off-road-inspired aesthetic.

Great Choice: Brute HD Bull Bar Front Bumper

The Backwoods Brute HD Bull Bar Front Bumper is a heavy-duty replacement front bumper engineered for use on only the heaviest-duty pickups, like your RAM 2500! This beefy bullnose bumper features a rugged 3/16-inch plate steel construction with various internal gussets and reinforcements for maximum strength. Unlike most bullnose bumpers, which typically employ a tubular bull bar, the Backwoods Brute HD features a rugged plate steel bull bar for a sharp, angular appearance. 

This bumper features several accessory mounts, including massive 1-inch D-Ring shackle lugs and provisions for most 20-inch LED light bars. Optionally, you can order the Backwoods Brute HD with parking sensor cutouts and an integrated winch plate, further reinforcing the bumper’s outstanding functionality!

The Backwoods Brute HD is finished in a durable 2-stage powder coat for maximum corrosion resistance, ensuring a long-lasting finish and even longer service life!   

Features: 

  • One-piece, full-welded design

  • Welded plate steel bullbar

  • Accepts most 20” LED light bars

  • 3/16" plate steel construction with internal gussets

  • 1" D-Ring shackle mounts

  • Optional winch mount fits any Warn VR and Zeon winch

  • Optional holes for parking sensors (if equipped)

  • High-quality 2-stage satin black powder coat

  • USA-made

  • Limited lifetime warranty

Grille Guard

Grille guard bumpers, like bullnose bumpers, are essentially base bumpers with welded-on front guards; in this case, a full-size grille guard offering your RAM comprehensive front-end protection! Grille guard bumpers are ideal for the rancher or backwoods dweller, keeping your RAM’s crucial fluid coolers, headlights, and other front-end components out of harm’s way.

Expert’s Choice: Ranch Hand Legend Series Grille Guard Front Bumper

The Ranch Hand Legend Series Grille Guard Front Bumper is, as the name suggests, nothing short of legendary! This premium bumper features the classic styling and heavy-duty construction expected from Ranch Hand, including schedule 40 pipe and diamond-plate steel body. The bumper’s sleek, gloss black powder coat finish makes for unparalleled corrosion resistance, ensuring a long service life on the front end of your RAM! 

The Ranch Hand Legend offers various accessory mounts, including an integrated 2-inch hitch receiver to mount snow plows, ball mounts, and more! This bumper also accepts your RAM’s factory tow hooks and fog lights, ensuring no features are lost. 

Features:

  • Schedule 40 pipe and diamond-plate steel construction

  • Heavy-duty "ranch style" bumper

  • Built for 3/4 ton and bigger trucks

  • Built-in 2” front hitch receiver

  • Tow hooks and factory fog lights retained on most vehicles

  • Frame mounts in four locations for a tight, vibration-free fit

  • One-piece welded design prevents rattling

  • Black powder-coat finish

  • USA-made

  • 1-year warranty



Modular

Modular bumpers are a popular style considering their visual similarities to base bumpers yet lower price and quicker shipping due to their multi-piece design. Modular bumpers are typically separated into three pieces–the center section, driver’s wing, and passenger wing–which bolt together using the included hardware.

Expert’s Choice: Westin Pro-Mod Front Bumper

The Pro-Mod Front Bumper is a premium modular-style bumper from body armor expert Westin, featuring a three-piece design for easy shipping and assembly. This bumper is manufactured entirely from rugged 10-gauge steel for exceptional strength and durability, working as hard as your heavy-duty RAM! Westin applies a premium 2-stage finish to each Pro-Mod bumper, including a corrosion-resistant E-Coat and thick, matte-black powder coat. 

All Westin Pro-Mod bumpers include provisions for a 30-inch LED light bar; optionally, Westin offers skid plates and steel valances for additional protection. 

Features: 

  • Tough 10-gauge plate steel construction

  • Lightweight yet sturdy modular design

  • Quick shipping and easy installation compared to heavier bumpers

  • Dual-layered E-Coat/powder-coating for superior corrosion resistance

  • Steel valance included on some applications

  • Optional skid plates available for off-road protection

  • Accepts most 30" LED light bars (sold separately)

  • 3-year warranty

Prerunner

Prerunner bumpers are incredibly similar to base, bullnose, and grille guard bumpers, featuring a one-piece plate steel body. What sets prerunner bumpers apart, however, is the iconic pre-runner guard welded to the bumper’s body, featuring a wide, low-profile primary hoop with two tubular supports on either side.

Expert’s Choice: Fab Fours Matrix Pre-Runner Front Bumper

The Fab Fours Matrix Prerunner Front Bumper is a stylish plate steel bumper with an integrated tubular pre-runner guard, offering exceptional front-end protection and off-road-inspired styling. This bumper is manufactured with a beefy 3/16-inch steel body and rigid tubular steel guard, protecting your RAM’s critical front-end components from impacts and abrasions, whether resulting from a mild collision or a rogue shopping cart in a grocery store parking lot! 

The Fab Fours Matrix features various accessory mounts, including a 30-inch LED light bar mount, four LED cube mounts, up to a 12,000-pound rated winch, and D-Ring shackles. Additionally, this bumper accepts your RAM’s factory parking assist sensors, ensuring no functionality is lost. 

Features: 

  • Sturdy 3/16” plate steel construction

  • Durable black powder coat finish

  • Accommodates up to 12,000 lb. winches (sold separately)

  • Houses optional 30" single-row LED light bar & LED cube lights (sold separately)

  • Includes vehicle-specific mounting brackets and hardware

  • Removable light inserts for further customization

  • Offers increased tire clearance

  • Integrated D-Ring shackle mounts & sensor cutouts

  • USA-made

  • Limited-lifetime structural/2-year finish warranty

Tube

Tube bumpers are manufactured almost entirely from tubular steel, providing a product that’s sturdy and high-clearance, ideal for use on an off-road build. While most tube bumpers have too low of a profile to house winches, most feature mounting tabs for auxiliary lights and impact-resistant skid plates.

Expert’s Choice: N-Fab Prerunner Front Bumper

The RSP Gloss Black Prerunner Front Bumper is a rugged offering from N-Fab, a leading provider of all things body armor related. The RSP features a sleek, tubular design manufactured from fully-welded 1.75-inch tubular steel for superior strength and durability. Atop the steel is a durable 3-stage gloss black powder coat, protecting the underlying steel against rust. Each RSP bumper includes a 3/16-inch thick aluminum skid plate, driving home the bumper’s Baja-inspired aesthetics. Shop Tufftruckparts.com for all your big truck bumper needs.

This bumper features N-Fab’s multi-mount system, which allows for the mounting of various LED bars and pods to bolster low-light visibility. It also features a low profile, improving your RAM’s approach angle and front tire clearance. 

Features: 

  • Fully welded 1.75" tubular steel construction

  • 3-stage gloss black powder coat finish

  • Mounts either two 38-inch light bars or multi-mount

  • Select applications are winch-compatible

  • Includes vehicle-specific mounts and all necessary hardware

  • Simple bolt-on installation

  • 3/16" aluminum skid plate for superior undercarriage protection

  • Improves approach angle and front tire clearances

  • USA-made

  • Limited lifetime structural/5-year finish warranty