Fab Fours Lifestyle JK Bumper Review [Video]
Jeep Wrangler JK owners have it made. Since the JK’s launch in 2007, the aftermarket has been on fire with aftermarket Jeep accessories for both the four-door Unlimited models and legendary two-door Wrangler. The ability to personalize your JK is not only a great way to set your Jeep apart, but it can also increase the rigs ability to thrive in off-road conditions. For our friends daily driven 2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara, the build has been a slow and steady process.
Previously, we've showed you a few of this JK’s installs, including the Eibach 3.5-inch All-Terrain-Lift. Now, the Jeep is being fit with another must-have for any serious ‘wheeler—a winch front bumper.
Lifestyle Winch Front Bumper
While there are plenty of front bumper options for the JK, they chose the Fab Fours Lifestyle series front bumper. This setup not only complements the Fab Fours rear bumper styling, but also provides the off-road essentials they were looking for in a front bumper.
We stopped by Low Range 4x4 in Wilmington, North Carolina, where the new bolt-on bumper was being installed. Taking less than two hours from start to finish, the bolt-on bumper was an easy upgrade that absolutely transformed the front of the JK for the better.
In addition to the video above, we’ve broken down some of the install highlights below:
Removing the stock front bumper only takes a few minutes. It’s secured by four nuts on each frame horn. If your JK has stock fog lights, you’ll simply unplug the harness from the back of the light connector.
Fab Fours builds the Lifestyle series front bumper out of 3/16-inch plate steel. The bumper comes fit with studs that slide through the original mounting holes on the front bumper, making the install easier.
The Lifestyle series front bumper is designed to accept a wide-range of winches. This Jeep’s owner opted for the Smittybilt XRC 9.5 Gen 2 winch. The setup was fit with Smittybilt’s synthetic series winch line, which saved a little weight. Controlled by a 6.6hp series-wound motor, the 9,500-pound winch rating is plenty for this JK. Note: depending on the year of the Jeep and type of winch used, you may need to relocate the vacuum pump.
Included with the bumper were injection-molded light pods that housed an aftermarket fog light and turn signal. Once you attach the bracket to the light, you can bolt the pod into the bumper.
Two 1-inch-thick D-ring mounts come welded to the bumper. To add a little style and additional protection, Fab Fours provides these bumper covers that slide over the protruding D-ring mounts.
To get the new bumper lights working, Fab Fours includes a wiring diagram and tie-clips. These allow you to tap into the Jeep’s stock harness so the turn signals work in sync.
Since the bumper is designed to match up with the stock fender flares on the Jeep, Fab Fours made sure to tapper the bumper ends. This allows for less material blocking the path of the 35-inch-tall Nitto Trail Grappler, which ultimately makes for a better approach angle.
The end result is a setup that fits this Jeep owner's off-road needs perfectly. We were impressed with the craftsmanship on the American-made bumper and found even the quality of the powdercoat to be well done.
For those looking for some additional flare, Fab Fours also offers the Lifestyle series front bumper with a tubular grille guard. (See Fab Fours' full line of JK bumpers.)
Looking for a tire carrier? There's a single-action mount designed to make cargo access easy while supporting up to a 40-inch-tall spare tire—be sure to check out our review of Fab Fours' off-the-gate rear tire carrier.
For more views of the install, browse the photo gallery below.
