Lou @RVHabit
Updated: Mar 3, 2019
Installing an aftermarket bumper on a Jeep JK is straight forward. With the right tools and some patience, this should take a few hours. I purchased the Rugged Ridge Spartan Bumper with High Clearance Ends and Overrider and a Badland ZXR 12K Winch. Based on the way this bumper mounts to the frame it allowed me to install tow bar brackets by RockHard so I can use the Jeep as a Toad for my RV.
The first step is to remove the existing OEM bumper. This may or may not be difficult. I recommend spraying the bolts with liquid wrench at least one day prior to removal. You will also find it much easier if the front grill is removed to give you easier access to the bolts. A breaker bar may be needed depending how rusted the nuts are.
The winch plate attaches to the frame first. It lays on top of the frame and attaches with a total of 6 bolts. It is thicker steel than the main bumper and is predrilled for the winch. Two bolts are installed but not tightened to hold it in place while continuing the bumper install.
Before I proceeded I decided to mount the winch while there was easy access. The control box is prewired and connects easily to the winch with three color coded wires. The winch then gets mounted to the winch plate with four bolts. The two remaining wires, (positive and negative), are run into the engine compartment and left disconnected until the bumper install is completed.
The main bumper assembly is next. The factory fog lights are mounted in the holes and are a perfect fit for the OEM and most aftermarket fog lights. The winch fairlead is then attached. The bolts go in from the back with the nuts on the outside of the bumper.
The bumper is then attached to the Jeep frame and winch
plate. The bolts go through the bumper and frame. I attached a set of RockHard Tow Brackets in the lower two holes. This allows mounting directly to the frame of the vehicle. The supplied D-ring mounts attached to the top two holes, again directly to the frame.
After the bumper is completely installed you can make the final connections for the winch. Always connect the positive wire first. The Badland Winch comes with a fuse breaker and is used on the positive lead. Finally, connect the negative lead from the winch. Once all connections are tight the install is completed.
You can read or print the Owners Manuals for the Rugged Ridge Spartan Bumper and the Badland Bumper below that is shown below as a PDF.
The video shows the install on my 2011 Jeep JK.
(Affiliate) Links:
Review the Rugged Ridge Spartan Bumper on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2swBStx
Review the RockHard Tow Bar Brackets on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2RSFuEr
Review Liquid Wrench Spray on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2MilWE
Review the Neiko Breaker Bar on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2MilWEu
Review the LED Head and Fog Lights on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2U3uotZ
Review the Badland ZXR Winch on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2sexQp
Review the Smittybilt XRC Winch on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2RtJfQE
Review the Rough Country Pro Winch on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LTIxa6
Review the Rugged Ridge 8500 Winch on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LSD3MR
Review the Superwinch LP8500 Winch on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2RfZ8uR
Website Information:
Rugged Ridge Products go to http://www.ruggedridge.com/
RockHard 4x4 Products go to https://www.rockhard4x4.com/
Harbor Freight Badland Winches go to https://www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle/winches.html