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Old 09-26-2014, 09:37 PM   #1
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Jeep O/R bumper choices suitable for Blue Ox Aventa

We'd like to receive forum members suggestions on brands & model #'s of strong, light, (aluminum?) off road winch mount capable bumpers and suitable baseplate systems that will allow us to tow a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited using a Blue Ox Aventa LX tow bar.

We also want to add a rear bumper with swing away tire mount, 2" hitch receiver, and 2 clevis pull point mount locations.

Our selling dealer has no experience with equipping a Jeep for motorhome towing, and the local hitch shops know Blue Ox products but nothing about making the Aventa work with offroad equipment. Given the number of Jeeps being used for both purposes, it is difficult to imagine the devices for the two needs don't cross over.
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Old 09-26-2014, 09:46 PM   #2
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have you tried contacting quadra tech they know everything jeep . I have spent many thousands with them always helpful .
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Old 09-27-2014, 09:11 AM   #3
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I just set up my 2014 Rubicon with Rockhard bumpers front and rear along with full underside body armor. Two inch lift, cooltech wiring harness, cb radio, warn winch, and new 35 inch tires and wheels. Not done with my build yet, but need to give the checkbook a short break.
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Old 09-27-2014, 09:25 AM   #4
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One of the Blue Ox "Base plate" opetions is for older Jeeps, they had basically a "C" channel bumper this was a mostly flat metal channel that bolted to the frame with rather short bolts.

The base plate bolted to the frame with the exact same bolts.

This is one of the strongest bumpers they ever put on a jeep.

They are also Blue Ox's cheapest base plates.
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Old 09-27-2014, 09:55 AM   #5
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Our Jeep is a little older (2006), but the previous owner had Smittybilt front and rear XRC bumpers on it. The front bumper had D-rings that we bought adapters for to use the Blue Ox tow bar, no base plate needed. The rear had the swing away tire carrier with hitch. A quick Google search should provide many bumper options, just make sure that the D-rings are fully welded and designed for the intended purpose.
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Old 09-27-2014, 10:48 AM   #6
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We have been cautioned not to use the clevis mount points as tow bar mount points by each bumper vendor we have spoken to. They all say that the manufacturing process for those points is not certified to a standard high enough to rely on them for towing. I have not read the manufacturers literature, but we are told they all have disclaimers against the liability for an accident resulting from using the clevis mount points for towing.

As a result, we think we need to buy a "certified" bolt on bracket that goes through the bumper and connects to the frame with Grade 8 bolts. The trick is finding a bumper where the space exists to mount those pieces so they match the right geometry for the Aventa tow bar. We keep finding that the manufacturers put the clevis mount points right where we need to bolt on the tow bar brackets into the frame.
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Old 09-27-2014, 11:47 AM   #7
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You need to do what you feel comfortable with but it seems funny that Smittybilt offers a tow bar for their bumpers?

Tow Bar Kit - Smittybilt
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Old 09-27-2014, 01:23 PM   #8
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I tow my wrangler unlimited using a blue Ox aventa connected to my SmityBilt XRC front bumper. I don't have a winch on the jeep but the XRC bumper had space for one.

My setup was the prototype for the BlueOx clips that connect to that kind I after market bumper. I posted pix of it on this forum a while back. If I can find that post I will report back with it.
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Old 09-27-2014, 01:36 PM   #9
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You could try Aluminess. They don't list an aluminum front bumper for Jeep but perhaps they could fab one for you.
If you consider steel my suggestion would be Rockhard
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Old 09-27-2014, 01:47 PM   #10
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Smittybilt has tough bumpers, but that tow bar looks sorta. . . (is cheap the word?) inconsistent with their bumpers
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Old 09-27-2014, 08:02 PM   #11
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Yeah, I agree. I use the Blue Ox myself with the adapters from Warrior Products. I merely bring it up that Smitybuilt must think their bumpers are tow worthy if they offer a tow bar for it, although I've never read their disclaimers. I've had no problems.
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Old 09-28-2014, 07:43 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by becks View Post
I just set up my 2014 Rubicon with Rockhard bumpers front and rear along with full underside body armor. Two inch lift, cooltech wiring harness, cb radio, warn winch, and new 35 inch tires and wheels. Not done with my build yet, but need to give the checkbook a short break.
The cheque book has done a marathon, it likely needs a break! You are building a pretty capable Jeep there. What tow bar are you towing it with, and what model of tow bar brackets connect to the RockHard Bumper while bolting through into the Jeep frame?
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Old 09-28-2014, 08:01 AM   #13
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Originally Posted by Statgeek View Post
I tow my wrangler unlimited using a blue Ox aventa connected to my SmityBilt XRC front bumper. I don't have a winch on the jeep but the XRC bumper had space for one.

My setup was the prototype for the BlueOx clips that connect to that kind I after market bumper. I posted pix of it on this forum a while back. If I can find that post I will report back with it.
Thanks, I'd like to view that set up. The SmittyBilt, RockHard and ARB products seem very popular on Jeep forums, surely some of them are being used as "towed" vehicles.

As a separate question, these front and rear bumpers add a lot of weight to a lightly sprung vehicle. 200 lbs. or more including a winch on the front, and 160 lbs rear. I believe the CCC is less than 700 lbs. Do you put heavier springs in to manage the additional weight of the bumpers and accessories? What about revising your front wheel alignment settings after the bumper and winch are mounted?
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Old 09-28-2014, 09:01 AM   #14
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I have a Hanson bumper on my JK and have used the clevis mounts to tow for probably 30,000 miles all around the country and up into Alaska.
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