"Bruiser" A 2017 RAM 1500 4X4 5.7 HEMI adventure...

[bruiserRAM]

FINISHED PRODUCT:

 

[bruiserRAM]

PS:

I'm a little worried about poor thread engagement with the bolts that mount the bumper on one side, and the tow hook brackets on the other.

I had to add a larger washer because the supplied washers were too small and would smoosh through the tow hook bracket holes. This, (and the extra bracket) means the nut is pretty far out on the threads.

Here is a picture showing the normal nut/bolt as designed on top, and the lower nut/bolt with an extra washer and the tow hook bracket.

Is this enough engagement? Does this look OK to y'all? I want everything full strength and OEM or better...I can buy a longer bolt somewhere if it seems sketchy even a little bit. @ram1500rsm ? @revitupmoto33 ? @hodge-xj ? @Kyle McWilliams ? Thanks.

 

[hodge-xj]

Damn man that looks great! Can't wait to see your full glamor shots of it in its natural enviroment!

In regards the bolt/nut, as far as I understand it and with our training for A325/A490 structural steel bolts on industrial buildings, once you have full nut engagement there is no need for extra shank length of the bolt. Basically it's wasted material. So you're good in my book as long as the nut is properly torqued and the bolt projects fully through the nut

[emoji1688]

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[revitupmoto33]

Damn that’s a clean looking bumper! Stoked you were able to get the oem tow hooks to work and I think they mesh up well with the bumper. As for thread engagement, rule of thumb that we try to follow in my industry is 3 full threads exposed past the nut with a lock washer and thread locker, or a nylock nut if no lock washer. I think you will be just fine and no need for a longer bolt.

 

[ram1500rsm]

you beat me to the install
I was putting mine on yesterday afternoon but had to stop because of the rain.
Cool you didn’t have to shave anything from the tow hooks, I had to cut a leg from mines. I like what you did with the splash guard and the zip ties to the grill. And hopefully I won’t have to remove the bumper to get the filler panels.

 

[MidwestExpress]

The side filler panels were a muthafucka. The brackets were a pain, and there is a little camming tab that is pretty much BARELY big enough to secure the whole assemble to the plastic headlight surround. Took almost 2 hours to fiddlefuck them on. After that, the bumper was easy peasy.

Interesting, my ADD bumper didn't come with filler panels for the gap under the headlights. It looked like crap, so in a haste I cut up my old bumper to get a couple pieces that would fit well enough and used velcro to attach the pieces on under the headlights. I had zero expectations they would stay on and kept debating a permanent solution, but a year later they're still there.

 

[bruiserRAM]

A couple more...

Now I gotta figure out my license plate location...that ICI logo is in an inconvenient spot...and my light situation.

I think a single row light bar would look better than a double due to the short space between bumper and bar. Question is, do I get a 30" and fill most of the space, or get a 20" and then put two pods on either side? If I do the full 30" I will wanna get some fogs mounted somewhere...

I eventually want A pillar lights too to hit out to the side of my rig also.

 

[hodge-xj]

I vote a 20" and 2 Amber pods on each side for true fog and inclement weather!

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[bruiserRAM]

I just love this damn bumper! Looks way better in person than the dozen photos I so painstakingly obsessed over for months. So glad I jumped on this, and the 40% off deal was the icing on the cake!

Sitting happy...

 

[bruiserRAM]

 

[hodge-xj]

Dude, I can't get enough of these pics. East coast scenery sucks

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[bruiserRAM]

Ordered a Radius Gardens Root Slayer shovel, shovel mounts for inside bed, a Blueridge Overland Gear Molle/PALS panel for the back of my seat with some pouches for organizing gear/tools, an ARB snatch strap, Gear America tree saver for use as a bridle, and a cheap aluminum hitch reciever with shackle.

Gonna get a bottle jack and go join my local 4x4 club. Ha.

Photos to follow someday

 

[buddy guy]

As much As the dealer plate looked good during sunset...

View attachment 158010

I was happy to finally get my proper, CA Legacy plates!

View attachment 158011

View attachment 158012

I was gonna say...truck sucked until you got rid of that pink plate!


Great job! Truck looks awesome. I like all black schemes.

 

[Nick@GotExhaust]

Looks great! Let us know when your ready for some LED lights on that new bumper!

 

[bruiserRAM]

Looks great! Let us know when your ready for some LED lights on that new bumper!

Soon...kinda torn on what to go with, both brand/cost and the actual types. Hard to justify the cost of most name brands going with what I want...which is:

Lightbar: single row, as blacked out as possible surrounding the LEDs, either 30" or 20" with good waterproof harness and connections. Many brands don't make a single row, let alone a blacked out one. Rough Country has one (but...not a big fan of RC). KC has their FLEX series which is AWESOME but awesomely expensive. Aurora Z (AKA, Black Oak LED) has a single row at a good price but lots of chrome and silver...

Pods: if I get the 20" bar, then I'll want 2 fog pods (maybe amber?) on either side of it, on the bumper. If I get the 30" there won't be room. Prob be good to stay in the same brand just for asthetics.

Bonus: A-pillar pods...spread beams of some kind to see off to the side a bit.

OR

Maybe I'll get 4 big round lights and mount them on top of the pre-runner bar??

 

[Nick@GotExhaust]

Soon...kinda torn on what to go with, both brand/cost and the actual types. Hard to justify the cost of most name brands going with what I want...which is:

Lightbar: single row, as blacked out as possible surrounding the LEDs, either 30" or 20" with good waterproof harness and connections. Many brands don't make a single row, let alone a blacked out one. Rough Country has one (but...not a big fan of RC). KC has their FLEX series which is AWESOME but awesomely expensive. Aurora Z (AKA, Black Oak LED) has a single row at a good price but lots of chrome and silver...

Pods: if I get the 20" bar, then I'll want 2 fog pods (maybe amber?) on either side of it, on the bumper. If I get the 30" there won't be room. Prob be good to stay in the same brand just for asthetics.

Bonus: A-pillar pods...spread beams of some kind to see off to the side a bit.

OR

Maybe I'll get 4 big round lights and mount them on top of the pre-runner bar??

We offer Rigid, KC, Vison-X, Baja Designs and a bunch of others. I am sure we can get you a setup that works for you. Personally I would go Spots on the pillar as floods will shine onto hood making it harder to see far then do a 20" bar and 2 pods amber on the bumper. Also if you run off road with others I recommend 2 pods on the rear bumper with amber lenses. That is what I ran on my Raptor so I could have white reverse lights when needed and I could run amber rears for on the trails with low visibility for others to see me easier when chasing

 

[JB1]

Soon...kinda torn on what to go with, both brand/cost and the actual types. Hard to justify the cost of most name brands going with what I want...which is:

Lightbar: single row, as blacked out as possible surrounding the LEDs, either 30" or 20" with good waterproof harness and connections. Many brands don't make a single row, let alone a blacked out one. Rough Country has one (but...not a big fan of RC). KC has their FLEX series which is AWESOME but awesomely expensive. Aurora Z (AKA, Black Oak LED) has a single row at a good price but lots of chrome and silver...

Pods: if I get the 20" bar, then I'll want 2 fog pods (maybe amber?) on either side of it, on the bumper. If I get the 30" there won't be room. Prob be good to stay in the same brand just for asthetics.

Bonus: A-pillar pods...spread beams of some kind to see off to the side a bit.

OR

Maybe I'll get 4 big round lights and mount them on top of the pre-runner bar??

I’ve had my 30” single row black RC light bar for around 18 months without a single issue. The wiring harness is very good quality too.

https://www.roughcountry.com/30-inch-curved-led-light-bar-72730bl.html