mbisson wrote:It has been quite awhile since I have been on here, but there is a lot of knowledge here. I need help.
If all goes well tomorrow, I will be trading in the FJ on a JK Jeep. This is happening because I can't tow the FJ. The Jeep is towable.
I am looking for a front bumper with strong shackle mounts. I plan on attaching the tow bar to the shackle mounts. I would like a bumper with a winch mount that is within the frame rails. I don't want one were the winch is mounted on top like an afterthought.
Thanks for the help.
mike
Mike -
Nice to hear from you. Good luck with the JK; it's a fine vehicle, but it's no FJ
Regarding the bumper: Most JK bumpers set the winch on top out of necessity. The front sway bar (especially on the Rubicon) and frame rails limit winch positions. If you want to tow by the bumper shackle mounts (as opposed to having a mount built off the JK's frame), I'd suggest the ARB bumper. It is the strongest mount design, is air-bag certified (the only one), and has shackle mounts integrated into the bumper. Like all JK bumpers, the winch sits in a pocket, and is not completely inside the bumper.
THere are many bumpers available for the JK, and most have shackle mounts. Best bet is to try to look at as many as possible (maybe go to a Jeep run or check out a Jeep forum such as myjeeprocks.com) and see what looks best to you.
Just curious - why wasn't the FJ towable ? Did you have the manual trans with full-time 4wd ?