vengeful Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 As a spinoff from Dean's Rear Bumper Thread, where the KMA Wincher's were mentioned, I had been asked to post details and pictures of the bumpers. Here is what I know and I'll provide some pictures as well. Winch Options/Questions: KMA says that the bumper will have no problem holding up to a 10,000lb winch, but is concerned about the Unibody structure with such a powerful winch. They recommend using a 9,000lb winch. They state that an integrated solenoid winch, such as the Warn XD9000i or the Warn 9.5Ti Thermometric, can be used with, or without, the light bar and grille and light guard options. They state that the bumper can hold any winch as long as it is under 8" deep. The bumpers do not come pre-drilled for your winch. However, if you know what winch you are using, and you have the dimensions, hole patterns, they can drill it. Lighting: The recessed off-road lights ($115 option) can come in either a 5" Round or a 3.5" round. Yes, the lights and pigtails are included. If you want to mount lights on top of the bumper, you need to get the Light Bar ($45 Option) as the top is open to allow for easy winch access, use of an integrated solenoid winch, and the ability to use a winch cover in the winter. You can use the Light Bar with any winch. The Recessed Lights and the Light Bar are the only recommended lighting options. (Key word, recommended. ) Upgraded LED Turn Signals are available. ($40 Option) Specs: The bumper will weigh anywhere from 115lbs to 140lbs depending on options. Use this weight for freight calculations. They will be coming from Douglasville, GA 30134, USA. As an example: Freight shipping to Arlington, Virginia (near Washington, DC) Commercial Address - $126 Terminal in Alexandria - $195 Residential Address - $351 Terminal in Salt Lake City, UT - $175 It is constructed out of 3/16" Steel with 1/4" Steel mounting brackets and Winch Plate. Incandescent turn signals are included. Can be upgraded to LEDs. Mounting and Installation: Now, here's the question you're all asking. "Is this a bolt-on bumper?" No. It is not a directly bolt-on operation. You need to modify the frame extensions in the front to bolt it on. It DOES bolt to the truck instead of weld though. This is what the stock frame extention looks like, before modification. That piece is unbolted and the projection trimmed off. Also, the outside part is trimmed down to access the mounting surface. This picture shows the modified frame extension, and is ready to have the bumper mounted. Another view. You can see that the two holes that will be used have been enlarged to allow the use of larger, stronger bolts. The washer fluid bottle is removed in that picture. KMA recommends removing it for easier access while installing the bumper. Here you can see the bumper mounted with the two holes shown in the above picture. You can also see the third mounting hole. This one gets drilled into the frame. Here you can see the third hole drilled and the bolt installed. Finished Product! Pricing Information: Base Model Wincher in satin black - $465 Options: Grill Guard $85 Light Guards $55 D rings or shackle mounts $40 pair Receiver installed on winch bumper - $60 Upgrade turn signals to LEDs - $40 Recessed 5" 55watt off road lights - $115 Light Bar - $45 Optional Finishes: Gloss Black - $25 Aluminum/Silver-Brite - $45 Spray on bed liner - $100 (black, red, grey, green yellow, blue) Custom colours - please contact office Direct Link to KMA's Page about these bumpers. Link to Main KMA Webpage Note: All images contained within this post are the property of the poster and/or Kennesaw Mountain Accessories and are not to be re-posted without express written consent of the original poster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmorgan4 Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Dan, why do you always have connections? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vengeful Posted October 17, 2006 Author Share Posted October 17, 2006 I'm just good like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbopath Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 I was looking at that site last week and wondering...think they would throw in a winchless bumper for cheaper? I don't get stuck...lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vengeful Posted October 17, 2006 Author Share Posted October 17, 2006 The bumpers are available in 3 varieties. Wincher, Plain and with an integrated reciever. They are all the same price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02silverpathy Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 :o Am i the only one drueling over that hideous bumper? :o This thing looks super TJM to me. I am in love....or is it lust? XPLORx4, please input your thoughts on your current bumper in comparison with this one...I am falling in love too fast and need a straight shooter or 2,590 (the current number of members) to aide me in staying away from buying this!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02silverpathy Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 .........ahh nevermind--lust Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02silverpathy Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 well maybe f it I just don't know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vengeful Posted October 17, 2006 Author Share Posted October 17, 2006 Well, you should know by now that TJM has disowned us. Any hope of finding a TJM is a Scratch-n-Dent from TJM or a used one on eBay. Aside from Custom, and the potential BlackPanther bumper, which is on an indefinite hold as of now, since Marcel lost his R50, this is the only winch bumper option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XPLORx4 Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Honestly, it's not my cup of tea. I guess since I'm lucky enough to already have a TJM, I can afford to be picky. On the other hand, it is relatively inexpensive compared to what I paid for the TJM (which in 1999, was about $800). If I had to have a winch, and this was all there was available (which is the situation for the R50 as of right now), I suppose I would get one. But if I never intended to install a winch, then I'd probably pass. Here are my comments: 1) I'm not a big fan of those rounded turn signals. 2) Don't bump your knee into those D-ring shackle mounts! Yikes! :oops: 3) The bumper sticks out too far in front of the grille, which puts a lot of extra weight FORWARD of the front tires, and has the effect of making the 140-lb. bumper feel even heavier to your front springs. With the weight of a winch sitting in that bumper, you'll find it very difficult to control front-end bouncing with even KYB GR2 struts. (My stock struts bounced miserably with my Warn winch loaded in the TJM bumper.) 4) Don't try winching from a substantial side-angle. The lack of horizonal gusseting on the mounts where it attaches to the frame seem very prone to bending side-to-side. Compare the KMA photo of the 3-bolts-per-side steel plate with this TJM bracket: (Note: The photo doesn't show it well, but the top edge of the bracket is folded over to form a lip about 1" deep. Also, the TJM bracket is completely bolt-on. No grinding off pieces of the frame.) I would have opted for getting the upper tubes, but without knowing their size, or bend radii, and ultimately how it would look all together, it'd be tough to say for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02silverpathy Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 The D shackles ...you know all to well that I would smash right into it...my happy little arse going around to unload my daughter at the day care...bang---days over!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichiganAve Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Hard to tell in these pics, but is that an integrated skid plate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vengeful Posted October 17, 2006 Author Share Posted October 17, 2006 I agree with much of what you've said Dean. I am not a big fan of how far it sticks out, or the mounting of it. I like the way the TJM mounts much better. It's a lot more solid. I've heard some horror stories about TJMs and ARBs bending under heavy winching forces though. I'm not sure how substantiated those stories are, because I've never actually seen it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entropy98 Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 What are they going to do about us that don't have fender flares? Not that I will buy one but the side sure do stick out far. Also is there the ability to have it not stick out as far maybe getting rid of the huge gaping hole that is in the front to hold the winch? I would more than likely not get a winch and find the hole very unattractive. Just some questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichiganAve Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 I'm not a big fan of those rounded turn signals. Me neither, they are ugly. I spoke with them earlier and you can save $45 by not getting the signals. Some Pathy's seem to come wired with turn signals into the corner lights if they don't have turns in the bumper. In my QX4 I have fogs and signals in the bumper but I don't see any reason I couldn't rewire my turn signals to the corner lights and NOT get signals in the bumper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vengeful Posted October 17, 2006 Author Share Posted October 17, 2006 Those are questions you're going to have to address to Kyle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entropy98 Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Arent you the new liaison between us and them? I am assuming that you are getting some sort of kick back for posting the info. haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vengeful Posted October 17, 2006 Author Share Posted October 17, 2006 Not at all. Just posting it for the benefit of the community. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nissandoms47 Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 im not a big fan of the turn signals either, i dont like the roundness of them and i think they are a little too close to the edge. if they can make them more like the ARB or TJM where they are square and in towards the center it would be perfect. but maybe the recessed fogs will make it look alright. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zonianbrat Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 What are they going to do about us that don't have fender flares? Not that I will buy one but the side sure do stick out far. Also is there the ability to have it not stick out as far maybe getting rid of the huge gaping hole that is in the front to hold the winch? I would more than likely not get a winch and find the hole very unattractive. Just some questions. I have to agree with entropy, The second white R-50 looks goofy without having fender flares. If you go up tight trails and have to back down for somebody coming down then you are going to snag something. And as long as the turn signals function then I am happy. Personally I think it is a sweet deal. Yes Dean makes some good points but there are alot of us that can not afford to make our rigs totally tricked out for 4x4'ing (yet). So bumpers like this one are right up my alley as I will not be "winching" from extreme angles anytime real soon because I do not have a winch. My main concern is about the weight on the front tires which I am sure could be fixed with a good set of struts/springs. Down side is that you have to buy more equipment in order to accomodate for said bumper. All in all I like it and hope to be able to afford one in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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