let's talk approach angle & bumpers
🪓to chop or not?
🪓to chop or not?
the approach angle game
Approach angle isn't everything, but the further your bumper sticks out, the hard it's going to be get up that next steep obstacle. A 90 degree angle means you can pretty much start your ascent up a straight vertical wall. A completely factory JL is typically closer to 44 degrees, and the Rubicon with optional 35" tires closer to 47.5 degrees with the factory front bumper.
how do they stack up?
Ever wonder how our bumpers stack up on approach angle? We've got the list right here for you, along with the angles calculated using our imaginary factory JL Rubicon on 35" tires -- less fairleads -- so all the angles are apples to apples comparisons. Just remember, if you step it to larger tires and larger lift heights, that will also change (increase) your approach angle; so your results will likely be even better with those configurations and these bumpers!
And keep in mind, while we ran these numbers based on JL factory heights, we offer EVERY bumper on this list for the JK as well!
5th place: 8274 aluminum adventure series
48.9 degrees
This Aluminum Adventure Series 8274 Bumper makes a commitment to the baddest winch you can put on the JL/JT platform: The WARN M8274 winch! The design of this bumper is entirely centered around shoving the 8274 inside it's enlarged steel inner structure/winch tray and otherwise shares a nearly identical aluminum outside shell with it's slimmer cousin: the Aluminum Adventure Series Front Bumper (keep reading below if you want to see that one!)
4th place: the featherweight series
51.2 degrees
This Featherweight Series Bumper may seem familiar, as it's been featured on the Stepchild in the past and currently on The Trail Destroyer - Shaun's JT Build on The Story Till Now.
This bumper, on our virtual Rubicon JL at factory height, with 35" tires comes in at an impressive 51.2 degree approach angle!
3rd place: Aluminum Adventure Series
53.1 degrees
The Aluminum Adventure Series. This is by far, our most popular front bumper. And it's no wonder. It's light weight 1/4" aluminum on the outside, but far from heavy duty with a 1/4" steel inner structure with integrated 1" thick steel recovery points that you can also flat tow off of.
You might recognize it from the #4699 Outlaw Off-Road/Next Venture Motorsports Ultra 4 Racing JL. This bumper has survived the 2024 King of the Hammers EMC course, dodging rocks and pushing slower cars out the way.
With options to re-use your factory foglights inside the shell, mount more lights in the optional lower skid, or up top on the shell or stinger, this one gives you all the options! It uses a conventional "foot down" winch to give you plenty of recovery/winch options too!
This is our highest approach angle front bumper that we offer, that requires 0 cutting. It even gives you MORE approach angle than most frame chop bumpers on the market!
2nd place: The 3" frame chop
60.7 degrees
At over 60 degrees (with no lift and 35s), the 3" Frame Chop Bumper is a huge difference, and it's difficult to find an obstacle that this bumper is a hang up on!
This requires cutting of the frame; however it leaves room to run a winch without having to touch your factory A/C condenser or plumbing!
Our JL on 3.5" of lift with 40s and this 3" chop sees quite a bit more approach - 72 degrees to be exact. If you really you need more angle than this, keep reading below for details on the 5"!
1st place: The 5" frame chop
66.8 degrees
At stock height, with 35" tires, the 5" Frame Chop Bumper brings you to 66.8 degrees at standard Rubicon height with 35" tires. This one requires some rework of your air conditioning plumbing and a new condenser; and is otherwise identical to the 3" frame chop bumper.
We don't know anyone running the 5" frame chop without a good suspension lift and tires though... so let's run some more numbers!
Running a 3.5" lift and 40s? That brings it up to 78.5 degrees.
Running a 5" lift and 42s? That's 82 degrees.
how to go vertical
Want to hit exactly 90 degrees? While it's completely unnecessary, we did the math for you anyways: Install the 5" frame chop bumper, bolt up 43" tires, and stretch your wheelbase forward 1.5" at the front axle. It's not something we'll be recommending, but our curiosity couldn't leave that equation unsolved, and it's not impossible 😉
To Chop, Or Not?
The 55 degree approach you might get out of most frame chops on the market, isn't a huge improvement over a well thought out non-chop bumper like the Aluminum Adventure Series that already nets a 53 degree angle. If you really do need the additional approach angle, our Frame Chop Front Bumper requires less work/less material removal than most frame chops while giving your Jeep a 61-67 degree approach angle.
what else is worth
consideration
A big factor: where is the winch? Placing it lower to the ground means a lower center of gravity overall, and pulling from directly between the frame rails, as opposed to raised up above means less leverage on your frame and attachment hardware in hard recovery situations. A winch that sits low will also block less of your radiator, a/c condenser, and transmission/steering coolers.
