Your go-to pickup, the Ford Ranger has been around for several years thanks to its solid and sturdy build. As a matter of fact, Ford Rangers have been one of the most dependable workhorses for folk worldwide for many years. But after many years of hard work, your truck is likely to need a bit of makeover.
Changing or upgrading your Ford Ranger’s bumper will not only make it stronger and offer practical capabilities, but it will also dramatically improve the style of your truck. Customizing your truck with a brand new bumper will give it that fresh look and might even make your work a little easier or your weekends more fun!
If you are looking for front off road, winch, chrome, custom, OE or aftermarket bumper, you are in the right place. We have put together a great selection of each so you do not have to search to find what you need to pimp your ride or beef it up for some off road fun.
Our favourite is the Aries 3053 Black Steel Grille Guard as it looks great and gives you the chance to add a winch or other accessories, but if that does not float your boat, there are some great choices for pretty much anything you are looking for.
Contents
- Best Ford Ranger Front Bumpers at the Cheapest Prices
- 1. Aries 3053 Black Steel Off Road Grille Guard – Best Grille Guard
- 2. Affordable Offroad Modular Aftermarket Front Bumper with Bull Bar – Best Winch Bumper
- 3. Westin 33-0880 Chrome Stainless Steel or Black Bull Bar – Best Bull Bar
- 4. Westin 40-2055 Sportsman Tough Steel Grille Guard
- 5. OE Replacement Ford Ranger Front Bumper Reinforcement Bar
- 6. OE Replacement Ford Ranger Front Bumper Valance
- Ford Ranger Bumpers Buyers Guide
Best Ford Ranger Front Bumpers at the Cheapest Prices
1. Aries 3053 Black Steel Off Road Grille Guard
– Best Grille Guard
Aries Ford Ranger Grille Guard
Whether you’re motoring down the highway or zigzagging through a parking lot, your rig’s front end is open to all kinds of damage. Oblivious drivers and loose shopping carts can smack into your truck, sending you on an expensive trip to the body shop. Shield your ride from damage with an Aries Off Road Grille Guard.
Along with serious protection, an Aries Off Road Grille Guard steps up your truck or SUV’s style to new heights. Aries custom designs their Off Road Grille Guards to accentuate the factory lines of your vehicle. The built-in brush guards wrap around your headlights for extra security, and the pre-drilled light holes let you mount up an array of auxiliaries.
The Aries Off Road Grille Guard is built tough right down to its core. It’s constructed from heavy-duty 1 1/2″ tubing in either a solid 1-piece or a modular design. Thick rubber bump pads run down the center pillars, and you can choose from 2 finishes: polished stainless steel (Lifetime Warranty) or black powder-coated steel (3-year warranty).
Customer Reviews
More Details90% of reviews on Amazon rate the Aries 3053 grille guard as 5 star or 4 star, with numerous buyers commenting on how easy it is to install, taking less than 1 hour to fit.
With a RRP of $481.25, this really is a steal on Amazon right now, cheapest place we have found to buy it.
Aries Grille Guard Installation guide
Installing the mounting brackets
- The easiest way to install the grille guard is to use a car lift to raise your Ranger to a working height. Although this is not essential, it is more comfortable if you have access to one.
- Loosen the 2 factory nuts located directly behind bumper (outer top side of frame)
- Attach mounting frame brackets (6 hole brackets) to the outer edge of frame re-using factory nuts, 1⁄2 x 4 hex bolts, 1⁄2 nylon lock nuts and 1⁄2 washers. Do not fasten these bolts to tightly as you may have to move the brackets around slightly to align the front bar to your front bumper.
- Attach mounting frame brackets (2 hole brackets) to the inner edge of frame using 7/16 x 1 1⁄2 hex bolts, 7/16 hex nuts, 7/16 washers and 1⁄2 nylon lock nuts.
Installing the front bar
- Line up the three holes on the lower portion of the front bar with the three holes
on the mounting frame brackets (inner edge). Use the 7/16 x 1 1⁄2 hex bolts, 7/16 hex nuts, and 7/16 washers to fasten the front bar to the mounting frame brackets. Once the front bar is attached to the mounting brackets align the left and right side of the front bar to the bumper. - Once you are satisfied that the left and right side are equal distances from the bumper, tighten all fasteners.
Aries 3053 Installation Instructions
2. Affordable Offroad Modular Aftermarket Front Bumper with Bull Bar
– Best Winch Bumper
Affordable Offroad Modular Bumper
Dan started welding at 14 and what was once a hobby building Jeep frames for friends, is now a professional business providing quality hand built bumpers for the off road market.
Affordable Offroad is a great story of how when you build quality products, people want them and sales take care of themselves. You can see this on Amazon where 100% of reviews left are either 5 star or 4 star. Quality talks for itself.
The Affordable Offroad modular front bumper with bull bar is a great choice for Ford Rangers built between 1998-2011 and we love it as it provides a solid replacement to the factory fitted Ford Ranger bumper with integrated bull bars and market standard winch mounting profile. So not only can you easily install your winch but the whole thing looks rugged, aggressive and ready for work.
The bumper comes unfinished/painted, so you can choose the paint/finish that matches your truck setup.
Customer Reviews
More DetailsBuyers report that it takes about 2 1/2 hours to fully install but the process is easy and straight forward. They also comment that fitting their winches has been simple and caused no issues. Everyone agrees that it looks ‘insanely cool’. We agree!
How to Remove your Ford Ranger Front Bumper and Install Aftermarket Bull Bars
The below video gives you a good idea of the steps needed to remove the front bumper from your Ford Ranger and install bull bars, but this is also helpful if you just want to replace your damaged or old bumper.
3. Westin 33-0880 Chrome Stainless Steel or Black Bull Bar
– Best Bull Bar
No matter if you are charging through a busy parking lot (yes, we hate parking lots!) or blazing a trail across Death Valley, the Westin Bull Bar puts a solid barrier between your rig and the big, bad world. Riding dead-center in front of your forward bumper, it delivers the protection you demand without concealing your truck or SUV’s front-end style.
Because life on the road is unpredictable, the Westin Bull Bar is built tough from heavy-gauge 3″ stainless steel tubing. The included skid plate guards your undercarriage from parking blocks, scrub brush and even boulders. Polished to a mirror shine or with black powder coat (skid plate is not powder coated), this barricade looks great and is virtually impervious to rust.
Currently retailing at $463.96, there is a huge discount to be found at Amazon if you are quick!
Mounting your Westin Bull Bar won’t eat up an entire afternoon. It’s custom-designed to bolt directly to your truck or SUV’s frame without any drilling. Some wrenches and a frosty beverage are all you need for this hassle-free, secure installation. The Westin Bull Bar comes with tabs for mounting auxiliary lights if you are looking for that option.
Westin 33-0880 Installation Instructions
Customer Reviews
More DetailsMost users comment how easy the Westin 33-0880 is to fit but warn that you might need to trim the plastic air-dam under the bumper to get a perfect fit on later Ranger models. All agree that it looks good when fitted and is sturdy.
4. Westin 40-2055 Sportsman Tough Steel Grille Guard
Westin 40-2055 Sportsman Grille Guard for Ford Ranger
Westin have built a superb, rugged full front-end protection grille guard. The Westin Sportsman protects your fragile headlights and grille with 1/2″ steel tubing that’s powder coated for a rust-free finish. Further extending the durable protection are 7-gauge uprights with thick rubber extrusions. For quick access to your headlamps, the light guards on the Sportsman 1-Piece Grille Guard are removable.
Westin manufactures the Sportsman 1-Piece Grille Guard with superior strength and excellent fit in mind. With mounting brackets that fit existing factory holes in your ride, the Sportsman 1-Piece Grille Guard installs easily for low-vibration use – no drilling required!
Included with the Westin Sportsman 1-Piece Grille Guard is an auxiliary light mount and a welded 1 1/4″ steel tubing hood guard. Your Westin Sportsman 1-Piece Grille Guard is backed by a 5-year warranty.
Customer Reviews
More DetailsBuyers on Amazon love this grille guard as it is extremely simple to install (all you need is a socket and wrench) and it looks great. It would be our top choice, but it costs just a bit more than the Aries. However, it is a great choice and one you will definitely be happy with.
Westin 40-255 Installation Instructions
5. OE Replacement Ford Ranger Front Bumper Reinforcement Bar
Located behind the plastic bumper cover you will find the bumper reinforcement bar which is the part of the bumper which absorbs the main impact and keeps you safe. If you have an accident and you need to replace your bumper reinforcement bar, you could end up paying quite a lot at your local dealership for a replacement part, or you could save yourself some money and get an OE reinforcement bar instead!
More DetailsOE stands for original equipment and OE marked parts are identical to the original part but for a fraction of the price. Whats not to like.
- Same quality as original but for less money
- Replace like for like
- Installation is the same as factory unit
- Same dimensions and fittings as original part
- You do not need to modify your vehicle to install
You can easily find Ford Ranger OE parts on Amazon for pretty much any part of your pickup.
6. OE Replacement Ford Ranger Front Bumper Valance
Your front bumper valance is the most likely part of your Ford Ranger that will need replacing at some point.
The valance is the lowest part of the bumper to the ground and is made of plastic, so any debris kicked up from a track or road is going to scratch, crack and cause damage from every day use.
More DetailsNow you could go ahead and buy a new replacement front bumper valance from your local dealership, but that is going to cost you a few $hundred, or you could pickup an OE replacement model, much like the reinforcement bar above at a fraction of the price.
- Same quality as original but for less money
- Replace like for like
- Installation is the same as factory unit
- Same dimensions and fittings as original part
- You do not need to modify your vehicle to install
You can easily find Ford Ranger OE parts on Amazon for pretty much any part of your pickup.
Ford Ranger Bumpers Buyers Guide
One of the things we love about pickup trucks is that you have so much choice when it comes to customization and your trucks bumpers are no different. With so much choice from simple like for like replacements to race ready options and custom winch bumpers, it can be confusing which is right for your setup. So we hope this buyers guide will help you find what you are looking for, and maybe even inspire you to do something new.
What Are Prerunner Bumpers?
We often get asked, what is a prerunner bumper and how is it different to any other aftermarket bumper for the Ford Ranger? Good question and the answer is fairly simple.
A prerunner bumper is a simple tubular steel bumper usually made from a single steel tube that wraps around the front or rear of the pickup truck to provide a low profile design and limited protection.
Good for racing
Prerunner bumper with LED light bar fitted for racing.
In desert races, for example, you do not want the weight of a heavy duty winch bumper, so a pre-runner provides a perfect lightweight solution which has adequate protection when landing nose first from a small jump and aids in pushing brush under the truck instead of always hitting your radiator.
Good for cruising
A lot of Ford Rangers are not used for off-roading, so pre-runner bumpers often provide that aftermarket bling to the front of the vehicle. You can fit LED light bars or individual spots to the low profile design bumper, which really does look pretty good.
This is the beauty of the Ford Ranger pickup truck, you can do whatever you want to fit your needs. You want a workhorse? no problem. You want to race them? got you covered. You want to make everyone look twice when you drive down main street? There is a bumper and accessory setup to do that for you.
Do whatever you want, but please do not settle for the off the shelf boring Ford Ranger, when it can be so much more!
How to install a rear pre runner bumper on a Ford Ranger
Learn how to build a Ford Ranger prerunner rear bumper in this great video tutorial. It takes you through step by step of what you need to do and hopefully inspires you to have a go on your truck!
Ford Ranger Bumper Brands
With a wide variety of options in the market, getting the right advice will help you decide which model and brand will fit your needs and requirements.
Keep in mind that if you are adding a winch to your truck, make sure you pick the most suitable bumper for your Ford Ranger, it will not only need to be durable but also able to withstand any kind of force which results from any heavy duty winches you have fitted. For more information on winches, checkout our Best 4×4 Winch For Your Money buyers guide.
Westin Bumpers
Westin Bumpers are well loved by Ford Ranger owners for their reliability and functionality. It is a great option if you want to incorporate winches, making it a popular Ford Ranger winch bumper. The winches can easily fit inside the bumper which allows for maximum flow of air to the truck’s radiator. It also comes with pre drilled holes to make installation of the winch into the bumper easily.
Westin 12500 winch for Westin front bumper
Aside from a few features which may vary slightly with each model and design, almost all Westin bumpers considerably improve the tire and ground clearance for Ford Rangers.
They also come with additional mount points for corner light and also for rock light. The jack points are also available both for the side and the front.
Since the winch easily fits on the inside of the bumper, it allows the flow of maximum air to the radiator of your truck. This is a feature you will not find in most of the other brands.
The Westin brush guard is easy to fit and looks great, as you can see.
Fey Aftermarket Rear Bumpers
Fey is great brand name and offer superb quality replacement bumpers for all sorts of trucks, not just the Ford Ranger. As a matter of fact, they are tough to beat in the market right now.
Fey 76000 DiamondStep Universal Chrome Replacement Rear Bumper
Fey bumpers offer impeccable fitting and appearance. Most buyers opt for Fey because of its replacement models that are specific to each vehicle and universal style. With Fey Ford Ranger bumpers you do not need additional drilling for an easy installation.
Most Fey bumpers are OE style to maintain the original design and fit. It meets the OE specifications when it comes to fit, function and form. Since they are made with proper gauge, it gives you the ultimate level of durability and strength. Fey replacement bumpers provide robust protection against any kind of road debris and rock chips besides low impact collisions.
Sherman Bumpers
Sherman is another brand that have been designed for an OE style fitting. These bumpers are usually made of top quality steel and you can get to pick from a wide variety of finishes consisting of black and chrome.
This goes for both the front and rear end of your Ford Ranger. Whether you are trying to restore your truck or you are just looking to replace your old rusted bumper, Sherman Ford Ranger bumpers are a great upgrade from the usual bumpers available in the market.
Get a precise fitting, by placing an order for the model which corresponds with your Ford Ranger application. Their classic models are high on protection for your trunk, cooling system, grill, exhaust, fuel, hood and other safety features like tail lights, parking lights, head lamps, etc during a slow speed collision.
Sherman bumpers have also achieved almost perfection with its precise elevation for the right level of ground clearance with raised corners and high degree approach angels.
How to Easily Replace a Ford Ranger Rear Bumper
Air Deflector Strips
Irrespective of the brand, depending on what you do with your truck you might want to look for bumpers with deflector strips. These are usually that 3 – 4 inch plastic guard that can be seen running along the bottom part. On first glance it might strike most of the onlookers as a hindrance to the ground clearance instead of doing anything to help the truck. However, it is vital for deflecting the air and improving performance.
There are two major things that these air deflectors do – first, it offers stability to speeding trucks by changing the overall air pressure underneath the truck. Second, it also helps to divert the airflow towards the radiator on certain occasions.
Air deflectors will go a long way in helping you to save fuel because the more the air flows under your truck, the bigger affect the air flow will have on overall fuel economy.
Looking for a bit of inspiration?
Have a look at what you could really do if you wanted to. Well a man dream can’t he!
Ford Ranger bumpers will not only protect the front and rear end of your truck. Adding a brand new bumper will enhance the overall exterior look of your Ford Ranger and can be a great accessory to add a little bling factor.
I am looking for a rear bumper for my 1997 Ford Ranger XLT, to accommodate a winch.
Doug