Hey guys, there has DEFINITELY been a lot of improvements made to 5th gen stuff since the last time I went shopping for things!!

I'm currently looking for one of the low-profile bumpers that replaces the center valance (Ironman4x4, CBI, heftyfabworks, etc...)

Does anyone on here have any personal experience with them? Things they'd do different if given the chance gain? Preference to one company vs another and build quality i.e. hefty fabworks has a bumper 'cover' so you can just remove it to get to the winch area vs Ironman4x4 where you have to remove the whole thing.

I appreciate all the guidance, ya'll. Thanks!

yeah everyone makes one now, so get one that fits your budget and lead times.

I previously had a SSO before moving on to a full plate bumper.

If i had to go back to a slimline, i'd still go with SSO or C4 for no real reason other than I've had the SSO in the past and I like how c4 has the winch sitting inline with the frame and the opening is perpendicular to the ground, and still can add a lightbar.

An easy to install winch is cool, but i wouldn't use that as a deal breaker.

Everyone that I've looked at had a similar mount structure to the SSO or the CBI. Most folks are within about 150 bucks of each other or not. I was more looking for anyone besides YT who had actual experience with a slimline bumper.

double check their lead times too.... alot of them are not honest about it. Nothing you can do about it if you like a specific manufacture though.

Is there any specific manufacture you like are eyeballing? I think thats probably better to narrow it down to a few you are interested in and someone can chime in on it.

Have to agree with lead times. I have the full set of C4 skids including the diff skid. Took almost 4 months to get about a year and a half ago.
I like C4, but they don’t do powder coating. More time and expense. I have been looking at the Warn lo pro, which comes with the bull bar, shackles and powder coat for less than $800.

Hi Kristen, My wife and I love our WARN insert. Was very straight-forward to install, fits our M8000 winch with easy access to the winch controls. Took some very hard hits in Moab in stride. Was cheaper and quicker to ship than other options out there, with a tubular grill guard included. Also has a great black power-coat finish at that price (which sometimes raises the price of other similarly priced options)


Amazon.com: WARN 100022 Semi-Hidden Fixed Winch Mount, Fits: Toyota 4Runner (2014-2018) : Automotive
$800 bucks - free shipping - Ships to my location on Monday the 12th.

Attached a few pics - front view with d-ring mounts, and also one from the side in Moab, showing that our approach angle isn't effected much at all on steep inclines/descents.

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I don't have a low profile bumper but I did a fair amount of research on them. Seems like every company has a version of this bumper. Each has its positives and negatives, and aesthetics play a big part.
The fitment is where I noticed the most difference between brands. Some had large gaps around the edges where the cut was visible, while others hide it well. I won't speak bad on any manufacturers but I want to highlight one bumper that I highly considered: the RA Motorsports Stub Bumper (14-20 4RUNNER STUB BUMPER - RA Motorsports Canada). The fitment looks fantastic in every photo I've seen and it's aluminum (lighter and corrosion resistant for the NE). The price seems high but its also in CAD (conversion is favorable to USD). Lead times are 3-4 weeks but that seems pretty standard lately.
Ultimately, I decided not to cut my bumper, but if I ever decide to in the future, the RA Motorsports Stub bumper is my pick.

BigDaddy.....thank you for the pics and the first-hand experience with one! It looks awesome.

I have been very happy with my Hefty Fabworks low pro bumper....
Ticks all the boxes, with light weight, modular construction and easy install.
The modular construction allows you to service/remove winch without removing entire bumper. I also like how the fairlead mount is recessed.

While skin is aluminum, the main sub frame is steel and very well built. It does not rely on the skin for strength.

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Lew, Hefty is one of the ones I was looking at. I was perusing YT over the weekend and ran into an overlander and watched his install (AZ Overlanding). It looked pretty straightforward. I did like the fact that modular construction allows you to service/replace a winch without having to remove the ENTIRE thing. I appreciate your input!!

yup, that's definitely a benefit of the hefty. I think I could remove/install a new winch line without removing our Warn bumper, but anything other than that, and you'd need to remove the 8-10 mounting bolts and lower it to the ground, for sure.

I think The Hefty might a bit lighter than a fully steel model, too, by 5-10lbs at least, which is always a good thing. Trade off is cost and lead time, but if those are in-line with your timeline/budget - probably a good choice. I know a couple folks who run it who really like it, too.

i think warn is most available or easiest to get. It's missing some features that may or may not be important but its a solid bumper.

The SSO i had was probably the slimmest, it eliminates the overbite look, but the way they mount the fairlead at an angle, meant that coming down waterfalls, you can drag your hook or thimble.

I like hefty's design the most, but keep in mind they do typically have the longest lead time on the planet and expensive, but they are very good at what they do.

When it comes to weight, they are all pretty light when compared to full replacement bumpers. SO i cant say paying a premium for aluminum over steel is that big of a deal, but to some people it is. When my vehicle became over weight and i had more funds later on in the build, i did wish i went with aluminum. In fact, i went with a full aluminum plate bumper as the SSO's replacement because of the weight issue.

Keep in mind though, when it comes to fitment, do not expect OEM quality in terms of gaps. There might be some installation error too (who's doing the cutting). Mine fit pretty good, but i've seen some questionable installs too.

Pic of my old SSO w/ wings.

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Great post! Agreed on all counts.

Great comments about other products and options.

Our C4 LoPro saved our vacation, radiator, and maybe a lot more than that when we were hit by a flying piece of plywood at 75-80 mph in Iowa.

Outstanding build quality, solid as a rock, and fully supports our huge Superwinch EXP. The bumper is heavy, which I consider to be a big plus.

Get a good, pre-sand-blasted powder coat and you will be happy (getting ours redone to match our C4 rear bumper because the first powder-coat guy that we used only etched it). I’ve had problems with items that come powder-coated too; I think Caleb and his C4 cares most about the quality of their product. If you’re into getting a solid piece of metal with quality welds, C4 is great.


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I ordered a Hefty tube bumper on 5 July, with an estimated 3 month build time on the website. They shipped the pallet on 2 August, and it arrived at the local freight hub 1700 miles from Colorado Springs on 4 Aug. Outstanding support - they answered the phones, responded to e-mails, and coordinated with the freight hub for an easy release. Product 10/10, Support 10/10, Timeliness 10/10.