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JcrOffroad Prototyping. ZJ DIY Bumpers

21K views 112 replies 39 participants last post by  brimy311 
#1 ·
We had a ZJ Dropped off at the shop this week, so we figured, no better time than now to work on some DIY bumpers.

We'll keep updating this as we get further along.

Here is the design of the front:
 
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#76 · (Edited)
Funny how I was at your shop door asking about the same thing 1 year ago and you told me "We don't produce anything for that kind of Jeep." Asking if I can have something made resulted in straight refusal.

Call me old fashioned, but I'm not the kind of person that comes back to a vendor to be told no a third time. It was rude that you wouldn't even give me the time of day due to the model of jeep I drive....AND I WAS AT YOUR SHOP WITH MONEY IN HAND!!!

Look, thanks for the attempt. There are other fabricators that were more than helpful in answering my questions and didn't issue a "No" simply based on my driving a ZJ.

That's what I get for trying to support a Michigan vendor. Let alone a Kalamazoo based business. I lived there and firmly believed in spending my money there.

You can't have now what you didn't want then. You lost my business (custom= more money that I was willing to pay!).

Edit: long time lurker with few posts, but still a jeeper. Personal experience is all...
 
#83 ·
Interesting...I got basically the same response a few weeks ago when I sent a PM on CherokeeForum and now all of a sudden it's here...I wonder what changed in that short amount of time...

I would order if it was priced in line with the XJ line you offer. I just don't see where the extra $225 comes from when looking at the ZJ kit.
That was my thought exactly!

Ummm...it says JCROffroad on the box, maybe that's where... :confused: I guess cardboard went up or something...

They have a cornered market for "DIY" ZJ bumpers. That's where the extra cost is factored. Its a lack of competition. :rolleyes:

Since the market is saturated in XJ parts, they can't have a high markup, or else people will look to the next manufacturer for a different product that offers more at that price point. Or the consumer cheaps out and gets a less expensive brand overall.

We are a semi-captive audience...
I see what you're saying here, but just because you "can" charge more doesn't mean you should. I have a welder and plasma cutter and a shop I can get steel from so I may just fab up my own setup, but the design overall looks nice and for the ease I might just suck it up.

The biggest issue I have is that I'd prefer to see a little bit more of the inner structure covered (i.e. out of sight) in the corners on the side in front of the wheel wells. Again, overall I do like the design though...
 
#77 ·
Its nice to finally have a company that will send out the precut steel so you can weld up yourself
But $400 plus the $80 shipping when I find some decent bumpers made on ebay free shipping for $100 more and I didnt have to buy welding wire gas grinding disks and my labor to build it just paint or powder coat them and go

Sorry to rain on your parade but in my opinion the price need to come down some to peak my intrests other wise ill just hold onto that money I save for those things till I either find a gun I cant refuse or finally spend it on the jeep
 
#78 ·
Its nice to finally have a company that will send out the precut steel so you can weld up yourself
But $400 plus the $80 shipping when I find some decent bumpers made on ebay free shipping for $100 more and I didnt have to buy welding wire gas grinding disks and my labor to build it just paint or powder coat them and go

Sorry to rain on your parade but in my opinion the price need to come down some to peak my intrests other wise ill just hold onto that money I save for those things till I either find a gun I cant refuse or finally spend it on the jeep
I have seen their work first hand. The quality is great with finished bumpers. It was what made me stop at their shop in the first place.

What puzzles me is why a company is offering DIY kits that require welding when anybody with a welder (worth their salt using said welder) wouldn't also have the tools to cut the material as well. At that point, why buy a "kit"?

The eBay bumpers you see have issues as well (maybe including breakage or QC issues). Otherwise, no one would buy the other (read::rtft: more expensive) brands if the cheap alternative works just as well.

If I go to a bloody fab shop, I want it fab'd. Otherwise, I'll make the investment in the proper tools and steel to "DIY" a bumper. That's "do it yourself".

Simply buying a kit doesn't mean it's quality, especially if you aren't a talented welder in the first place!!! Simply buying a cheapa$$ bumper doesn't mean a talented welder put it together either.

Cry once. If you want a good product, spend your money once. :cheers:
 
#81 ·
Ummm...it says JCROffroad on the box, maybe that's where... :confused: I guess cardboard went up or something...

They have a cornered market for "DIY" ZJ bumpers. That's where the extra cost is factored. Its a lack of competition. :rolleyes:

Since the market is saturated in XJ parts, they can't have a high markup, or else people will look to the next manufacturer for a different product that offers more at that price point. Or the consumer cheaps out and gets a less expensive brand overall.

We are a semi-captive audience...
 
#82 ·
Order placed. I like the DIY option as I can add my personal touch to it.
 
#85 ·
I think some people have done that with the rear bumpers fitting the zj. The zj is not an easy vehicle to build a front bumper for, much harder than the xj.
 
#89 ·
Well doesn't look like 2 times the metal to me... your only using about a 1/3 of a 4x8 sheet (100-150$/SHEET) = ~40$ worth of metal. That burn would take about 10 minutes on a decent plasma table so you are overcharging by around 100-200 dollars because there isn't really any competition.
 
#90 ·
shocklee17 said:
Well doesn't look like 2 times the metal to me... your only using about a 1/3 of a 4x8 sheet (100-150$/SHEET) = ~40$ worth of metal. That burn would take about 10 minutes on a decent plasma table so you are overcharging by around 100-200 dollars because there isn't really any competition.
After seeing the price I'm just going to go with the flatland 4x4 plans and have it cut. Because I can have it done cheaper. Only reason I would have bought this was because of the ease of it. But thats not gonna happen.
 
#91 ·
shocklee17 said:
Well doesn't look like 2 times the metal to me... your only using about a 1/3 of a 4x8 sheet (100-150$/SHEET) = ~40$ worth of metal. That burn would take about 10 minutes on a decent plasma table so you are overcharging by around 100-200 dollars because there isn't really any competition.
You can choice to buy our kit or not. No one is forcing your hand. This is the price to which we are willing to manufacturer it at. We are just offering an option that previously didn't exist for the ZJ market, that's not 'Corning the market'.
 
#92 ·
Here's one, built and on! Thank you JCR! Keep me in mind if/when you come out with a rear kit... I'd like one with a receiver and an option for a spare tire carrier (hint hint!)
 

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#93 ·
It's just like anything else in this world, you'll pay for convenience!

I like the design, i think its one of the slicker ones out there.

If it's worth your time to make one, more power to ya.

But I may end up becoming lazy enough to look at buying one of these, and since I have the welding capability and I'm not afraid of rattle can paint i'll still come out on top
 
#97 ·
I don't have mine here to measure but I'd say roughly 9 or so inches.
 
#100 ·
When I bought mine they had their "Tax Special" so I got my bumper, with a pair 3/4 rings shipped to me for $460.
 
#109 ·
Glad to hear! Maybe that means a rear ZJ bumper is in the works...
 
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