Front bumper quality?

[NevadaDVX]

I need a front bumper and noticed the prices from the online vendors are all over the place, anywhere from $119 to $200. Who has the best quality? I don't mind spending the money if one brand is better than another, but if they are all from the same manufacturer, I would rather save a few bucks.

Thanks for any help/advice.

[jd4300fel]

it's not a front bumper but abac k bumper i bought from LMC i bought the painted sport
it's in great condition there are some forming marks on the top edge but since iam going for a smooth bumper these marks will dissapear. paid 99 plus 20 for shipping

[Beatcoaster]

I got the cheapest chrome ones, $119/ea or so - think it was from LMC, I could find and they still look great after being attached and sitting in the seattle rain waiting for me to get the truck running...

[cdowns]

whatever bumper you get b4 installing prep the back and paint it with POR15 or similar product to help the lifespan

[NevadaDVX]

Thanks for the replies. I went ahead and ordered one from Classic Industries because of their 15% off sale. I will coat the back of it with some kind of rustproofing and also wax the chrome to keep it looking good. Thanks again!

[Wrenchbender Ret]

The secret to keeping the cheap chrome in good condition is keep wax on it.

[Stepside Man]

NevadaDVX.

You have now had that bumper for some time. What are your opinions of it now? Would you say the chrome has stayed perfect?

[domeier]

This one was put on in 2000, it's been outdoors ever since. I hit a guy in a 90's Silverado a couple years ago. I got him in the right front grill/blinker with the tip of my right rear bumper, and it peeled into his fender like jello - I looked hard, and I couldn't find even a scratch on my bumper. Whoops, sorry dude!

I've always assumed my bumpers are repos. What should I look at to find out? Can you tell from the photo?

[bobs409]

I've bought a few of these repro bumpers and the only downside is the chrome is thin and will wear leaving them all dotted by about 3 years. My trucks live outside though.

They look nice when they are new though just like door handles.

[WIDESIDE72]

"You get wha you pay for."

In the past few years I have bought a bare NOS with shelf wear/ scratches for $75, a nice bare repro for $50, two different junk repro with brackets and tag plate for $100 each and a bare original for $50. Itshard to beat oem. I sugest finding an original and having it rechromed. The key is finding a reputable company that will actually triple plate it.

The repro with brackets i bought on here was a nightmare. The seller didnt remove the brackets when he shipped it and judging by the before and after conditon, UPS dropped it brackets down and bent the bumper where the brackets attached. That is obviously thin metal. Oem wouldnt do that. I got my money back after about a month.
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[67ChevyRedneck]

I put repro bumpers on my C10 in 2006. They still look new. Truck sits outside 24/7. I did coat the back with rust encapsulator like ciff mentioned. About once I year I put a coat of mother's chrome polish on them.

Originally Posted by domeier

This one was put on in 2000, it's been outdoors ever since. I hit a guy in a 90's Silverado a couple years ago. I got him in the right front grill/blinker with the tip of my right rear bumper, and it peeled into his fender like jello - I looked hard, and I couldn't find even a scratch on my bumper. Whoops, sorry dude!

I've always assumed my bumpers are repos. What should I look at to find out? Can you tell from the photo?

The front is hard to tell, but on the back, remove the bolts for the license plate bracket. On some of the repos the holes aren't as square as they should be, and the casting around the bracket isn't as smooth as an original.