Awesome Unlimited, Part 2

Outfitting our LJ with a winch and bumpers.

By John Cappa

Photography by John Cappa

Project Awesome Unlimited, Part 1
Project Awesome Unlimited, Part 2
Project Awesome Unlimited, Part 3
Project Awesome Unlimited, Part 4
Project Awesome Unlimited, Part 5

Any bitchin' aftermarket product is bound to be copied. Several years ago, one company made the first really cool (but painfully heavy) bumpers for Wranglers. Then everyone copied the design and slapped their name on it.

Safari Gard, however, thought way outside the box when designing its new front and rear tubular bumpers for '97-to-present Wranglers. The company came up with a clean front bumper with a built-in winch mount and a sweet rear that has a swing-out tire carrier integrated into the tailgate for easier interior access. The mounting on our Unlimited is the same as for a regular short TJ. Keep your eyes out for the Awesome Unlimited body protection and axle selection in upcoming issues.

You'll need a set of Torx sockets to remove the factory bumper bolts and towhooks. We've been somewhat successful with Allen wrenches, but the correct tools make the job easier. The front bumper and plastic sway bar cover are tossed. Save the bolts and towhooks; they get reused with the Safari Gard bumper.	The Safari Gard front bumper can be purchased MIG-welded together or as the slightly more expensive (but cleaner and more trick) TIG-welded model. The new bumper slips right into place.
The factory towhooks are moved from right to left and slapped on top of the optional light brackets with the original Torx bolts. You can reinstall the plastic sway bar cover if you like, but it will require some trimming. We left it off.	For recovery duty, we opted for a Warn 9.5xp with 9,500 pounds of high-speed reeling -- perhaps a little much for our LJ, but it will keep us from becoming frustrated with a slow unloaded line speed like some other winches provide. The Safari Gard bumper has the standard 10 x 4 1/2-inch bolt pattern and fairlead holes already drilled.
The 9.5xp uses a non-integrated solenoid box. You'll need to fabricate a mount for the box since neither the bumper nor the winch come with one. You could also lengthen the cables and hide the box under the hood for a clean look. Safari Gard is working on a complete kit to do just this for the Wrangler guys.	Out back is similar to the front. Unbolt the factory tin part and put up the new tubular jobbie. The bumper is made from super-durable 4130 chromoly round tube and comes with a 2-inch square hitch and all the hardware needed.
The trick swing-out carrier attaches to the bumper and to the tailgate. When you open the tailgate, the tire swings out of the way with it. There are no additional latches or mechanisms to undo, and most of the spare tire's weight is on the bumper to keep the sheetmetal from bending or tearing.	The Safari Gard rear bumper holds up to a 37-inch tire and a Hi-Lift jack. Several different lug patterns are available for the spare tire mount. Make sure you order the correct part if you've swapped axles in your TJ.