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Would you be more interested in an Aluminess bumper if the design were different?

  • Yes, very interested

    Votes: 33 57%

  • No, it's fine

    Votes: 4 6.9%

  • Wouldn't buy one regardless

    Votes: 21 36%

  • What's Aluminess?

    Votes: 0 0%
  • Total voters
    58

Poll: Aluminess bumpers

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20K views 40 replies 18 participants last post by  Tijoe  
8
#1 ·
I have seen about 3 vans with Aluminess bumpers that looked good (right, acceptable, not hideous) and the rest look pretty awful. Sprinters, however, have a very similar shape and Aluminess did some of their usual eye-candy work for those vans. I have talked to many Transit owners who don't like the design of the Aluminess bumpers. The issue, without exception, is the awkward wedge shape just forward of the front wheels that makes the van seem so open and angular.

If Aluminess refined their design would you consider their bumper?
 
#2 ·
It is difficult for me to justify a bumper like this when I know that in a large animal strike these bumpers will still bend. Not as easily as the OEM body parts, but enough to need replacement in many, if not most cases. They are cosmetic accessories, often with utility features like tow points, winch mounts, etc. that some buyers may use often enough.

They do enhance the look of a van and I really like some of the 4x4 applications I have seen whose owners might make use of added features. They appear very well designed and I know that ain't cheap to manufacture. Making the van look its best should be the goal of the manufacturer of such accessories, as those in the market will put their money on the one that best catches their eye. Paying more for quality in functional things is easy to justify, as paying for anything twice after buying cheap is a lesson many have learned long ago.

As for me, I prefer a van that doesn't look like I'm flush with cash, nor indicates it is full of nice things for a bandit to drool over. This is why a used plumber's white windowless van with a few dings was an easy choice for me. It is naturally camouflaged in a way that makes it disappear. I'll put my time and money toward making it nice for me on the inside, rather than nice for everyone else to see on the outside.

Hopefully I won't need a winch or tow hooks often enough that the towing expenses exceed the cost of a nice bumper like this. If so, that would be justification enough for me. Admittedly, I do keep my eyes peeled for rogue lottery tickets blowing across the parking lot, just the same.
 
#3 · (Edited)
I do not like the appearance of the swept up trailing edge or the fact that after removing the OEM panel to fit the new bumper the bare body elements are inelegantly displayed behind and underneath the new bumper.

I can appreciate that the geometry of the new bumper is useful for pinching the front end of the car at extreme approach angle but I can not appreciate its form as a match for the function of a panel van that has a bunch of stuff hanging just below the bottom of that bumper.

If you had a choice that said "I might be interested if it didn't look goofy" I would have checked it.

I am interested in buying a front end that has tow connections and possibly a winch mount, but I do not need a structure that seems made for boulder hopping or ditch crossing.
 
8
#9 ·
mister T said:
I do not like the appearance of the swept up trailing edge or the fact that after removing the OEM panel to fit the new bumper the bare body elements are inelegantly displayed behind and underneath the new bumper.

I can appreciate that the geometry of the new bumper is useful for pinching the front end of the car at extreme approach angle but I can not appreciate its form as a match for the function of a panel van that has a bunch of stuff hanging just below the bottom of that bumper.

If you had a choice that said "I might be interested if it didn't look goofy" I would have checked it.

I am interested in buying a front end that has tow connections and possibly a winch mount, but I do not need a structure that seems made for boulder hopping or ditch crossing.
Click to expand...
So I think that makes you a YES, you'd be interested if the design were different? I too think it looks goofy and agree with you on all points.

I do not off-road my van but plan to use it on fire roads etc. on occasion to get to quiet campsites. I expedite in mine during the week and would really like a bumper that offered full protection up front from deer/animal strikes and also gave me a better place for additional lights and a winch mount. I do go in all weather and prefer to be self sufficient, meaning not call AAA.

I emailed TrailReady, who makes some of the best bumpers I've seen, and they said they had no interest in building anything for the Transit. Shame, I guess they think the E-series is still being produced? Sad truth is all of these companies are going to have to get on board. Not for me, per se, this is Ford we're talking about and the van design they've settled on. The last one (Econoline) lasted 30+ years and all these companies not making Transit products yet built their businesses on them.

Ranxerox, thanks for posting those links. I am familiar with all of them but others likely aren't and should be able to see the lousy options we have so far.

Best bumpers I ever had were Reunel, made in the PNW somewhere. They were beyond heavy duty, the rear being rated to tow 20k for instance, that on a one ton van only rated to tow 10k. Sadly they are out of business.

Warn, also no longer making bumpers.

ARB, probably not going to happen.

Iron Cross and others like them offer bro-truck bumpers that are a little too progressive (read hideous) for my consideration even if they did make one for the vans.

I think it's a safe bet that in 20 years we will laugh at the time when there weren't a million choices of aftermarket accessories for a Ford Transit.
 
R
#4 ·
Aluminess bumpers allow adult children pretend they have a big truck. (rather childish but it is fun to pretend!)

they look like they belong on a 6x6 army truck not a 2 wheel drive van. (if the transit actually had a 4 wheel drive option well maybe...)

there are many people out there looking for the right bumper for their Transit, i have spoken to several on various forums, but nothing available seems acceptable.

at the moment there seems to be 3 choices:

Aluminess

https://www.luvernetruck.com/

https://vanupgrades.com/collections...sit-exterior-accessories/products/transit-ex-guard-grill-guard-front-protection (the Ex-Guard has been sold out for 3 months so it must be popular)
 
#10 ·
ranxerox said:
Aluminess bumpers allow adult children pretend they have a big truck. (rather childish but it is fun to pretend!)

)
Click to expand...
Guilty. :D

It also gives far more tire clearance for those of us with 4x4 conversions and fatter tires, since the front bumper cover is the first spot they will rub on...

Perhaps most important is that it helps encourage all the Toyota Prius I get stuck behind driving around Boulder to get out of my way a little faster...
 

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T
#5 ·
I contacted Aluminess about 6 months ago and expressed my dislike for their design. Didn't seem to phase them. The tried to sell me that this was the shape that their customers like best. I told them that it looked like the bumper was adapted from one of their pick-up designs. They appeared to have no interest in updating their design.

Unless a company comes out with a design I like, I may have to have one built that meets my needs.
1. Aluminum construction with thick enough plate to resist higher speed deer impacts.
2. Aesthetically pleasing. (Blends smoothly into the front fenders.)
3. Winch and tow ring capable.
4. upper tube protection around the head lights/running lights.
5. Lower skid plate options.

Not too much to ask.
 
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#7 · (Edited)
I posted this once before after my trip out to the Quigley HQ in PA. If money were no object I think I would do this. They were able to salvage sections of the original bumper cover to take the edge off the underside appearance and clean up the aero a bit. You do, however, loose the Mad Max look doing it this way. It sucks not having a tow point up front. I could have used one 3 or 4 times during our recent winter storm to pull people out and instead had to get out and use my human form.
 

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8
#8 ·
Great info guys. Keep it coming.

Tijoe, I started this thread Hoping it would find them! Hopefully it will. I feel just as you do.

‘This is the design their customers like best’.
WTF?
When exactly did they ask?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#15 · (Edited)
mister T said:
The darn thing just looks ugly on the Transit:



Image
Click to expand...


This angle definitely is not the glory shot of an aluminess bumper. They do look weird on a stock height transit with factory tires. With that said they could have 5 different types for sale and not everyone is going to like them. That’s totally fine. As the saying goes, there’s an ass for every seat. Haha . I’m happy with mine and it has grown on me. I get compliments all the time.

My checklist for aftermarket bumper.
Gives more room for larger tires, check,
front hitch, check,
winch capable, check, (on the list to get one)
shackle mounts, check,
more clearance, check,
aux lights, check, check,
light aluminum construction, check,
won’t rust, check,
can order it how you want it, check,
custom powder coating color option, check, well made, check.

I’m glad that there is at least one quality aftermarket option for us transit guys.

Image

Image




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
L
#16 ·
Anything available that can handle an animal strike? We recently hit a large turkey that decided to fly across the road and chose poorly, as my old windshield could show, but I am now worried about hogs, deer, etc. The van's been out of commission for a month, and we have definitely felt the lack of the big family passenger vehicle.
 
#18 ·
It is my impression that it is easy to trim a bumper for greater tire clearance but the actual limiting factor with tire clearance on a Ford Transit is the tire rubbing on the frame when you try to use the steering wheel to turn.

Image






I would be interested in an Aluminess bumper if it was engineered to satisfy a checklist similar to what is posted above and it looks like it is actually designed for the vehicle it is sold for. Perhaps something like this:

Image
 
8
#19 · (Edited)
Thanks Mr. T. That is spot on. I've bought a few Aluminess goodies for Econolines. I love the company, I just think they went way wrong on the design of this bumper. I can't believe they adopted a design which shows so much of the underneath of the vehicle. It looks unfinished, the lines are totally wrong on the sides. That is the ONLY problem! I would love to see some designs with wraps around the headlights for better animal strike coverage but the one or two other aftermarket bumpers I've seen that had this are pretty hideous as well. It seems to me that if enough people vote and Aluminess hears from the community they would offer a second Transit option with more side coverage and a more standard, less edgy look.

I hope it's clear that I'm trying to support Aluminess here, not bash them. I have no idea of their sales numbers for E-series front bumpers but I know it's huge and has allowed them to build their company. I'm sure E-series front and rear bumpers have probably accounted for 50% of their total sales in the last decade. The Transit is the new E-series. It can't be denied. I don't love the shape of the thing but it's growing on me. A quick drive anywhere in America proves that they are everywhere, more and more every day.

@ Ford99, your Aluminess bumper setup addresses all the problems that need addressing for their current design to actually work. Dark color van so less of the underbelly is visible (it can't be denied there is all sorts of white you shouldn't see on a white Transit with this bumper, and about 80% of Transits are white). The lift and aggressive tires on yours tie it in too.

I think they would sell enough to more daily driver types who expedite or just have family haulers they want to upgrade a bit and add lights, winch, etc. if they design were less edgy, or if a second option with better coverage on the sides was offered. My money is in hand waiting on the right manufacturer to offer a bumper. I hope it's Aluminess.

Hey mister T, would you be willing to show a further back side view of a Transit with what you created above?
 
#20 ·
The body/guts below the current design Aluminess bumper are not only plainly visible, they are also completely unprotected from bumps with small obstacles.

It seems ironic that a bumper that protrudes several inches beyond the OEM perimeter of the car leaves a lot of the car unprotected from bumps. A bumper is often times presumed to be a first line of "defense" but in this case it is not.

I understand that the OEM plastic bumper is not going to protect much in a major collision but if you are nosing up against a small rock on a dirt trail you will hear the OEM bumper scraping and have a chance to stop before you start bending metal and ripping the guts off of the bottom of your van.

On the plus side, with an Aluminess bumper you can tear up your van real good while your bumper remains in like new condition.



Hi Scotty,
The image I posted with a suggested design is simply a one off photo *retouch* of the photo I posted originally. What is shown is all there is to show.
 
8
#22 ·
I called Trailready, another aftermarket bumper company the other day. For those not familiar they make beautiful truck and Ford E-series bumpers. Not cheap, all steel, really great looking. I asked if they had anything being developed for the Transit. They said no. Flatly no. Not even considered it. Have these people not driven down a highway lately? Transits are everywhere. These aftermarket companies seem to be backing up sometimes. Vans, especially camping/vanlife/offroad/etc. vans are booming. I'm confused.
 
#23 ·
Do you think the unibody design might have something to do with that reluctance? It seems to be a lot easier to design for the bolt-on frame of the E vans and F trucks.

The Luverne bumper / grill guard mounting bracket bolts to the unibody cross braces with only four 7/16" bolts. The Aluminess installation directions pretty much focus on removing the oem bumper, then pretty much say "now install our brackets and your new Aluminess bumper" and leave it at that. The parts list has 16 bolts 1/2" Grade 8, but doesn't tell you where they go!
 

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#26 · (Edited)
Montuckytransit said:
Yes I would buy a bumper from them if it wasn’t so **** ugly and non functional for animal strikes. I want one with large hoops over headlight like sprinter. in fact I just ordered one from Australia made by ECB
Click to expand...
Sweet! Price not listed on their website. How bad was the shipping? Tell us more when you get it if you don't mind.

Thanks
 
T
#30 ·
I did not like the Aluminess Transit bumper. I called them a year and a half ago to express my dislike for their design and to ask if they would consider modifying it to look better. They told me all this crap about how it was designed to appeal to the widest base of customers. (I figure that they took another parallel design for another truck or van and modified it to fit the transit.) I disliked their design so much that I designed and fabricated my own. "over a year ago" I have had numerous other Transit owners who see it on my van and want to purchase one. I have a lot of money in the aluminum alone and a lot of hours in the design and fabrication. It is a 3-piece modular design with a beefy Aluminum center section, with push bars and a 2" receiver for bike racks and/or a winch. The side sections could be modified and shaped to please other person's tastes. It has a thick aluminum skid plate that covers all the exposed areas under the engine/trans.
(I keep my eyes open for a deer I can hit to see how it will hold up. - LOL)

Image
Image

Image
 
#31 ·
WoW man, that is impressive. Mad-Max has nothing on you. It also looks like the deers better watch out and look both ways before crossing. Good work- Nice Job!
Yeah, Aluminess is bugging with their design. No chance in **** I would put their monstrosity on my ride at all, never mind pay for it.
 
T
#32 ·
It looks like Aluminess has listened a little to their customers. Appears they have a version where they changed the sides to better match/blend the sides into the wheel well. (Rather than the simplistic rock crawler look) It appears too, that by how the bumper is not the same diameter as the wheel well opening, that they increased the clearance so one can clear bigger tires.

The price for their standard bumper is listed at $2450.
If we break down the costs.
  • Dealer to Retailer mark up: 20% Approx $500
  • Amuminess company profit/mark up: 20% $400 (Direct sale - $900 profit)

This means they have to be able to manufacture the bumper for around $1500.
I guess they spend about $500 to $700 in material, and the rest of the costs are fabrication, and cost of business expenses.
Appears like the price they charge isn't too bad, all things considered. I just didn't like the look and design of their bumper.

OTOH, I spent close to $1400 in Aluminum materials for my bumper. I calculated that I have about $1100 of that material in my design. (Does includes the 3/8" thick AL. skid plate.)





157279
 
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#33 ·
I'm sorry T but that's still pretty hideous looking. The Aluminess unit I mean

Your design is beefy with a lot of character for sure but still manages to lend itself to the shape of the van and blend into the sides much much better than the Aluminess.

I'm probably going to go with something a little more basic myself but credit you for what you managed to deliver (looks good) which is at least 10x better than what Aluminess seems to have been able to come up with for the Transit. Which again seems more like an after-thought offspring item of theirs rather than a piece actually designed for the Ford
 
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