I just recently (about the same time as member gnty) went with a HNC (Hard Notched Customs) front bumper for my van. I went with this bumper for 3 reasons:
1. It is not as big as some of the other aftermarket bumpers. The profile from front to back is a bit more shallow that many others and in my opinion a bit more sleek.
2. It looked like and is a high quality, stout, steel bumper with winch, light and brush guard options.
3. For the quality and craftsmanship, it is, IMO, one of the best values you can find.
From the time I ordered the bumper to delivery, the guys at HNC have a great system of communicating build process and having the customer approve the bumper before it goes to final powder coat. Install was straight forward but I would recommend getting help. It was not easy wrestling a 100+ lbs bumper into place. Shipping weight on a pallet was 150lbs. I assume it is just under that.
The bumper bolts to mounting brackets which bolt to the frame. While this is good for final adjustment and fitment, I find that given a good yank it would slightly move. I don't imagine the bolts holding the bumper in its exact place with harsh tugging forces applied to it. But, that's a simple fix. I plan on welding it to the mounting brackets (pic 2).
I put tape on the front of the fenders to protect the paint during fitment. Putting a thin slat of wood between the bumper and fender at each side kept the spacing where I wanted it while tightening the bumper to the mounting brackets and frame (pic 3).
Once mounted, I trimmed a small portion of the pinch welds at the front of each fender well area to give everything a uniform and contoured look (pic 4). Both sides of the bumper nicely meet up with the fenders' bottom edges. It looks goooood.
I did get LED lights for the round recesses at each side and will install those later. Overall, I'm really pleased with the quality and look of the HNC bumper. I give the guys a definite thumbs up.
Linear Mode
