batesbumper

Custom Winch Bumper with High Approach Angle
for 4.0/4.6 Range Rovers -- Design by Alan Bates

Alan Bates has done extensive modifications to his 1996 Range Rover 4.0SE, including a coil conversion and lift. However the main attraction is the winch bumper he designed and had fabricated (and is being made available to other owners -- see below). It is made from 1/4" steel with a 5/16" aluminum skid plate to protect the lower cross-member area. The entire bumper is one piece and mounts to the existing frame horn mounting holes. Additional mounting points were added to the lower frame cross-member. The vertical dimensions were made as narrow as possible to maximize the approach angle.

Alan installed a Warn 9.5ti to the new bumper. He replaced his front OME 761 springs with OME 764 in anticipation of the extra weight when the bumper was added. The extra lift (with the stock bumpre still in place) did result in some front driveshaft vibrations which were cured with a Double Cardon driveshaft from Bill at Great Basin Rovers. Alan now has about 3.75" of lift all around with the winch and new bumper in place, with the OME 764 front and 781 rear springs.

	Front view of Alan's bumper. Note the design extends forward and out at each corner to protect the lights and sheetmetal. A sturdy skid plate protects the steering mechanism.
	Illustration of winch mounted inside the bumper. Note the recovery points built into the front of the bumper.

The overall result, as ilustrated in the photos on this page, is a most professional installation.

More Information

Realizing that many of us are frustrated by the fact that hardly any aftermarket off-road accessories are available for the 4.0/4.6 model, Alan has kindly decided to make this bumper available to other owners. If you are interested, please Email Alan for details of availability and pricing. Alan has kindly offered to help sponsor Rangerovers.net based on the number of referrals he gets, so please mention you saw his design here.

Bates Rear Bumper/Tire Carrier and Rock Sliders for 4.0/4.6

Alan has also designed and made available a superb rear bumper with swing-away tire carrier, detailed on the 4.0/4.6 rear bumper page. Another scarce commodity for the 4.0/4.6 model is protection for the sills and body panels from off road hazards. Realizing this, Alan has recently also designed rock sliders for the 4.0/4.6 models, and is making them available to other owners. The design is detailed in the 4.0/4.6 Rock Slider section.

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