Today I finally got my front end replacement bumper installed on my truck. To say this thing has been a headache and a half would be an understatement. It all started last summer when my grandpa managed to back into my truck in his Kawasaki Mule and put a hole in the upper bumper pad.



So, I got a few estimates to get it repaired and he wrote me a check. But I was leaving town for a summer internship to the middle of nowhere and nobody could get it done in time. So I just left it like that and started to look into other options. I have always liked Boondocks bumpers, so I looked into other companies that offered front bumper replacements. That's when I found Tactical Armor Group. I liked that they made completely custom bumpers to what you want and I really liked the price. So I finally got around to ordering one on January 11, 2013. I was originally told in a phone call that it was around 4-6 weeks for it to get built, so I emailed them on Feb 27 and they told me it was now 6-7 weeks to get built. So finally on Mar 26, they shipped it out and I picked it up on Mar 28 (just shy of 11 weeks...). Get it home and unwrap it from the packaging and this is what it looks like.



I did order it bare metal so I could get it powder coated, but I also ordered a 'Stinger Bar' (pre-runner bar) and LED amber turn signals. Neither were there. So I call them up and they say they'll FedEx the missing parts over immediately. April 6 comes and I get a package. Containing just the LED turn signals. I call them back and they say they'll FedEx the bar. Knowing that things should be here soon, I get my truck ready and take the bumper and everything off so I can install it ASAP. So I have a truck that now looks like this



April 15, I email them asking for a tracking number for the bar and they say they'll get me one as soon as it becomes available since they had lost the original bar and had to make another one. I wait a few weeks and call. They say that I should have received it already since it was supposed to have been sent already. It hadn't though. May 2 comes and I finally get another package from Tactical and its my Stinger bar!!!



So, then I had to find a place in town to weld the bar onto the bumper. As they should have, Tactical did pick up the tab for this one. But finding a place that would actually do it and for a reasonable price was a lot harder than I expected. After I finally got a place to do that, I took it straight to the powder coater to get it powder coated white to match my truck. Then I ran into my next issue. Finding a place that would weld it onto my truck. I don't have a welder at my house here (which I didn't realize you even had to weld it onto the truck when I ordered it, I thought it was just bolted onto the frame), so I called multiple places around town. Everyone refused to weld on a vehicle. All this time (about 2 months), I've been having to drive around with no front bumper whatsoever on the truck. Today I finally got someone to do it for me! So, here's some pictures with it all powder coated and welded on!









So I ordered the bumper on January 11 and finally got the last of the order from Tactical on May 2 (16 weeks). Do I love how the bumper turned out? ABSOLUTELY!!! I think it looks fantastic on the truck and love how it changes it looks. There were several other customers that came out of the waiting area when they finished welding to check it out and were complimenting how it looks. But with that said, would I recommend or ever order from Tactical again? NO. My dad was wanting a front end replacement for his F250 and I've kind of been wanting a back bumper replacement for this F150. After all this happened, guess I'll try to find another company to go with if we do get something. They were super nice every time I called or emailed, but the speed at which they worked and the fact they forgot parts of the order twice is inexcusable in my eyes.

 

Yea that is bs, I think I would have asked them to pay the shipping to ship it back and bought another from some where else. Looks good though congrats, so when are you going to bolt a winch to it add a lift kit and some big tires lol jk

 

That definitely crossed my mind, but with as much time as I had invested already when I received the bumper, I didn't think it could be that much longer before I get the rest of the stuff.

Haha, winch will be coming very soon. If I didn't just have to spend $300 on a supercharger pulley and hub, it would be bolted on there this weekend. But I figured a running truck is better than a non-running truck with a winch. Not sure when the lift kit and tires are going to come though. She's about to become my only truck again and I have to drive 40 miles each way to work. I'm already getting ~12 mpg, so I don't even want to think what it would be with that new combo!

 

Your truck supercharged? 12 damn u drive the hell out of it lol Mine gets 18 depending on driving habits. Wish it had more power though, wanting a new 5.0 or superduty but can't swing payments right now a house is more important lol

 

at least it looks great!

 

Yeah it is. Makes it one seriously fun drive. I know the feeling though. I'd love a 5.0 as well, but just bought my first house.

Thanks!

 

Looking good! I actually ordered my bumper from them on May 2nd and they told me 8 weeks. This week is the halfway point and I cant freaking wait (I hit a deer and screwed my bumper up and after a lot of looking around I think that TAG has the best looking bumper by far, I did however read the horror stories like you mentioned).

If you don't mind me asking (you could PM me too) how much did they charge you for powder coating? I got mine flat black so I might just leave it at that or painted but power coating is always another option.

I was not aware that you had to weld to the frame at all either. Did you have to cut anything or just weld. Like could you go back to stock if you wanted to after grinding off the welds?

-Chris

 

I actually ordered it bare metal from them, which I'm glad I did so the Stinger bar was able to be welded on once I finally got it. It took $20 off the price and then I just got it powder coated locally for $325. I was quoted at one point $200 for them to paint it a custom color there. A body shop in Austin wanted $500 to paint it.

Yeah, looking around on the site, I see no mention of you having to weld it. You have to cut off the stock mounting brackets and attach 4 of their brackets onto the frame. You then weld the bumper to those new brackets. So, you basically are unable to go back to stock.

 

Thanks for the email!

I wonder because I did not get the winch mount one if I will have to weld also. Might just be for strength we shall see. I have no problem doing what you did if that's the case. Thanks again

 

I installed a replacement bumper from IronBull. Great bumper, looks almost exactly the same as the tactical, already painted, and a bolt on to the factory mounts. I only had to grind down a couple of tabs and paint to minimize rust; half day job to include installing the winch. I know what you're going to say...thanks for telling me now!

Oh, if you install a winch don't forget to rotate the winch lock to the forward position, which will be the new top, when you install it in the bumper! I did forget.

 

My wife needs one of those on her Taurus X.

 

Looking good... That thing is massive... How much does it weigh?

 

not my style but I see why you like it. all done what does something like that run?

 

Haha, that should would have made things easier. Plus it would be nice if I ever wanted to go back to stock to have those brackets still there. But the thing is, I found that a few of these companies actually stopped making bumpers for the 04-08 F150. I went to 4WheelParts to try to price one and they said that they can't order them anymore since the manufacture quit producing them. I want to say they use Road Armor, but maybe not. Its been several months since that conversation.

And thanks for the tip! I'll try to keep that one in the memory bank when I get there.

Thanks! It's actually not too bad considering its made of 3/16" and 1/4" steel. I was able to move it by myself around the garage, it was just awkward because of its shape. Its a breeze with 2 people. The shipped weight was 180 lbs, which included the wooden frame it was on (~10 lbs).

The bumper was $980, powder coating was $325 and getting it welded on was $115. So just over $1400 when its all said and done.

 

Do you have any profile photos with that bumper? All I see is front on, and front 3/4 views, but you never see how it changes the view from the side...