Best Jeep® Wrangler Brush Guards and Grille Guards

Updated on Apr 4, 2024

Whether you use your Jeep® as a hard-core off-roader or righteous daily driver, you can never have too much front-end protection. And nothing ruins a trek down a trail faster than a punctured radiator or transmission cooler. Fortunately, RealTruck® has just the products to bolster front-end protection and styling: a premium grille guard or brush guard

These heady-duty accessories bolt to your Jeep’s factory front end, allowing you to retain the stylish, full-width, stamped-steel bumper while significantly improving durability. 

If you’re in the market for a brush guard or grille guard, you’re in the right place. This article covers the leading benefits of the Jeep Wrangler grille guards and our top five product recommendations. Before we get into our top picks, let’s first cover the primary benefits of a grille guard, ensuring the accessory is your best choice for front-end protection.

Grille Guard and Brush Guard Benefits

Grille guards, also called brush guards, are just one of several forms of front-end protection. These popular accessories offer more comprehensive protection than comparable bull bars and bumper guards, though less invasive installations than full replacement aftermarket bumpers

Grille guards significantly bolster your Wrangler’s front-end protection, guarding the factory bumper, headlights, grille, and critical fluid coolers, like the radiator and transmission cooler. 

Grille guards aren’t just protective, they’re also highly stylish. These accessories boast rugged designs, typically constructed from robust carbon steel, to provide your Wrangler with an aggressive, off-road-inspired aesthetic. Most brush guards also include mounting tabs for off-road lights and other accessories to improve functionality.

With grille guard benefits covered, let’s move to our expert’s top picks.

Top Jeep Wrangler Grille Guards and Brush Guards

At RealTruck, we offer multiple grille guards and brush guards from leading manufacturers, including Black Horse and Aries Automotive. In this section, we’re covering our expert’s top five products, offering the best fit, finish, and overall quality.

Black Horse Classic Black Grille Guard

Toughen up your Wrangler’s front end with the Classic Black Grille Guard from Black Horse—a leading manufacturer of quality bumpers, steps, and accessories. This grille guard is no exception, featuring robust 16-ga. mild steel construction for superior strength and durability. 

If corrosion is a concern, Black Horse has you covered. Each Classic Black Grille Guard receives a durable semi-gloss black powder coat finish, encapsulating the raw steel to prevent rust and oxidation. This coating is also chip, scratch, UV, and chemical-resistant, ensuring years of stylish looks and unparalleled protection. 

Other notable features include removable headlight guards, pre-drilled mounting tabs for auxiliary lighting, and a limited 3-year warranty. 

Features: 

  • 16-ga. mild steel construction

  • Semi-gloss black powder coat finish

  • Vehicle-specific mounting kit, hardware, and instructions included

  • Simple, bolt-on installation for most applications

  • Removable wings/brush guards on most applications

  • Mounting tabs with pre-drilled holes for auxiliary lighting

  • Optional 7-in. auxiliary light pair (red or black)

  • Limited 3-year warranty

Aries Classic Black Grille Guard

The Aries Classic Black Grille Guard features a timeless design, rugged all-steel construction, and a 1.5-in. diameter tubular main hoop. Corrosion resistance is accomplished via a two-stage black powder coat finish, protecting against unsightly rust. 

This product offers a simple bolt-on installation with Aries’ vehicle-specific mounting kit. Other notable features include removable headlight cages, integrated light mounts, and a limited lifetime structural warranty. 

Aries backs the powder coat finish for three years. 

Features: 

  • Rugged all-steel construction

  • 1.5-in. tubular main hoop

  • Two-stage black powder coat finish

  • Includes vehicle-specific mounting kit

  • Easy, bolt-on installation

  • Integrated light mounts (lights sold separately)

  • Removable headlight cages

  • Limited lifetime structural | 3-year finish warranty

Steelcraft Black Grille Guard

When the trails get tough, invest in the comprehensive protection of a premium grille guard from RealTruck, like the Steelcraft Black. California-based Steelcraft manufactures this rugged, tubular steel grille guard from only the most premium materials, including robust 1.5-in. tubular steel. Each grille guard receives a corrosion-resistant powder coat finish for superior longevity, resisting rust and oxidation. 

The Steelcraft Black Grille Guard offers several convenience features, including integrated rubber bumper strips mounted to the steel uprights to dampen impacts. Steelcraft also includes pre-drilled mounting tabs for auxiliary lights and removable headlight guards to customize the grille guard’s appearance. 

Steelcraft backs the Black Grille Guard with a 3-year warranty. 

Features: 

  • Heavy-duty 1.5-in. tubular steel construction

  • Black powder coat finish

  • Mounting tabs with pre-drilled holes for auxiliary lighting

  • Vehicle-specific mount kit included

  • Easy, no-drill installation

  • Protective rubber bumpers

  • Removable headlight guards on most applications

  • 3-year warranty

Aries Pro Series Grille Guard

If you want pro-grade protection, check out Aries Pro Series Grille Guard. This rugged, one-piece grille guard features a robust 1.5-in. tubular steel construction for superior strength and impact resistance. Aries applies a tough textured black powder coat for exceptional corrosion protection and sleek styling. 

The Aries Pro Series Grille Guard’s plate steel center section features a precision cutout to clear most 30-in. single-row LED light bars. The cutout’s mesh cover can be removed for increased visibility, retained for improved styling, or repainted for a pop of color. 

Aries backs the Pro Series Grille Guard with a limited lifetime structural warranty and a 3-year finish warranty. 

Features: 

  • One-piece, 1.5-in. thick tubular steel construction

  • 2-stage black powder-coat finish

  • Accommodates most 30-in. single-row LED light bars (sold separately)

  • Vehicle-specific mount kit and hardware included

  • Simple, no-drill installation

  • Interchangeable mesh cover plate

  • Limited lifetime structural | 3-year finish warranty

Rugged Ridge® Grille Guard

Guard your Jeep’s front end with the stylish and durable protection of the Rugged Ridge® Grille Guard: a sleek, tubular grille guard available for Jeep Wrangler TJ generations. This grille guard features robust steel construction, a premium powder coat finish, and classic tubular styling—what’s not to like? 

The Rugged Ridge Grille Guard offers a simple bolt-on installation using the included vehicle-specific mounting kit. This product comes backed with the confidence of a 5-year manufacturer's warranty against material and workmanship defects. 

Features: 

  • Durable all-steel construction

  • Available in textured or gloss black finishes

  • Bolsters front-end protection

  • Corrosion-resistant powder coat finish

  • Includes vehicle-specific hardware kit

  • 5-year limited warranty

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