Bumper Cover Vs. Bumper: What’s the Difference?

What is a Bumper?

A bumper, or bumper reinforcements as it’s called in factory configurations, is one of the key structures of a vehicle’s front or rear end. The bumper, typically comprising alloy steel or thick-gauge aluminum, absorbs the majority of an impact in the event of a collision, preventing significant damage to the frame, engine compartment, or passenger compartment. 

Bumpers can take several forms, from a glorified piece of rebar bolted to the frame rails to a molded, chrome-plated steel accessory visible from a vehicle’s exterior. A bumper cover typically covers the former, while the latter remains visible as a design element. 

What is a Bumper Cover? 

Bumper covers are aesthetically pleasing, conventionally polyurethane covers that slip over the bumper, improving a vehicle’s overall appearance and aerodynamics. These covers are often painted to match a vehicle’s body and, while generally not contributing to structural integrity, often secure accessories like fog lights, parking sensors, splash shields, and grilles.

Aftermarket Bumpers

Aftermarket manufacturers also produce truck and SUV bumpers, offering aesthetic and functional improvements. These accessories typically bolt directly to existing mounts on the frame and are tailored to your application, ensuring a flawless fit and integration with factory body lines. 

Benefits of Aftermarket Bumpers

Aftermarket bumpers do more than look good. These rugged accessories feature heavy-duty constructions comprising durable, fully-welded plate steel for superior durability, improving impact resistance and structural integrity.

Aside from structural integrity, aftermarket bumpers bolster accessory mounting provisions with built-in tabs for off-road lights, winches, and recovery shackles. Design-wise, aftermarket bumpers also improve performance off-road with high-clearance wings that reduce approach and departure angles and optimize clearance for oversized tires. 

Upgrade Your Bumper at RealTruck

If you’re on the hunt for a heavy-duty, aftermarket bumper, there’s no better place to shop than RealTruck. We offer all the top bumper brands, like Go Rhino®, Steelcraft, and Ranch Hand, to ensure maximum quality and reliability. After all, as the first line of defense in an accident, a bumper is one accessory you won’t want to skimp out on. Check out some of our top-selling aftermarket bumpers. 

Steelcraft HD Front Bumper

Whether you live in deer country or love the look of a heavy-duty, ranch-style grille guard front bumper, consider upgrading your truck with the Steelcraft HD. This rugged front bumper features a heavy-duty schedule-40 pipe structure with a diamond plate steel body, ensuring maximum durability. An integrated grille guard boosts impact protection, guarding essential components like the headlights, grille, and fluid coolers against damage. 

With the Steelcraft HD’s simple bolt-on design, installation is a breeze. Most applications retain full use of factory tow hooks, fog lights, and license plate mounts, ensuring you don’t lose out on factory features. Steelcraft backs each HD front bumper with a limited 1-year warranty. 

Features: 

• Heavy-duty schedule-40 pipe and diamond plate steel construction

• Corrosion-resistant semi-gloss black powder coat finish

• Integrated 2-in. receiver hitch

• Heavy-duty brush guard

• Supports Adaptive Cruise Control (if applicable)

• Removable panel supports front emblem cameras

• Compatible with parking sensors

• Retains factory tow hooks, fog lights, and license plate mount

• Easy, bolt-on installation on most applications

• 1-year warranty

RealTruck Go Rhino BR6 Front Winch Bumper

When the going gets tough, the Go Rhino BR6 front winch bumper ensures you get home safe. Featuring a heavy-duty steel construction and corrosion-resistant powder coat finish, this bumper can withstand anything you or mother nature throw its way. 

Various accessory mounts significantly boost functionality, including a beefy winch mount, pre-drilled LED light bar mounting tabs, and Go Rhino’s standout Rhino Hook D-ring shackle lugs. 

Installation is straightforward with the included bolt-on mounting kit, and each order comes backed by a limited lifetime structural and 5-year finish warranty. 

Features: 

• Winch-ready front bumper

• Durable .25-in. mild steel construction

• Corrosion-resistant textured black powder coat finish

• Accommodates up to 12,000 lb. winch

• Integrated light mount accepts LED light bars 

• Removable panels accept fog lights

• Integrated heavy-duty Rhino Hook D-ring shackle lugs

• Includes all required mounting hardware

• Simple no-drill installation

• Limited lifetime structural | 5-year finish warranty

Ranch Hand Legend Series Rear Bumper

Ranch Hand’s Legend Series rear bumper is just that—legendary. It’s a product that blends traditional ranch-inspired style with unmatched quality and durability. Robust 4-in. schedule-40 pipe and diamond-plate steel construction ensure maximum impact protection, while a gloss black powder coat finish keeps rust and corrosion at bay in any climate. 

Mount auxiliary lights easily with precision cutouts made specifically for conventional oval trailer lights. If your vehicle comes with parking sensors, Ranch Hand adds cutouts for those, too. Ranch Hand bumpers are proudly made in the USA and come backed by a limited 1-year warranty. 

Features: 

• Heavy-duty rear bumper

• Engineered for use on ¾ and 1-ton pickups

• Durable 4-in. schedule-40 pipe and diamond-plate steel construction

• Provides exceptional impact-resistance

• Corrosion-resistant gloss-black powder-coat finish

• LED auxiliary lights are standard on most models

• Sensor-compatible on most models

• Frame mounts in four locations for a tight, vibration-free fit

• Rugged one-piece welded design

• USA-made

• Limited 1-year warranty

For more information on aftermarket bumpers, check out our vehicle-specific guides and bumper resources on RealSource™, including: