Blazing New Trails – Go Rhino 2018 JL Wrangler Product

March 12, 2018March 14, 2018 Blake Bonser 0 Comments Bumpers, Jeep Wrangler, JL, JL Wrangler

Don’t look now (this is actually the exact opposite of what I want you to do. Look. Look now.) but Go Rhino is fast becoming a go-to manufacturer for Jeep® exterior products. The 2018 JL Wrangler is in just it’s 3rd month of availability but Go Rhino has a whole smattering of JL Wrangler offerings ready to blaze new trails.

Stubby. It’s A Compliment

The first of the new JL Wrangler product from Go Rhino includes a Stubby Front Winch Bumper. Stubby indicates that it is not a full-width bumper like the factory bumper, and this type is popular for off-roading. The smaller size exposes more of the front tires to obstacles. The improved approach angle makes the Jeep more capable when climbing.

While stubby front bumpers are function over form on any Jeep, they never seemed quite that sexy on the 2007-2018 JK. Go Rhino’s stubby front bumper for the 2018 JL Wrangler is supermodel sexy. Don’t listen to fictional automotive aftermarket supplier Tommy Callahan. Don’t take the butcher’s (my) word for it. See for yourself,…get a good look at that T-Bone…

I was recently in the presence of the largest collection of JL Wrangers ever assembled while covering the 2018 Keystone Automotive BIG Show in Grapevine, TX. Of all the JLs on the show floor that day, I kept coming back to this one from Go Rhino. A clean looking, black Rubicon Unlimited with red complimentary accents that had a crowd around it all day.

The image above shows the bumper with the optional center hoop, (3311001T), and is sold without the hoop as well (331100T). The lower skid plate shown is sold separately (332100T), as is the winch fairlead plate (332000T).

Like all the products you’ll read about here, this bumper is an easy no-drill install on the JL Wrangler. There’s a recessed light mount area that will accommodate a 20″ double row LED light bar or four 3″ cube lights. The 3/16″ cold rolled steel and black textured powder coat give your JL Wrangler front end looks and protection. The bumper is backed by a 5-year warranty.

Forward Thinking, In the Rear

Go Rhino understands that the JL Wrangler is just begging to run 35″ or even 37″ tires. They know that a little extra light helps a great deal when trying to back up a lifted Jeep. The Stubby Rear Drop Center Bumper (371100T) is scalloped in the middle to allow a large tire to fit without contacting the bumper. It maintains all the construction quality and ease of install from its front counterpart, and both feature Go Rhino’s patented Rhino Hook Shackle Mounts. 3″ cube lights can be mounted on either side, and you can paint the provided mesh inserts to compliment your color scheme.

To facilitate that larger tire on the tailgate, Go Rhino also offers the Spare Tire Relocation Kit (372000T). It moves the tire up and away from the tailgate for additional clearance over the rear bumper while maintaining factory functionality. Convenient mounting areas are provided to allow easy carrying of trail tools or the mounting of a CB antenna. The factory backup camera and 3rd brake light are all reused.

Light Mounts

Wranglers and LED lighting go together like peas and carrots. But for sure there’s an unwritten line that if crossed, can land you smack-dab in the middle of poser territory. I’m currently there with my JK. I can feel people saying “Do you even wheel, Bro?” as they reluctantly wave. Go Rhino has found a way to add LED cube lights to the JL Wrangler in a tasteful and unique way.

Utilizing factory holes at the hood hinge, windshield cowl and the hardtop rear window mount, JL Wrangler owners can use High Endurance light mounts that are low profile, and high style.