ARB bumpers are without a doubt very stout, and the craftsmanship/quality is in a league all of it's own. They're fully Air Bag Compatible, fit is perfect, and so is the finish. The winch is completely hidden besides the solenoid box (however you can access the winch thru several holes in the bumper & with a Warn M8000 you have to rotate the clutch/brake housing so the handle is accessible). I've owned several ARB bumpers throughout the years and I've never had a single issue with any of them. In the TX hill country it stopped me from totaling my rigs from silly deer! I hit several deer with an ARB and I just had to wash off all the DNA. Not a single scratch or dent!!
One of the huge selling points on my Alpha was the fact it already had an ARB. Carfax showed zero accidents, but honestly I think the previous owner had a bit of a boo boo to the RF since the RF headlight was completely blown out the back when I bought it. Instead of buying the OEM stuff they apparently went with an ARB Bumper. I've learned that Carfax is a great safety net for non gearheads, but in the real world a Carfax report can be completely false. I'd rather spot stuff like that and know what I'm getting into vs a cover up car where it's just made to look pretty and it's really a complete wreck.
I also had a friend with an 06 Rubicon and he was hit nearly head on (from an idiot going the wrong way on I-10 in Houston), he was hit, then half his Jeep flew over the center concrete wall. The drivers door was ripped off, and when he came to a stop he was hanging over the Westbound lane in his seat!! The front of the Jeep was able to maintain it's shape due to the ARB bumper and it deflected the damage of the hit head on. It didn't look anything like a Jeep after it was over, but besides a small crease on the LF side of the ARB bumper it retained it's shape perfectly!
ARB's are more $$$$ vs other bumper makers, but in the end you get what you pay for and my safety along with my friends or family that ride with me is priceless!
