All Pro Wrap Around Side Pieces for Rear Bumper - Worth It?

I like to use the appropriate forums, but 'product reviews' gets no traffic, so I'll repost here...

I have the All Pro rear bumper (plate style) on it's way to me now. The wrap around side pieces would be another 2 weeks and I'm not sure if I should go for them. The off-roading I do is infrequent and pretty mild. The only reason I'm getting the steel plate bumper is that I smushed the OEM p.o.s. AND the main reason I'm considering the side pieces is the reports I've read that the A.P. bumper looks goofy (too wide) without them. Insurance paid me the full body shop cost to replace the bumper and trailor hitch, so money isn't an issue. I just want to make a smart buy. All Pro's web site says the side pieces "have support gussets that attach directly to the frame for added strength." I hadn't heard this before. Is this an improvement with the newest generation bumper? Anyone have a clue if this would prevent the side pieces from easily being pushed in to make contact with the bedside as has been previously reported? I'd love to see front-view pics of A.P. bumpers without the side pieces to see just how far it sticks out. is it really that goofy looking? Thanks for any input.

 

Friday Bump.
What say you, owners?

 

Here are a few pics (please excuse the dirt!) of our bumper mounted with and without the side pieces, showing how far it "sticks out".

The side pieces have always had a bracket that ties them into the frame for support. I can push all of my 105 lbs into them at the upper corner and they don't come near touching the body, but with much more force they might at that point, but it would be alot less damage than if there was nothing there!

The main part that needs the added protection is the underside behind the rear tire - once your tire comes down off a rock, that area is very vulnerable, as evidenced by many flattened tailpipes!

 

Perfect pics Sarah...exactly what I too was looking for. Looks like they don't stick out like Howdy Doody ears after all. I'm still trying to make up my mind too. Thanks for the pics.

 

Mine are around 1/8"-1/4" from touching the body on both sides, and I can push them into the quarter panel by hand quite easily if I try. That said, I dont think they'd do much for a bump on a rock or tree stump, but maybe they'd protect against tree branches and other stuff getting kicked up.

 

i say go with the side pieces

 

Pics and vid clips:
In the vid clips, the tapping noise is the plate hitting the fender. I held the camera in one hand and filmed it, while pushing on them with the other hand.

Drivers side:






Passenger side:

 

The new ones are more rigid. They will protect against rocks and trees more so than if nothing were there!

 

Alright, I did get one from early in the production runs so thats a possibility. And I do agree that they're better than nothing though.