It was last year at the Off Road Expo in Pomona, California, where we came across one of the most innovative bumper designs we have seen for the popular JK, from an up-and-coming company called Expedition One out of Utah.
What caught our eye was not just the clean lines of the bumpers, but a trick tailgate linkage on its Trail Series rear bumper that allows the spare tire to be opened with the tailgate in one motion, while carrying the majority of the spare tire load on the bumper-keeping your tailgate hinges safe. Expedition One calls this its Smooth Motion STC (swinging tire carrier) system. For those of you living with the squeaks and rattles from an inferior tire-carrier system, this stout carrier is the solution for you. The Trail Series rear bumper is constructed from 3/16-inch steel and even has an integrated CB antenna mount.
The front Trail Series bumper is also packed full of features, from a dropped winch mount, to Hi-lift jack pockets for lifting the vehicle, to the ability to reuse (and aim) your factory foglights. For a full-width bumper, it still allows maximum capability and protection. It sits high on the frame and is shaped for maximum approach angle and ground clearance, while maintaining an integrated fit with the factory flares. Construction is 3/16-inch steel, and Expedition One says it is designed to fit 37-inch tires with a 4-inch lift.
1. Fresh out of the shipping...
1. Fresh out of the shipping boxes, our new Expedition One bumpers await installation.
Another option we added is the Expedition One Rubi Skid, which will work independently of the Expedition One bumpers-perfect for those of you who want a better approach angle but want to keep the stock bumpers. The Rubi Skid increases the approach angle through clocking of the sway-bar disconnect motor.
All of Expedition One's bumpers also come with beefy 1-inch shackle tabs and offer a limited lifetime warranty to the original purchaser.
For this fast and easy installation we headed back to see our friend Mel Wade at Off Road Evolution in Fullerton, California, where once again his team of highly trained wrenches installed another round of project products for us. The install was straightforward and can easily be accomplished by anyone with an extra set of hands and moderate mechanical knowledge.
 2. First order of business...  2. First order of business was to remove the old bumpers from the front and rear of the 'Con. Next, the Expedition One rear bumper was lifted in to place and leveled against the body. |  3. With the bumper in place,...  3. With the bumper in place, the spindle and lower bearing that handles the weight of the spare-tire carrier arm was installed. |  4. We then installed the carrier...  4. We then installed the carrier arm and the top bearing. |
 5. The spindle nut was installed...  5. The spindle nut was installed and we tightened everything down to spec. |  6. Expedition One's products...  6. Expedition One's products show a high attention to detail, illustrated by this trick billet bearing cap. |  7. These rubber bumpers use...  7. These rubber bumpers use existing holes and cushion the carrier arm against the tailgate. |
 8. The rear-door mounting...  8. The rear-door mounting plate, which supports the linkage between the tailgate and carrier arm was installed to the tailgate. |  9. Here is the linkage. You...  9. Here is the linkage. You can see the amount of adjustment. This is to make it compatible for those who have a 1-inch body lift. |  10. In this picture, you can...  10. In this picture, you can see how clean the carrier arm looks installed to the bumper without the spare. |