http://members.home.net/xsnoopy00/xtra/bumper.jpg
I haven't bought one YET...Just doing some photo chopping and pasting:

What are your opinions/experiences with the Calmini Bumper...

here is what i posted on ITW a few weeks ago.

"it only bolts into the crumple zone. it does not have the lower bolt to the lower brackets on the frame. and i know some people have said that these are not needed, but i can tell you that on an off camber or strange pulls they are. mine have shifted and i am going to put a another grade 8 bolt through the frame down there to keep my ARB steady while winching. I only have to do this cause i had to grind the arb a little bit to make it fit correctly. I really think that if that attachment point wasn't needed both ARB and TJM would not have put it there. and both ARB and TJM have decades of expereince designing and manufacturing bumpers.

not to mention that there are no bars continueing on over the head lights. you can hit a deer, and still encur more damage than you would with a TJM or ARB bumper.

So for the same price as the Calmini bumper you can get bumpers from ARB or TJM that have decades more expereince in bumper building, decades more testing in places like the australian outback, moab and tellico, to name a few, and better protection from deer and such not coming from the corner. not only that, but the calmini bumper has no hi-lift points. heck all they had to do was weld on the same exact points that the ARB has, and people would have been able to use the ARB hi-lift accessoris with no mod. this kind of attention to detail has me worried.

So until someone i know and trust on one of the Xterra boards installs one of these bumpers, and does an side pull or a pull when on the downward part of a berm, i am not conviced that calmini has nailed this one. I would be glad to be proved wrong."

Synchros comments might be right on the money, but that looks like a great approach angle!

Could Calmini extend its support back a bit more and capture the eyelet bolts similar to the ARB and beef it up that way?

One plus, is that you have more winch options with that bumper. Winches with an integrated solinoid will fit.

Originally posted by Synchro
here is what i posted on ITW a few weeks ago.

"it only bolts into the crumple zone. it does not have the lower bolt to the lower brackets on the frame. and i know some people have said that these are not needed, but i can tell you that on an off camber or strange pulls they are. mine have shifted and i am going to put a another grade 8 bolt through the frame down there to keep my ARB steady while winching. I only have to do this cause i had to grind the arb a little bit to make it fit correctly. I really think that if that attachment point wasn't needed both ARB and TJM would not have put it there. and both ARB and TJM have decades of expereince designing and manufacturing bumpers.
I just got off the phone with Steve at Calmini (we talked for an hour after they closed) and touched on a lot of subjects, one of which being the front bumper. They have 22 years of building accessories for Isuzu Suzuki and earlier for Nissan (they got out when the market for Nissan wasn't so strong, I think) but I did ask him about the mounting location for the bumper, and he told me that it will mount from 4 bolts, and the mounts are 3/8 inch steel, double that of ARB and TJM. He suggessted cutting off the factory tow hook locations as he has them integrated into this 3/8 inch plate. these tow points are on the frame, where they should be. I would never use a tow point that was not either a tow reciever or bolted directly to the frame on the Rover, and won't on the Xterra. Flying metal does not make for a good afternoon. ARB may put a shackle there, but they do not call it a tow point, go check the literature. using it as a tow point is dangerous, and irresponsible. Yes, I'll say it.

Originally posted by Synchro

not to mention that there are no bars continueing on over the head lights. you can hit a deer, and still encur more damage than you would with a TJM or ARB bumper.

Originally posted by Synchro

If you hit a deer, that's not offroad damage, so it's not really a consideration for Calmini. The ARB is designed in Australia, where Kangaroos abound (and bound) and if you have ever seen a movie about trucking in Australia, they protect the hell out of the front of EVERY vehicle. Since we don't have as bad a problem as the Aussies with gigantic free roaming marsupials, this isn't really needed. A deer, yeah, it'll do damage, but so is an old man in a wheelchair. Basically, it's not the kind of obstacle you encounter offroad, and hopefully, the bumper is strong enough to take the abuse that a deer could throw it's way.


So for the same price as the Calmini bumper you can get bumpers from ARB or TJM that have decades more expereince in bumper building, decades more testing in places like the australian outback, moab and tellico, to name a few, and better protection from deer and such not coming from the corner. not only that, but the calmini bumper has no hi-lift points. heck all they had to do was weld on the same exact points that the ARB has, and people would have been able to use the ARB hi-lift accessoris with no mod. this kind of attention to detail has me worried.
They have all been making accessories for more years than most of us have been able to ride a bike, let alone drive a car.
The Calmini Xterra will be at GOX II doing whatever anyone will try, he is game to prove his products. not sure about the hi lift points, but the center of the bumper 1/4 inch plate should be strong enough for a bumper hooked Hi Lift, but don't quote me on that.
If you are worried, give him a call, he will answer your questions and more. He was quite enthusiastic about the various products we talked about.

Originally posted by Synchro


So until someone i know and trust on one of the Xterra boards installs one of these bumpers, and does an side pull or a pull when on the downward part of a berm, i am not conviced that calmini has nailed this one. I would be glad to be proved wrong."


I hope that'll be me. Should have it in time for my trip to Canada, that should be quite the testing ground for this new product.

Oh, by the way, I am not posting this in a smart ass way, just informatively. in case you feel I am trying to nit pick your comments,I am not, just sharing the knowledge I have gained...

now I guess I should post about the rear bumper in the rear bumper post....

Originally posted by Matt Peckham

now I guess I should post about the rear bumper in the rear bumper post....

Where, what's the news?

that's fine if he has been designing "accessories" my point was on bumpers. that they have not been doing for that long.

as to the strength, it still does not address the concern about having a mount point in another location besides the crumple zone.

as for fitting winches with integrated selenoids...who cares, it isn't as if integrated selenoid winches are cheaper or something. what does this buy you?

i am not trying to nit your comments either, but just expressing opinions as was asked for in the first post.

Originally posted by Synchro

as to the strength, it still does not address the concern about having a mount point in another location besides the crumple zone.

Isn't the ARB shackle mounting point on the front of the bumper, about 8 inches ABOVE the mount to the frame? If my physics doesn't fail me, wouldn't that cause undo stress to the frame horns, by pulling on the bumper, which will then cause A: the ARB to twist as it is not in a direct line with the frame, and B: an unnatural amount of twisting force applied to the 6 mounting bolts that bolt the ARB to the crumple zone? again, I just don't see the argument, it just seems to be an incredibly unsafe place to yank from. You risk screwing up your ARB and your frame horns.


as for fitting winches with integrated selenoids...who cares, it isn't as if integrated selenoid winches are cheaper or something. what does this buy you?

I think integrated solenoid designs use the integrated area as a big heat sink for the entire winch. I would be very happy if I could fit a Warn HS9500i, which is a great winch, and it doesn't fit on the ARB. I think the key word here is "choices". You can fit just about any reasonable winch onto the Calmini. Ramsey, Superwich, Warn, Mile Marker, and just about every one in their product lines. the only cool winch you can't fit that I am aware of (besides obvious industrial winches) is the Warn 8274-50. I asked.

i am not trying to nit your comments either, but just expressing opinions as was asked for in the first post. [/B][/QUOTE]

Originally posted by Matt Peckham


Isn't the ARB shackle mounting point on the front of the bumper, about 8 inches ABOVE the mount to the frame? If my physics doesn't fail me, wouldn't that cause undo stress to the frame horns, by pulling on the bumper, which will then cause A: the ARB to twist as it is not in a direct line with the frame, and B: an unnatural amount of twisting force applied to the 6 mounting bolts that bolt the ARB to the crumple zone? again, I just don't see the argument, it just seems to be an incredibly unsafe place to yank from. You risk screwing up your ARB and your frame horns.



Those are not shackle attachment points, they are Hi-Lifting points. Do I personally use them as shackle attachment points? Yes. Do I recommend that anyone else do it? No. Most folks use their stock tow hook (mine is long gone) or other tow hooks mounted down on the frame, under the ARB.

I just would not want to be using the bumper to yank off of, considering the way it is built. granted, a winch mount should be sturdy, and the winch mounts as high as those shackle points, but a winch has fairly gradual pulling, the amount of stress is multiple times less than using the shackle points to yank from. they are probably alright as a winch cable mount, but I would always go for a tow point as close to the frame as possible. the Calmini supposedly has recovery points built into the area where it mounts to the frame, an area with minimal stress on bumper and frame.

just remember, you may know the limits of using an ARB hi lift point as a pulling point, but the person on the other end may not. If something breaks, it will probably go flying at the other person. be careful.