BUMPERS BUILT FOR ABUSE
BY JERROD JONES
MERCENARY OFFROAD OUTFITS SUPER DUTYS
The original Ford Super Duty was one of the longest-running platforms to remain largely unchanged, from 1999 until the aluminum version arrived in 2017. And in that time, we’ve seen some pretty great products built for the largest private-passenger vehicle to ever be made in America. But when it came to hardcore off-road parts, it seemed that the Super Duty’s obvious competitor was getting the attention from the aftermarket. Even Mercenary Offroad concentrated on the Ram bumpers to begin with. But the Ford parts came soon after, and the front Super Duty bumpers hold the same signature look that the boutique bumper company made famous when it debuted its revolutionary high-line front protection years ago.
The handcrafted bumpers are built to order out of Camarillo, Calif., with many hours of labor put in to make sure that each bumper turns out beautifully. Mercenary’s latest addition for the ’11-to-’16 6.7L Power Stroke trucks (the bumper fits the petrol versions, too) can hold up to a 16,500-pound winch and be customized for whatever lighting choices you want to add. The midsection that bolts to the frame and holds the winch is built out of 1/4-inch HRPO (hot-rolled, pickled and oiled) steel, while the rest of the bumper is formed with 3/16-inch HRPO steel. The bumper design has integrated front skid protection for the radiator and intercooler and recessed shackle points for recovery.