Sam Krahn 
At last year’s 2019 SEMA show, American Expedition Vehicles dropped three hugely impressive new vehicles. Chief among them was the AEV Prospector XL package, which turns the Ram HD pickup into a massively capable overlanding machine. Now, the Montana/Michigan-based company is offering some of the parts off the package a la carte, and they’ve just announced Ram HD owners will be able to buy their front and rear bumpers right off the AEV Prospector XL. Better yet, the rear bumper works with both fourth and fifth generation Ram HD trucks.
The front bumper, however, only works with the fifth generation truck, 2019 and newer. It’s made entirely of stamped steel, and aims to provide an optimal balance of safety, protection and style, while improving approach angles. The bumper also has ductile iron recovery points which double as wear points and an optional 12,000-16,500 lb Warn winch. Cooling is also improved through the new bumper, with a unique airflow shroud for the intercooler or radiator. Finally, the bumper has pre-drilled holes for ParkSense compatibility. For Ram HD trucks without ParkSense, AEV supplies plugs to block off the holes. There’s also two bumper corner designs, one compatible with stock fenders and the other compatible with AEV’s HighMark fenders.
The rear bumper is also made of stamped, powder-coated steel, and features the same ductile iron tow hooks. It improves departure angles, adds protection with tubular corners and allows easy access to the bed with molded step pads. There are also brighter LED reverse lights. Like the front bumper, it also works with the newest Ram HD truck technology, such as ParkSense, Passive Entry Tailgate and Trailer TPMS. Finally, diesel models can opt for a high clearance tailpipe kit.
The AEV Ram HD front bumper will run you between $2,449 and $2,599 depending on options, while the rear bumper comes in somewhere between $1,649 and $1,698. The front bumper is available now for 2019+ trucks, while the rear bumper is available now for 2010+ trucks, although 2019+ 3500 trucks with rear leaf springs will need to wait until early 2021. As a way to boost the style, performance and protection of your Ram HD without buying the full AEV Prospector XL kit, these high quality AEV bumpers are a great option.
