Mountaineer With Chrome Explorer Bumpers

[Mountaineer302]

I've been thinking that our 98 Mountaineer would look better with a set of chrome Explorer bumpers. The rear one doesn't look too bad, but the front one isn't looking so great. I'm also not a big fan of the rubber/plastic front bumper. Has anyone done this or have a picture of one done this way? Also I would assume it would be a direct swap, correct?

 

[koda2000]

The rear bumper itself would be a direct swap, but at least on my 2000's the plastic piece on top is a little different and fits the corner trim differently. I suppose you could swap the plastic pieces too.

If you want a true chrome front bumper, you need one from a '97 or earlier Explorer as the '98-'01 Explorer front bumper cover is all plastic (even the chrome looking fog light trim). I'm not 100% sure if the brackets and grill areas are identical and you'd also need the Explorer fog lights, assuming you have them.

 

[J_C]

'98 still had the true chrome front bumper, only chromed plastic on it is the trim piece between the rear wheel well and bumper, except it seems some if not all Eddie Bauers had that molded and painted to match the EB trim instead.

 

[koda2000]

'98 still had the true chrome front bumper, only chromed plastic on it is the trim piece between the rear wheel well and bumper, except it seems some if not all Eddie Bauers had that molded and painted to match the EB trim instead.

I swear I've seen '98's with the full plastic front bumper cover (late production maybe... ?) but a quick look at CL shows that '99 was apparently the first year of the full plastic front bumper cover. As far as the chrome between the rear wheel and the rear bumper, it depends on trim level. Some had the chrome, some did not, same with the '99 front bumper cover corners.

 

[J_C]

I'd wonder if they just wrecked their '98 and put the '99 bumper on as a replacement since some people don't like chrome, or the chrome ones they saw at a junk yard might have rusted from exposure.

 

[koda2000]

I'd wonder if they just wrecked their '98 and put the '99 bumper on as a replacement since some people don't like chrome, or the chrome ones they saw at a junk yard might have rusted from exposure.

It's possible I guess. I also saw an Expl advertised on my CL that was listed as a '99, but had a chrome front bumper. Maybe someone swapped it with an older style bumper? Maybe it wasn't a '99? I often see Gen III's advertised as '01's and sometimes Expeditions advertised as Explorers.

 

[CDW6212R]

The frames are the same for the front bumper mounts for 1995-01. So if you get the parts all the way to the frame, any of those bumpers will swap. I still have a steel bumper on my 99, I wanted that since it's stronger than the plastic versions.

But now that I've got a 98 Limited, and the front bumper is plastic and won't work for the Saleen cover I'm going to use, this one will go on my 99 mail truck. I'll swap bumpers between the two basically, the frames are alike.

 

[Mountaineer302]

That's good to know that they are interchangeable.