FRONT BUMPER
Blanchat Bumper & Grille Guard
The Blanchat Bumper can be applied to the Chaparral and Minuteman Series as an option, depending on chassis type. This bumper is commonly fitted to Ford and Dodge chassis. Contact us for other fitments.
The standard bumper option comes with a recessed winch box which only adds an extra 7 inches from the factory front bumper. The winch box can be fitted with an optional 8,000 or 12,000 lb Ramsey electric winch with 12 foot remote control switch, 100 or 150 foot aircraft cable and 4-way roller fairlead.
The bumper package will include two 500 series LED strobe lights and two chrome tow hooks. The finished bumper assembly is powder-coated texture black.
The bumper grille guard is designed to not break the pattern of airflow into the chassis engine. All structural components are aligned with the construction of the chassis grille. The bumper will not interfere with the chassis warranty.
Strength Test
To prove the strength of the Blanchat bumper and grille guard, the chassis was lifted off the ground by attaching to the weakest points of the grille guard at the very top outside edges. The bumper nor the chassis sustained any structural damage during this test.
BLESS System Capability
The bumper can be upgraded to include BLESS bracketing to utilize this rescue system.
Ground Sweep Capability
The bumper can be fitted with ground sweeps. Options include two nozzles at each outside corner or three nozzles (two at each outside corner and one center).
Exoskeleton Branch Deflector
The front bumper grille guard can be upgraded to include bracketing for the Exoskeleton branch deflector option. The Exoskeleton connects to the BATROPS walkway area to help deflect brush and branches away from the chassis and Fire Attack Operational Areas. The Exoskeleton maintains full visibility from inside the chassis and is constructed of steel tubing for strength.
Front Monitor Capability
The bumper can be upgraded to include an Akron remote front monitor with a proportional speed joystick on the cab center console. This monitor is ideal for brush and wildland firefighting. The monitor has a maximum of 320 degrees of rotation with stops at +/-90 degrees. It has a 135 degree maximum elevation range with stops at +/- 45 degrees and -20 degrees.
This particular unit shown above also features an optional Ramsey 9000 lb portable winch with reciever tube mount and electrical connection at both the front and rear bumpers.