Some companies excel at finding a niche in whatever market they’re in and Gristle Boyz, Inc. should be the business model for any company with those intentions. Started by some ATV enthusiasts just a couple of years ago, Gristle Boyz, Inc is well known in the Can-Am community for providing high quality upgrades to the Outlander and Renegade product line, most notably a turbo kit for the Rotax engine.
We were fortunate enough to be provided with their Can-Am Renegade 800 Winch Mount Bumper and Aluminum Hawse Fairlead to review. Designed to accommodate up to a 3500 lb winch, this is one sturdy Renegade 800 front bumper.
Initial Impression:
The bumper and fairlead were well packaged when they arrived at our door. Upon inspection, we were pleasantly surprised at the quality put into this product. The bumper is very stout, yet small enough that weight should not be a concern. Each weld looks perfect and completely surrounds the pieces being joined. The ends of the bumper have been finished off beautifully with flawlessly welded end caps and the entire piece is powder-coated black for a tough finish.
As an accessory to the bumper, Gristle Boyz also has available the aluminum hawse fairlead seen in pictures. It is intended to be used with synthetic winch rope only and adds quite a touch of flair to the bumper with it’s contrast in color and the Gristle Boyz logo engraved on it. It is machined very well and provides a MUCH better appearance than a roller type fairlead would.
Installation:
Installation is about as straightforward as possible, thanks to the fact that the bumper was designed to use the existing hardware and location of the stock unit. After removing the six bolts that are used to retain the stock bumper and the small aluminum bracket at the top of the bumper, the aftermarket replacement bolts right in with precise alignment. The entire installation took about 20 minutes.
Tools Required:
Only standard hand tools are required for the installation. The tools that you will need to ahve are as follows:
- 10mm wrench & socket;
- 13mm wrench & socket;
- 15mm wrench & socket;
- T-30 Torx bit.
Additional Notes:
Many people will be concerned as to whether the Gristle Boyz bumper will work if you have installed after-market skid plates such as the very popular Ricochet-Offroad skid plates. We found that with some effort during the installation, that the bumper will work with the front Ricochet skid plate but with slight modification to the skid plate. From our testing, what we found was that in order to properly install the bumper with the Ricochets, the front Ricochet plate had to be bent slightly to allow it to overcome the rear end of the Gristle Boyz bumper. The alternative would be to cut approximately an inch of the rear of the bottom plate of teh bumper to prevent it from coming in contact with the skid plate. With the powdercoat finish on the Gristle Boyz bumper being so nice, we would not able to bring ourselves to cut on it. So, a slight bend to the skid would be our recommended solution. That will in no way hinder the protection characteristics of the Ricochet skid plates or damage them in any way.
Overall Impression:
The look is a distinct contrast to the aluminum stock bumper, in not only color but form. Solid, brawny, sturdy are a few words that come to mind.
I’m sure there won’t be any concerns when winching fellow riders with this well-built unit towing the load! I look forward to putting the Gristle Boyz bumper and winch mount to use out on the trails, as well as the comments from my riding buddies when they see this beast leading the way on the Renegade. This bumper passes with flying colors in my book!
Contact Information:
Gristle Boyz, Inc
(Web Site) http://www.grisltboyz.com
(Email) [email protected]
(Phone) 403-507-1710
