Next Level Performance
September 27, 2026 • 9 min read
Our Verdict
The Addictive Desert Designs Bomber front bumper is the strongest winter front-end upgrade for a 2018-2020 F-150 — plate steel armor, an aluminum skid plate, and three Baja Designs LP6 light mounts in one bolt-up assembly.
Install it in an afternoon before the first freeze and you get deer-strike and snow-berm protection, recovery-ready shackle tabs, and a home for the auxiliary lights that make dark, snowy Florida-to-mountain road trips survivable. Plan on 2–4 hours and a second set of hands.
Shop Our Top Pick →A steel front bumper is a heavy-gauge replacement bumper designed for trucks like the 2018-2020 Ford F-150 that trades the factory plastic-and-foam assembly for welded plate steel, integrated recovery points, and auxiliary light mounts. Before winter, that swap matters: the front end is what meets deer, ice chunks, road salt, and snow berms first. This is the exact install we walk 2018-2020 F-150 owners through at our Tampa, FL shop when they want their truck ready for cold-weather duty — step by step, with real torque and fitment notes.
Why install a steel front bumper on your F-150 before winter?
A steel front bumper protects the most vulnerable part of your truck in winter — the grille, radiator, and headlights — while adding recovery points and light mounts the factory bumper does not have. The stock 2018-2020 F-150 bumper is a stamped shell over foam and plastic valances; it crumples on light impact and offers no shackle mounting. In snow country, three things fail at the front end: wildlife strikes on dark rural roads, packed snow and ice pushed into the fascia, and salt corrosion eating the chrome and plastic. A welded plate-steel bumper solves all three.
The Addictive Desert Designs (ADD) Bomber goes a step further than most. Its face is formed from modern plate steel for an aggressive look, but the full 3/16-inch aluminum skid plate underneath actually makes the assembly lighter than the OEM steel bumper — so you gain protection without piling weight onto the front axle. It ships with three center mounts for Baja Designs LP6 lights, so your winter driving lights bolt straight in. At our Tampa shop we see this bumper leave most often on trucks headed north for ski season and hunting season.
Welded plate steel with integrated shackle tabs — recovery-ready protection the OEM bumper can't match.
ADD Bomber — Key Specifications
The Bomber's plate-steel face shrugs off snow berms and light impacts the OEM bumper can't.
Which ADD F-150 front bumper fits your truck?
ADD builds three plate-steel front bumpers that cover the 2017-2020 F-150 family, and the right one depends on whether you have a Raptor or a standard F-150. All three carry the same welded-steel construction and ship freight; the differences are fitment, light provisions, and front-end shape. Use the table below to match a bumper to your exact truck — every price and link updates live from our catalog.
| Kit | Fitment | Light Mounts | Best For | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADD Bomber (F-150)Top Pick | 2018-2020 F-150 (non-Raptor) | 3x Baja LP6 (center) | Max protection + lights | $2,998.98 |
| ADD PRO Bolt-On | 2017-2019 F-150 (incl. Raptor) | Optional LED pods | No-cut approach angle | $2,698.98 |
| ADD Stealth Fighter | 2017-2020 F-150 Raptor | Center provisions | Tight OE-width look | $2,698.98 |
ADD PRO Bolt-On — the no-cut option
The ADD PRO Bolt-On front bumper is the pick if you want maximum approach angle without cutting the frame or relocating the intercooler. It bolts on and contours the body lines, and its fitment covers 2017-2019 F-150 trims from XL and XLT up through King Ranch, Platinum, and Raptor — so standard-cab winter trucks are covered, not just Raptors. Expect it in the low-$2,700 range.
ADD Stealth Fighter — for the Raptor
The Stealth Fighter is ADD's tightest-fitting Raptor front bumper, sitting only about 0.5 inch farther from the grille than the factory bumper. Its radius plate design keeps a clean OE-width profile while adding steel protection and center light provisions — ideal if you want winter armor on a 2017-2020 F-150 Raptor without the wide off-road look. It runs in the same low-$2,700 range as the PRO Bolt-On.
What tools and prep do you need?
You need basic hand tools, a torque wrench, and a helper — no welding or cutting is required on any of these ADD bumpers. Because a plate-steel front bumper is awkward and heavy, a second person or a floor jack to cradle it is the single most important prep item. Do the job on level ground with the engine cold.
- Metric socket set (3/8 in and 1/2 in drive) and a breaker bar for the factory frame bolts
- Torque wrench that covers roughly 30–110 ft-lb
- Trim/panel removal tools and spare push-pin clips for the valance
- Wire crimpers, heat-shrink, and inline fuse holder if you are wiring LP6 lights
- Penetrating oil (road salt seizes hardware fast on northern trucks) and anti-seize for reassembly
- A helper or floor jack to support the bumper during mounting
The 3/16-inch aluminum skid plate keeps the Bomber lighter than the OEM steel bumper.
How to install the ADD Bomber front bumper on a 2018-2020 F-150
Installing the ADD Bomber front bumper takes most DIYers 2–4 hours and follows seven steps: disconnect power, remove the OEM bumper, transfer sensors, mount the ADD brackets, hang the bumper, torque and align, then wire the lights. Follow the sequence below and reference the printed ADD instructions for your exact torque figures.
Step 1 — Disconnect the battery and prep
Disconnect the negative battery terminal before touching any wiring. Park on level ground, let the engine cool, and lay out the bumper and hardware so you can identify the frame brackets and bolt bags before you start.
Step 2 — Remove the factory bumper
Remove the lower valance push-pins, then unbolt the tow hooks and the frame bolts that hold the OEM bumper — typically six to eight bolts per side including the crash-can hardware. The factory assembly is heavy and unbalanced, so have your helper support it as the last bolts come out.
Step 3 — Transfer fog lights and parking sensors
Unplug and transfer the factory fog lights and any front parking sensors to the ADD bumper's provisions. On trucks with the adaptive cruise sensor, keep the mounting orientation identical so the system reads correctly — a common cold-morning fault code comes from a sensor that got clocked wrong during install.
Step 4 — Bolt the ADD mounting brackets to the frame
Attach the ADD frame brackets to the factory frame-horn holes and leave them finger-tight. Leaving the hardware loose lets you shift the bumper for even gaps before final torque.
Step 5 — Hang the bumper
With a helper or a floor jack, lift the Bomber into place and hand-thread the main mounting bolts. Do not let the full weight hang on one bolt; support it until every fastener is started.
Step 6 — Align and torque
Center the bumper with even gaps to the grille and fenders, then torque the frame hardware to ADD's specified values in a cross pattern. Snug is not enough — a bumper that will carry a winch or take a snow-berm hit must be at full spec.
Step 7 — Wire the LP6 lights and test
Drop the Baja Designs LP6 lights into the three center mounts, route the harness away from heat and moving parts, add the inline fuse, and connect to a switched source. Reconnect the battery, confirm the lights and factory sensors work, and re-check bumper torque after a short shakedown drive.
Mounted and aligned: even gaps to the grille and fenders are the sign of a correct install.
Why add Baja Designs LP6 lights for winter?
Auxiliary driving lights matter more in winter than any other season because daylight is short, snow scatters your headlight beam, and deer move at dawn and dusk. The ADD Bomber's three center mounts are built for the Baja Designs LP6 Pro, a 6-inch round LED that puts out roughly 8,600 raw lumens at 130 watts with a 5000K daylight color that cuts through falling snow far better than yellow halogens.
We recommend a driving/combo pattern for winter: it blends a tight spot for distance with a wide flood for the shoulders where wildlife appears. Baja backs the LP6 with a limited lifetime warranty and a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, and the sealed housing shrugs off salt spray and slush. Budget around $530 per light, and remember the Bomber holds three.
Three center pockets accept Baja LP6 lights — winter visibility built into the bumper.
ADD Bomber: pros and cons for winter use
What We Like
- + Plate-steel protection that is lighter than OEM thanks to the aluminum skid
- + Three built-in Baja LP6 mounts for winter driving lights
- + No frame cutting; bolt-on install in an afternoon
Things to Consider
- – Ships freight (LTL) and is heavy to handle — plan for a helper
- – Not a winch-cradle design; add a separate winch mount if you want a winch
Bolted this on my 2019 F-150 before a Colorado trip. The steel face and LP6 lights turned a nervous night drive through snow into a non-event. Fit was tight and the gaps came out even.
— Verified Buyer | NLP Performance | ★★★★★
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the ADD Bomber bumper fit my 2018-2020 F-150?
Yes — the ADD Bomber front bumper is engineered for the 2018, 2019, and 2020 Ford F-150 (non-Raptor). Raptor owners should choose the ADD Stealth Fighter (2017-2020 Raptor) or the ADD PRO Bolt-On (2017-2019, including Raptor and standard trims) instead. Always confirm the year and trim before ordering a freight item.
How long does it take to install a steel front bumper on an F-150?
A steel front bumper install on a 2018-2020 F-150 takes most DIYers 2 to 4 hours with hand tools and a helper. No welding or frame cutting is required on the ADD Bomber, PRO Bolt-On, or Stealth Fighter — the work is removing the OEM bumper, transferring sensors, and bolting the new bumper to the factory frame holes.
Does a steel bumper make winter driving safer?
A steel front bumper improves winter safety in two ways: it protects the radiator, grille, and headlights from deer strikes and packed snow, and it provides mounts for auxiliary driving lights that extend visibility on dark, snowy roads. The ADD Bomber also adds recovery-ready shackle tabs the factory bumper lacks.
How bright are the Baja Designs LP6 lights?
The Baja Designs LP6 Pro produces roughly 8,600 raw lumens at 130 watts with a 5000K daylight color temperature. That output and color cut through falling snow and fog far better than factory halogen fog lights, and the ADD Bomber holds three of them in its center mounts.
Will a steel front bumper hurt fuel economy or add weight?
The ADD Bomber is actually lighter than the OEM F-150 bumper because it uses a 3/16-inch aluminum skid plate behind the plate-steel face, so there is minimal weight penalty. Any aerodynamic effect is negligible at winter highway speeds, and factory tow ratings are unaffected.
Can I mount a winch on the ADD Bomber?
The ADD Bomber is not a winch-cradle bumper, so for a winch you would add a separate F-150 winch mount or step up to a winch-ready design such as the ADD Stealth Fighter winch series. For most winter drivers, recovery straps and the Bomber's shackle tabs cover self-recovery on icy roads.
Build a Winter-Ready Front End
Shop ADD steel front bumpers, Baja Designs lights, and thousands more truck parts at NLP Performance.
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