Profender Air Bump tech...

snappy

snappy

YHDG's adopted son!!!
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I would like to thank ProfenderUSA for the fast deliver of my new air bumps and cans. This will be my first shot at some tech. It's about 11pm and I just opened my box so there won't be alot tonight but I have lined up some better tech to follow...
The finish is much nicer looking than the brand I am taking off my buggy. The cans are made of much thicker material and have what look to be 3/8" bolts(I will get measurements tomorrow). The pads have a bolt that go all the way through rather than 3 set screws. Here are a few shots for tonight, more to follow....
airbumps1.jpg

airbumps2.jpg

airbumps3.jpg

airbumps4.jpg
 
Are these going in the XJ?
 
OK here we go. Not super techy but more of a side by side comparison with another companies product. The other set, let's say brand A, is 2" stroke and have only been used for mock up and not in any weather....
First off a side by side shot...
bumpsidebyside1.jpg
 
Next let's look at the mounting cans. The ProfenderUSA are about 3/16" thick, Brand A is 1/16". The Profenders are machined and fully welded around the pinch bolts, Brand A is half way welded and then simply cut crooked with what looks like a portaband. The pinch bolts are 10mm on the Profenders, and 1/4" on Brand A.
bumpcans2.jpg

bumpcans1.jpg

bumpamounting.jpg

bumpamounting2.jpg
The Profender bumps have a lip machined on the bump itself so if both pinch bolts came loose and it slide down then it would catch on thos lip. On Brand A there is a split rig that slided into a groove in the can and the bump itself, and with only one small pinch bolt, I could see this sliding downing and falling off then when the bump slide back up, it would simply go through the top of the can.
 
Hmmm...


I wonder if the bolts and hardware on the Profender products will be available as SAE sizes versus metric seing how I rarely carry any metric tools or hardware...
 
The finsh on the Profenders looks like a zinc plating, Brand A is raw alum. and are already corriding just sitting in the shop.The shaft in the Profender is a smoother finish and Brand A you can still see the machining marks on it.
bumpfinish1.jpg

bumpshafts.jpg

bumpshrader1.jpg
Next is the Schrader valves. Profenders and much larger and the rear cap is thread on. Brand A is much smaller and the rear cap is held on with an allen screw.(yes this is exactly the way I recieved them with the schraders half stripped).
 
rockcity said:
Hmmm...
I wonder if the bolts and hardware on the Profender products will be available as SAE sizes versus metric seing how I rarely carry any metric tools or hardware...
Click to expand...
As beef as these are you will never need to tighten on the trail...ps u had better carry a set of metric allens for your motor, there are no ase on it!!!
 
Bump pads....
The Profenders are full coverage Nylon bottoms held in place with a bolt all the way through. Brand A is simply press fit, and the Profenders are even a tighter press fit without the bolt. Notice the allen thread that holds the cap on so you will not scare up the outer ring if you have to remove it...
bumppads3.jpg

bumppads2.jpg

bumppads1.jpg

bumpwiper.jpg
Last thing for today. Notice the blue cover on the Profender to protect the lower seal, IMO this acts as a prewiper to help clean the shaft before it gets to the seal and will also help keep the seal from being cut.

*************before someone else says it, I know there is a craftsman wrench in the pic, its in my trail bag, everytime I carry the good stuff someone borrows something and I get brand x back in place of my Snapon so I carry trade stuff in the ammo cnas now!!!*******
 
The other thing I noticed is there is a larger % of volume on top of the piston wich seems to me that it would not build pressure as fast and be a softer stop that a smaller volume that would compress quicker. I am waiting on confirmation of this theroy....
 
Brand "A" look like a brand that end in A and look like cheap ass POS, esp the cans. Cans look like the were made in HS shop class.

Profenders look like fox. Cans look nice, 3/16 is kinda overkill.
 
:popcorn:
Caddy needs some air bumps.
 
rockmafia said:
Brand "A" look like a brand that end in A and look like cheap ass POS, esp the cans. Cans look like the were made in HS shop class.
Profenders look like fox. Cans look nice, 3/16 is kinda overkill.
Click to expand...

Exactly what i was thinking too. I love the brand A cans, those things are super gangsta and the best laugh I've had in a while. I wonder if they have different thickness cutoff wheels for more clamping power.......not sure if i like the .188 cans though.
 
Nice write up Snap...

1 question. When you call for tech help does an automated machine pickup and refer you to their website or does a live human answer the phone with a helpful tone? After sale support is priceless.
 
crawlin85cj said:
Nice write up Snap...

1 question. When you call for tech help does an automated machine pickup and refer you to their website or does a live human answer the phone with a helpful tone? After sale support is priceless.
Click to expand...


Ryan told me he would be the one we talk to when we call. maybe he'll chime in :)
 
crawlin85cj said:
Nice write up Snap...

1 question. When you call for tech help does an automated machine pickup and refer you to their website or does a live human answer the phone with a helpful tone? After sale support is priceless.
Click to expand...
Ryan has been very helpful so far. He is working on something different, ie you talk to a tuner in the area for help and questions..... Outside the box thinking that will help them get ahead IMO.
 
As posted on Pirate by Scott at Dirt-Fab, www.dirt-fab.com

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=969104&page=2

Ryan at Profender asked me to take one apart and give him an honest evaluation and compare it to a domestic air bump. My initial opinion is that for a less expensive option I would choose them over other cheaper brands or options such as a closed cell foam type bump.

Many of the parts are very similar to a Fox bump. A few differences are a longer body and shaft. Some of this may be driven by the thicker piston.

As you can see, you can easily modify them to be a shorter travel bump by replacing the tubing spacer and modifying the oil level.

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They have a piston and shim package, which means you can modify/tune them by both changing the shim pack, oil level, & pressure. The shims have a smaller hole in them, so a Fox shim pack is not interchangeable. Many of the wear parts do seem to work such as the wear band and O-rings.

I did make the recommendation to use a different style lock nut such as a Stover to get more thread engagement.

awww_pirate4x4_com_forum_attachment_php_17cc108d9070e350c32bc9e3ac58c517._.jpg


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Fit & finish are real nice. Much better than one of the other less expensive brands out there. Here you can see the inside of the bump. They are made out of cold-rolled electrically welded tubing vs. DOM.

Overall, I would say a great product for the $. We plan to stock them in the near future.

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