People often ask me about the bumper on my 2018 new Cascadia’s Aero X package is. A lot of people whe see it, question its durability. Admittedly, I shared those concerns. 123,808 miles later, it is still there. It still looks good. This skeptic is starting to become a believer.
I am a solid professional driver, no more, no less. I would like to think that if the bumper has survived me, it would work with most professional drivers. Admittedly, there have been a few times when I thought that I had trashed the thing, and went around to see it in the same condition. Shoot, the first night that I had it, I was transporting it from Cleveland, NC to Louisville KY for MATS. Pulling out of a steep drive, I heard the scrape. My heart sank a bit. Here I was, transporting this brand new truck to a show and I thought that I had damaged it. Got out with my flashlight and checked it. It looked the same.
The worst sound that I heard from it was backing over a raised sewer cap. I thought for sure that I had ripped it off. I had pulled up to a customer, and was careful not to drive over the sewer. Then someone had to pull out of a dock and I pulled up to make it easier for them to get out. As I backed into my dock I heard an awful noise. Once again, I jumped out to check it and it looked the same.
Our nation’s infrastructure needs work. Interstate 39 in Illinois is a good example of that. I have a lot of Green Bay to Saint Louis runs. Some of those “bumps” are like Vs. The truck dips into them. Mine scraped at 65 MPH. It hit hard enough to shake my old log book off of its shelf. Still the bumper looked the same when I checked it.
Then there was trying to get out of dock in Louisville. It was one of those docks where you have to back in from the street. Coming out of that dock I had to “jump” the curb to leave. It was maybe a 5” curb. I went over it as gently as I could, wincing as I did it. There was not enough room in the dock to close the trailer doors. I had to close them in the street. I checked the bumper while I was walking around the truck and yes, it was still there.
At this point, I really don’t worry about the bumper as much as I used to. Yes, I am aware of it. I try not to put it to the test. Sometimes, it just happens. I guess that is way the road is the ultimate test.