How to choose the right bumper for your Kenworth T680

To choose a bumper for a Kenworth T680, start with the truck. Note which front end it has, whether it carries a forward radar, whether the bumper has fog light openings, and how the mounts look. Then work out how much of the bumper you need to replace. After that, compare what each kit contains and what the part is made of. A matching model year does not confirm fit.

Decide which bumper components need replacing

Replace the parts that are damaged, plus any piece that holds them in place and is bent or cracked. That list tells you if one panel will do or if you need a set of sections.

A T680 bumper is often built from several pieces. A cover is a visible outer panel, and a corner is the end section on one side. Inner covers, reinforcements and supports sit behind or below and carry the outer panels. The names differ between the earlier truck and the Next Gen, and the parts are not interchangeable, so read the part name on the listing as well as the photo.

What you found	What to check before you choose
One outer piece is cracked or scraped	Confirm the side and the version, such as fog hole or no fog hole. Look at the pieces next to it and at its mounting points.
Several panels are damaged	Write down each part you need and compare that list with the kit contents.
A panel sits crooked or a mount is broken	Inspect the brackets and inner parts first. A new cover will not fix a bent support.
A radar warning came on after the hit	Have the system checked using its manufacturer's procedure. A new bumper on its own will not clear the fault.

The table helps you narrow down parts, but it cannot diagnose the truck. A photo of the outside will not show whether anything behind the bumper is bent. If only an outer panel on a Next Gen is damaged, start with the replacement covers for the T680 Next Gen.

Build a fitment record for your Kenworth T680

Before you open a product page, put four groups of facts about your truck into one note. Send the same note to the seller when you ask about fit.

1. Model year, the VIN or build information, and a straight-on photo of the front end. The photo shows which body style you have. In Tacoma's catalog, the full bumpers among the bumpers for the earlier Kenworth T680 are listed for 2013-2021 trucks, and the bumper options for the T680 Next Gen for 2022 and later. The ranges come from the listings and do not date every truck built in those years, so the photo and build data count for more than the year.
2. Whether the truck has a forward radar, and the shape of the opening or mount that holds it. Also check for fog light openings, tow access and other features your spec adds to the bumper. 
3. The side you need. Corners and covers are sold as driver side (LH) or passenger side (RH). Compare the mounting points, shape and height of the part on the page with the part on your truck. A 17-inch label by itself does not prove that a bumper fits.
4. The part number from the old piece, if you can read it. Match it against the specific listing and its configuration. A store SKU and an OEM reference number are different identifiers.

Trucks built around a model changeover, front ends modified after delivery and mounts that differ from the listing photos need more than a year check.

Do not cut a radar opening into a bumper that lacks one, and do not move the radar mount to make a part fit. Bendix, which makes collision mitigation systems for trucks, names improper installation after a repair, or a hit to the radar or its mounting, as the usual causes of radar misalignment (Bendix tech tips, 2023). The same guidance says to check the radar bracket and the mounting surface for damage.

Compare bumper kits by what is actually included

Two listings can both say "bumper" and ship very different sets of parts. Read the parts list on each page before you compare prices or photos.

Tacoma's black plastic Next Gen kits show the gap. All four are listed for 2022+ trucks and have fog lamp holes in the outer covers. The difference is in the rest of the box.

Kit (black plastic, Next Gen, fog lamp holes)	Parts listed on the product page	What it means for your order
5-piece kit, SKU OA-ZZXH-AVE6	2 bumper covers with fog lamp holes, 2 inner bumper covers, 1 lower bumper vent	Check which lower and support pieces you will keep from the current bumper.
13-piece kit, SKU 56-0EZK-EL75	The 5 parts above, plus 2 lower bumper cover supports, 2 bumper cover mudflaps, 2 bumper shields and 2 lower bumper cover mudflaps	Match each extra part to your damage, and plan for brackets and hardware separately.
16-piece kit, SKU 73-8OGX-L6K1	The 13 parts above, plus 1 center bumper spoiler and 2 corner bumper supports	The covers are ready for fog lamps, the lights themselves come in the 18-piece kit.
18-piece kit with LED fog lights, SKU XL-PD4V-LCYL	The 16 parts above, plus a left and right LED fog light	The lights are in the box. Check separately how they wire and mount on your truck.

Some T680 bumpers come as one assembly, like the 17-inch chrome bumpers listed for the earlier truck. Others are built from separate sections, as in the kits above. A listing called "complete" may still leave out the structural beam, the radar, wiring and some fasteners, so look for each of them by name. Calling a part an inner reinforcement does not make it tested or certified crash protection.

Finish and material are separate specs

Chrome describes the surface only. For the T680, the same catalog has a steel bumper corner with a chrome finish (SKU FP-JQAZ-QCZE) next to chrome plastic extension corners and the black plastic kits above. Read the material line and the description of the exact SKU. If anything is unclear, ask the seller before you order. For a longer look at how materials hold up, see Kenworth bumper materials and durability.

Apply the checks to two T680 buying situations

Both situations are made up for illustration and do not describe real customers.

An earlier T680 with a forward radar

Truck: a T680 that matches the 2013-2021 listing range, with the radar mounted in the bumper and a damaged 17-inch chrome bumper.

Parts: a full bumper with an opening for the radar.

Listing check: the catalog has a 17-inch chrome bumper with radar cutout and a 17-inch version without the radar cutout. Both are 17-inch chrome bumpers for the same years, yet only the first has a place for the radar. The truck's configuration and its mounting points make the final call.

A Next Gen with fog lights and a cracked front cover

Truck: a T680 Next Gen in the 2022+ listing range, with fog lights and a crack in the outer cover on one side.

Parts: first decide if you need one cover or several pieces. If the crack is the only damage and the mounts are sound, a single cover for that side may be enough. If the covers and lower pieces are damaged, compare the 5, 13 and 16-piece kits against your list. If the fog lights broke as well, the 18-piece kit adds them.

Listing check: confirm the fog lamp holes, the side and the parts list. If the rest of the bumper is in good shape, the largest kit is not the better buy.

Questions to resolve before you order

Does a bumper with fog light holes include the lights?

Only if the parts list names them. The 16-piece Next Gen kit above has fog lamp holes in the covers and no lights in its list. The 18-piece kit lists a left and right LED fog light. Then check that the lights will connect to your truck.

Does a sensor-compatible bumper include the radar sensor?

Do not assume it does. On the 17-inch chrome Next Gen bumper with "sensor" in its description, the included items are brackets, with no radar module. Confirm what ships, and plan for a radar check after the new bumper goes on.

Can a chrome bumper component be plastic?

Yes. Chrome is a finish, and it can be applied to steel or to plastic. This guide mentions both a chrome steel corner and chrome plastic extension corners for the T680. Check the material line of your SKU, because a photo will not show the base.

What if the year range matches but the mounting points look different?

Stop before you order. Compare the number on your old part, the version on the listing and the mount locations in the photos. Send photos of your mounts to the seller, and do not drill new holes or trim the part to make it fit.

Confirm the part before you order

Once you have narrowed it down to one listing, send Tacoma Parts Corporation your model year, a photo of the front end and the SKU you picked. Ask them to confirm the version and what ships in the box before you place the order. You can reach the store at (206) 235-2411, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific.