Here's my situation:
- I like the look of bull bars but understand they are mainly cosmetic and can actually increase damage in some scenarios.
- I want some kind of front-end protection from trail hazards but don't want a full-size or low-profile bumper.

I'm thinking of working with a local fabrication shop to get a custom bull bar that will bolt on in the same place Apex Overland's front recovery points do. (The new piece will replace the Apex points.)

I was trying to think of ways to help protect the front end in the same way sliders do with the rocker panels. Are there hard points under the bumper cover? If so, I thought about having the fabricator add some screw-in points on top of the bull bar mount where I could add bumpstops to take some of the impact when hitting rocks, ruts, etc.? Thoughts?

Here's a pic of the front end's underside to help visualize this.



Any ideas on how to accomplish this goal are welcome. Thx.

Here is the front without the bumper cover.

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3.../D90New312.jpg

Thanks, that’s helpful in visualizing how this might work.

4Runner Front Winch Bumper | Blitz | 4th Gen (03-09) - Victory 4x4

That bolts to the factory bumper hard mounts, but it's only the center, so your outer bumper pieces won't have protection. Also has accommodations for a winch. Something like that?

Thanks, I appreciate the suggestion but I’ve looked at the low-pro bumpers and they’re not exactly what I’m looking for.