5th gen pelfrybilt aluminum plate bumper

[jrandom]

Don't you mean engineered? LOL hell no, I doubt any of them have been engineered from the ground up. Way to expensive. That doesn't change my opinion though. Even though you could engineer one in software nowadays with a good degree of accuracy. Still be expensive.

I think you are totally correct , it is all trial by fire, being the ones that have been building/improving them the longest have a better chance of a more durable design.

 

[phillyd2]

If that is the case they should really remove those shackle mounts because that's a serious problem just waiting to happen.

And if true, I would also question the winch mount attachment. Is it just to the bumper or to the frame? If just to the bumper I see very serious liability issues.

But it does look pretty.

 

[LandCruiser]

Use frame mounted, or hitch mounted recovery points, or be prepared for lulz.

Some guy on the FJ forums had an epic meltdown when his badass-looking but frail bumper got torn off when someone attempted recovery by attaching to the bumper.

 

[wfo9]

Hitting something head on, obviously the steel wins (am I wrong?).

Yep, the steel wins and the energy goes somewhere, possibly to you.

But the two things we use the most on these aftermarket bumpers is the winch and the shackle mounts.

I think you use the clearance and the weight the most often.

Weight kills performance in all conditions. Ever watch expedition overland and see how poor those trucks perform. Peel off all that weight and they would do so much better... But we can't defy gravity, yet. It's all trade-offs.

A winch, for example is a big anchor on your truck.. but when you need it... Worth every bit of weight.

 

[jwkilgore]

Doesn't look bad, only time will tell of it was designed right. Its a joke if you think any aftermarket bumper is "designed". They get sheets of material of choice and start cutting/welding and then reinforce with brackets, gussets, thicker material where they see fit. I have never seen an aftermarket bumper for the 4runner come with any kind of pull rating, do they?

Not an endorsement in any way, but at a minimum SSS at least took the trouble of running an FEA model of their full plate bumper:
Full steel plate winch bumper (front) - Front Bumpers - Products