Bumpers: Bull Bar Vs. Not?

[zzdocxx]

Hi, a noob here. I just purchased a new 2017 TRD Off-Road.

I'm looking at bumpers and am wondering if I could get some opinions on off-road bumpers both with and without bull bars.

I anticipate some "overland expedition" type trips, and nothing too extreme. Mostly in the mountains and deserts of Southern California and Baja California.

Eg. Pelfreybilt is local to me and doesn't involve cutting the stock parts, ie. the bumper comes all the way up to the lights, but there is no bull bar or hoops. It also comes in aluminum, which I might consider ($300 premium).

I love the look of the bull bar/hoops models, but being made to fit and the aluminum options are attractive.

What do you feel are the advantages and disadvantages of each type?

Pelfrybilt, this one painted white:

 

[zzdocxx]

Here is a DeMello for comparison, and an ARB:

 

[Seattle206]

As far as I know ARB is the only aftermarket bumper designed to work in conjunction with the factory airbag system. They've actually tested their bumpers in crash tests but I'm sure with all the other brands the bags will deploy depending on the speed of the crash

Most of the brands have the washer reservoir and hard lines exposed but I believe Pelfrey makes a shield for the hard lines and Shrockworks has an optional shield for the reservoir. Of course you can leave the reservoir as is since it's made of pretty beefy plastic.

I'm not a fan of the Pelfrey, Metaltech, Proline "no-cut" bumpers as they look too blocky for me. I prefer the "cut" bumpers like the majority of options out there. You'll need to make sure you use a jigsaw with the right blade to get a nice straight cut. Measure, re-measure and measure again before you cut.

You also want to consider if your bumper can be adjusted for a bit of gap. That's if you actually take it offroad, not dirt trails, but through obstacles that will flex the body and frame. You don't want that steel bumper pushing up against a headlight or a fender. My AOR bumper didn't allow any adjustments and all that flexing rubbed off the paint underneath my fenders and caused some rusting(when I looked under there a few weeks later). But I cleaned it up and slotted my mounting holes with a plasma cutter.

Here is a link to what I mean by gap between bumper and body:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/127405-new-shrockworks-bumper-show-off-questions.html

 

[jwkilgore]

As far as I know ARB is the only aftermarket bumper designed to work in conjunction with the factory airbag system. They've actually tested their bumpers in crash tests but I'm sure with all the other brands the bags will deploy depending on the speed of the crash

All this means is that they are designed and tested such that the airbags won't deploy during light frontal impacts. They have custom crumple zones built into the bumper itself to replace the OEM crush cans. The airbags will still work with all aftermarket bumpers, except they will potentially deploy during lower-speed crashes because the bumpers are mounted directly to the frame without crumple zones.

As for the OP's question, "bull bars" are those cheap inbred-underbite looking things that stick out from the front center of the grill that serve as damage multipliers in a crash (they fold back under light impacts and crush expensive things). These: https://www.carid.com/bull-bars.htm...lleCA_GCJRHfHlwGtlJUwazF6UUanqwu_HhoC-nvw_wcB

What you are asking about are "hoops". Center hoops and headlight hoops. It's 100% a matter of personal preference. They change the looks (biggest factor for most) and provide some protection from larger animals (deer). Headlight hoops provide some protection for brush and limbs. Some also provide additional mounting points for lights, and potentially you could use them to tie down the fronts of long items hanging over a roof rack (canoes/kayaks, long wood boards, etc.). For more info on bumpers for the 5th Gen, check out this thread and sub-forum: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/198453-front-bumpers-5th-gens.html
That thread is about 95% complete, but I notice that Expedition One's new bumpers still aren't listed.

For general 5th Gen questions and info, check out these two stickies in the 5th Gen section:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-g...ner-owner-need-help-searching-start-here.html
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/92594-modifications-write-ups-quick-links-faqs.html

 

[zzdocxx]

Thanks to both of you guys for contributing to my education.

You also want to consider if your bumper can be adjusted for a bit of gap. That's if you actually take it offroad, not dirt trails, but through obstacles that will flex the body and frame.

I am just understanding the gap needed. There is a discussion in the DeMello aluminum bumper thread where JDeMello brings this up, and it was the first I had heard of it (that was last night).
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-g...rest-aluminum-front-bumper-2.html#post2707213

About the cutting, some pics I see look like they've attached some kind of thin molding along the cut edge, I'll see if I can find a photo to illustrate. I will probably have a pro do it in any case.

The airbags will still work with all aftermarket bumpers, except they will potentially deploy during lower-speed crashes because the bumpers are mounted directly to the frame without crumple zones.

OK I googled it and I see that ARB uses "crush cans". I understand that replacing an airbag can be quite expensive, so we don't want unnecessary deployment.

What you are asking about are "hoops". Center hoops and headlight hoops. It's 100% a matter of personal preference.

Great info, just what I was looking for. The bumper thread is great and input from you guys makes more sense of it.

You know that saying, "A boat is a hole in the ocean into which you throw money"? This is starting to remind me of that.

:fish2:

 

[Seattle206]

About the cutting, some pics I see look like they've attached some kind of thin molding along the cut edge, I'll see if I can find a photo to illustrate. I will probably have a pro do it in any case.

I added some edge trim to mine since I knew there would be contact eventually. I think it gives it a cleaner look plus save yourself from having some paint rubbed off. I also added some all-weather seal under the fenders for added protection.

 

[jwkilgore]

OK I googled it and I see that ARB uses "crush cans". I understand that replacing an airbag can be quite expensive, so we don't want unnecessary deployment.

Keep in mind that most aftermarket bumper will "crumple" some on impact, so a 5mph hit shouldn't deploy the airbags. It's just most didn't conduct full impact testing to certify OEM-level impact capacity. ARB actually did this.

If you have to have full 100% OEM-level front-impact safety, then your only choice is to either leave it like you bought it or go with ARB.

But in reality the only way this will affect you is if you:
1. Have a front-impact accident, and
2. The impact speed is within a narrow range such that deceleration with an aftermarket bumper will deploy the airbags but deceleration with OEM/ARB would not. Modern OEM airbags are designed to go off when hitting a solid barrier (concrete wall, or head-on collision with another vehicle moving the same speed) above 8-14mph, or another parked vehicle that can crumple and move at above 16-28mph. An aftermarket bumper may only lower that speed range by a few mph.

ETA: Here's a lot of good info on aftermarket bumpers and crashes. Note that in Australia (ARB), "bull bar" is the term for the entire heavy front bumper. What we call "bull bars" in America are called "push bars" over there.

 

[zzdocxx]

Great stuff guys, I think I'm getting it.

Next question is how to decide on a bumper. People are bringing up issues in that DeMello thread that I would never have thought of. The latest is how accessible is the winch.

:car:

 

[fourwd1]

If you just bought the truck, how do you you know that you even need such a bumper?
Have you even wheeled it yet?

 

[zzdocxx]

That's a very good question.

What circumstances might a bumper be good for?

The new 4runner is sitting in the garage for now while I figure out about paint protection.

 

[robinsonalex760]

my congratulation to you, your car look very cool:surfer:

 

[zzdocxx]

Thank you.

:typing: