Grillguard Recommendations

ShaggyTDawg

ShaggyTDawg

New member
Hey guys! Just got my new 2011 T4R TE Magnetic Gray (Will get pictures up soon). I was wondering if you guys had any recommendations for a particular grill guard (or recommendation against one all-together). Please give a reason with your answer.

It would be nice if it was also one that was able to have a winch mounted to it eventually as well.

Thanks!
 
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DEKA3 said:
I am against them. I think they cause more damage than they prevent...unless you go full bumper replacement, ala ARB or Shrockworks.

There are many threads on here discussing various opinions. I attached a few for you already. But try searching
"5th gen grill guard".


http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/63494-aries-grille-guard-5th-gen-toyota-4runner.html


http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/86322-grille-guards-really-work.html
Click to expand...

I agree, I think they look horrible on the 5th gen...IMHO
 
this should do the trick

sw1.jpg~original
 
Mtn.Rush said:
I agree, I think they look horrible on the 5th gen...IMHO
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I have to disagree with you on that. Maybe they're more of a western thing, but I think they look great. I love the look of my Arc-Rite brush guard. I do not care much for the Aries ones with the rubber bumper strips.

http://
 
ShaggyTDawg said:
Hey guys! Just got my new 2011 T4R TE Magnetic Gray (Will get pictures up soon). I was wondering if you guys had any recommendations for a particular grill guard (or recommendation against one all-together). Please give a reason with your answer.

It would be nice if it was also one that was able to have a winch mounted to it eventually as well.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

As I have said before, I am a big fan of the Arc-Rite brush guards. They are more heavy duty than the generic ones. They can put all kinds of mounts on there before the powder coating. If you know the particular winch you want, they should be able to get the mounting specs and fabricate mounts for it. As of last month, they did not have the 5th gen listed on their website, but its available (see post above) in several configurations. Talk to Clay or Cory at Arc-Rite and they can spec one out for you. (830) 774-6058.

I've heard the argument that they can worsen front end damage in a collision, but I have not seen that happen. We use these on our work trucks in a deer-infested area, and I've seen people almost completely explode a deer at highway speeds with little damage. Not sure about a collision with another vehicle or fixed object-hopefully I don't find out anytime soon!
 
Yea, man. I saw his thread. Looks SICK! I would put that type of bumper on vs. a grill guard any day, even if it does cost 3x more! To each his own though. Your money, your rig, your taste, your right!

Jesse1983 said:
this should do the trick

sw1.jpg~original
Click to expand...
 
StRanger7032 said:
I have to disagree with you on that. Maybe they're more of a western thing, but I think they look great. I love the look of my Arc-Rite brush guard. I do not care much for the Aries ones with the rubber bumper strips.

http://
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Yeah, nothing against what you did to your runner, but that (Yours) was the exact truck I was thinking of when I responded in my first post. It looks like a Goalie mask on the front. But thats the beauty of life, you do what you like and what makes you happy. :hatsoff:
 
Fair enough, I respect your opinion. Grille guards may be the norm in TX, but probably not in NY. They really seem to be a regional thing. My goal with this truck was to make it look less "soccer-mom", and more tough 4X4. I think the grillle guard did the trick, but I can see how others would not like it. No offense taken...
 
StRanger7032 said:
I have to disagree with you on that. Maybe they're more of a western thing, but I think they look great. I love the look of my Arc-Rite brush guard. I do not care much for the Aries ones with the rubber bumper strips.

http://
Click to expand...

Out here in Montana I am finding out why seemingly 1 out of 3 trucks have grill guards. I have only been in this area for a month. So much wildlife crosses the roads it is ridiculous. With a two-lane highway @ 70mph and deer/elk/prong-horn antelope crossing whenever they feel I need one.

Already had my top grill ripped last week because a darn pheasant hen flew into it (or did I run into her?). That whole bumper replacement in the other posted picture wouldn't have stopped that.

Either way I like this one for practicality with wildlife on the roads. Looks good!
 
Pronghorn? You must be in central/eastern MT. I lived in Missoula and Kalispell for many years. Got sick of shoveling snow and moved to TX. The deer down here are tiny in comparison. You might need a cow catcher from an old steam engine to deflect the wildlife up there!
 
wonderbreadman-albums-my+toys-picture5482-a.jpg
mine is the Westin E-series... I love it, I know it won't withstand a car accident or anything but it will stop a runaway carriage or branches etc...
 
StRanger7032 said:
Pronghorn? You must be in central/eastern MT. I lived in Missoula and Kalispell for many years. Got sick of shoveling snow and moved to TX. The deer down here are tiny in comparison. You might need a cow catcher from an old steam engine to deflect the wildlife up there!
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Yeah I'm in eastern MT. I commute from Glendive to Sidney, MT almost every day for work. Everyone and their mom seem to have grill guards because of the wildlife. I give this job 6 months! I'm going to try to make it through the winter.

Snapped a really crappy photo last night in the hotel parking lot. Look at all the grille guards. I think the trucks in the very back are the only ones without them! Here no one cares about aesthetics really. Just don't want to total their car.
 

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Prolex7 said:
Yeah I'm in eastern MT. I commute from Glendive to Sidney, MT almost every day for work. Everyone and their mom seem to have grill guards because of the wildlife. I give this job 6 months! I'm going to try to make it through the winter.

Snapped a really crappy photo last night in the hotel parking lot. Look at all the grille guards. I think the trucks in the very back are the only ones without them! Here no one cares about aesthetics really. Just don't want to total their car.
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When I read your post I assumed you were probably a Landman. I worked Custer and Rosebud County, as well as the Minot area in ND during the winter last year... Be glad you got your 4runner. And definitely invest in remote start if you dont already have it.

As for a grill guard... i dont think it would do anything to help if you hit a deer. Bull bar bumper is about your best bet.
 
I can tell you from experence that the grill gaurd I had on my 95 4r saved my front end twice. Once when I went into a washout along a ditch in high grass and it was a hard hit on the guard. I am convinced the front end would have been crushed with the impact. I had to use a come along to bend the gaurd back in shape. 2nd time my boy hit a 4" ballard square in the middle don't ask why he did that but he not changing his story but the guard wrapped around it and again saved the front end. this time I had to put a torch to it and cut out some bad bent pipe but got it looking good again and it stayed on until I sold the truck. The full size bumper gaurds are more heavy duty by far, I just don't rock crawl or need it something that heavy at this time. On another note I don't like the way the new grill gaurds follow the slant of the headlights it looks strange to me I guess I'm waiting for someone to make one that doesn't slant as much. JMO
 
Shaggy,

Did you ever get your bumper/grill guard? Just curious to see what you went with.
 
I don't know if they make one for the 4r yet and haven't looked, mainly because it's not at the top of my "need-to-buy" list right now. But a company called Top Gun makes a VERY solid grille guard that will deflect critters and whatnot, yet will not make your vehicle look like a tank (if you don't want it to - nothing wrong with intentionally doing so, if that's your fancy...).

I have it on my work vehicle. I virtually drive for a living, covering essentially the northern Midwest, and can't count the number of things I've hit in the 4 years I've had this thing: not just animals big and small, but also objects like the unsecured boards that flew off a truck in front of me (idiot), stuff flying around in a wind storm, plus all the poor excuses for roads I have to travel down, plowing tree limbs and crap out of my way.

My front end is still good to go.
 
Hey shaggy,

Hope i'm not too late to the party here.

Took a few pics of my aries to give you an idea of what it'd look like on a mag gray trail.

IMG_1903.jpg~original


IMG_1906.jpg~original


IMG_1907.jpg~original


I got it for 369 with free shipping from autoanything. they had a 30 dollar off coupon at the time.

in regards to the arb/shrockworks bumpers. i would love to get my hands on one but for the majority of drivers i honestly think its over kill. down the road i'd like to get a budbuilt winch plate and run a winch but thats a far ways down.

I've had my buddy who's a 260lbs football player yank and jump on the grille guard and its done fine and stayed solid. its also come in handy down town as people don't seem to be able to parallel park without nailing other peoples bumpers lol.

whatever you end up going with good luck.
 
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