Warning: Do not buy a brush guard

[DirtDawg]

I just recently removed my brush guard and this is the damage it caused :sobbing:





I am disappointed.

 

[415]

ouch

 

[DirtDawg]

ouch

Yeah. Rusted and cracked front fender panel. And extensive damage to the bumper.

 

[Stick Figure]

wow that sucks ... I've heard stories about the damage they can cause in an accident, but never thought there there could be an issue just driving around with it.

 

[Edubsam]

You didn't notice the contact before you took it off? Either way, it's sad to see that. Hopefully it's mostly surface and can get it taken care of fairly easily.

 

[DirtDawg]

You didn't notice the contact before you took it off? Either way, it's sad to see that. Hopefully it's mostly surface and can get it taken care of fairly easily.

I did. And i was going to keep it on, but i wanted to get it off before it caused to much damage.

 

[Jungoes]

i took mines off when i bought my runner, I'm keeping it though, i'm planning to use it for a tube bumper build project next year.
i had similar damage like what you have

 

[DirtDawg]

Any tips on fixing it?

 

[cj80cruiser]

i took mines off when i bought my runner, I'm keeping it though, i'm planning to use it for a tube bumper build project next year.
i had similar damage like what you have

Just go all structural tube....brushguard tube is too thin to be used as a bumper.

 

[KU_MechE]

your truck may be damaged, but at least you were temporarily protected from brush. Now you're fully exposed!

 

[96743runner]

Wow, that's pretty bad for simply having the thing on. I guess that's just one more reason to avoid brush guards.

 

[98OzarksRunner]

For that damage to the fender, it looks like it must have been a poor design (making contact), installed incorrectly, or hit by something at some point. Surely nobody intentionally makes (or installs) a brush guard that contacts the fenders that way.

 

[chitown40]

The correct industry term for a brush guard is damage multiplier.

 

[Maxil]

I check mine now and again to make sure it is straight or it may start to wiggle too much and hit the side. If put on correctly it shouldn't touch anything.

These things aren't bumpers, they are made for bushes and small limbs. I travel down tight, overgrown dirt roads and mine has often saved me from getting my front end scratched up. Not even to mention the occasional bird that decides to commit suicide by ramming me. So far mine has actually saved me from a fair bit of damage.

I contemplate taking it off now and then, but it's nice to have it down those nastie limb filled roads.

 

[theizzardking]

I check mine now and again to make sure it is straight or it may start to wiggle too much and hit the side. If put on correctly it shouldn't touch anything.

These things aren't bumpers, they are made for bushes and small limbs. I travel down tight, overgrown dirt roads and mine has often saved me from getting my front end scratched up. Not even to mention the occasional bird that decides to commit suicide by ramming me. So far mine has actually saved me from a fair bit of damage.

I contemplate taking it off now and then, but it's nice to have it down those nastie limb filled roads.

X 2

They do have their place , and I would say that damage is from a bad install or the wrong part all together, as well as the op not caring enough to remove it right away, thats, really bad damage, I got side swiped by a metro bendy bus with my brush guard and had less damage then that.

Not trying to rip on the op but that damage didn't happen over night and it sucks that hes out of pocket to repair it , but it was poor work and not keeping an eye on things that caused this . A torque wrench is a very handy thing.

In my accident with the bus my lower valance and fender flare got ripped off by the bus but the brush guard light covers took the hit and deflected just enough to rock the truck and save my fender and light assy, now I'll admit I got lucky on that one and thats not always the case , in some cases the brush guard can cause more damage when pushed back and into the rad, among other things but thats not the case here......

It's like duct taping a steel bar to the hood of your truck driving for 5k then being surprised that it's rubbed the paint off, I'm sorry I don't agree that this is inherent to owning a brush guard , mine was on there for 195k before it was removed with no ill effect, I'm not saying they are good for anything other then a little style and moving twigs, away from the paint, I'm just saying what we have here isn't common to brush guards , it's just a bad install let go for far to long, not trying to be a **** and truly feel for you op I've done the same thing myself , I had to buy 3 sets of spring isolators due to a bad lift install and not doing it right for ages , we've all done it , not a big deal, it just sucks spending the money.

 

[Nunyabiz]

I think it depends on what kind of Brush Guard and how its installed.
Mine is a WAAG and it doesn't touch anything it isn't supposed to at all.

I don't have the 'brush" part of it on there because I don't like the look of it and really doesn't do much anyway nor will I ever actually need it so no reason to have it on there. but the rest of it only touches the very tip top of the bumper that is not visible and up under the bumper on the bracket, also not visible.

 

[KSWAY]

The brush guard is probably made for a 96-98 4runner.

 

[98OzarksRunner]

I think the 3rd post on this thread probably explains the problem.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/93335-thunder-ups-build-thread.html

 

[DirtDawg]

It was inproper installment and being hit. The improper installment caused the fender damage, and the brushguard being hit caused the bumper damage.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Brush guards suck for off road anyway because they diminish your approach angle. Better off to take the money you'd spend on a brush guard and apply it to a real bumper.