Brush guards are Damage Multipliers (1 Viewer)

[Romer]

We always tell people they should get ARBs over Brush Guards that Brush Guards are really damage multipliers.

We have pictures to document why Sliders, the benefit a Front ARB, but I don't recall one before of why not a Brush Guard. Found one surfing eBay and thought I would post it up.

This obviously was a small hit by the lack of major damage to anything else and the guard has been pushed most of the way back, but not all the way.

 

[cruiserdan]

That's about a 1,500 dollar dent there.

 

[alaskacruiser]

Cracked the front of the flare, too.

 

[Jason Andrews]

That's about a 1,500 dollar dent there.

The same thing hapened to me a week after I got my 80. I look at it like just another excuse to buy an ARB sooner. Just work the dents out yourself with a little muscle and use the money saved for the ARB.

I'll quote Adrian from Slee's and say "Paint and chrome won't get you home!"

 

[lxed]

untitled

That response only works if your truck is paid for. Seems the lender
wants it nice. I just get filler in my ass end....passenger side.

 

[TTBJCruiser]

ok im taking mine off hahah, i need ARB NOW! hahaha

 

[guzzla]

I'm reckon the damage would have been much worse without the brush bar.

 

[BlueCruiser84]

I just bought an 80 that had a brush guard on it. It rattled and vibrated so much it rubbed holes in both the front fenders. The "taillight guards" were screwed to the body with sheet metal screws...

 

[rtarh2o]

I'm reckon the damage would have been much worse without the brush bar.

I would assume the same thing! Although not as stout as an ARB even a fairly cheap brush guard has to be stronger than the sheet metal. I guess there might be certain circumstances where the brush guard could cause a bit more damage but most of the time probably not.
I had a brush guard on my first FZJ80 for a few months, it vibrated, rattled on the fender etc. I probably could have made some adjustments but opted to take it off instead.
Rusty

 

[Weatherman]

I have those same crappy tail light guards. I still have them on because I don't quite know what to do with the holes without spending $$$ to repair and repaint.

 

[-Spike-]

I'm reckon the damage would have been much worse without the brush bar.

You reckon wrong. Might have broken a headlight, might have broken a side light, maybe the grill. None of which are expensive. Probably wouldn't have broken anything, even less expensive. Any dent in your fender or hood is at minimum $400, and probably 2 or 3 times that amount.

Nice thread revival, BTW.

 

[Zimbwanabe]

Too hard to tell from that picture, but my guess these guards have save a lof of grill, radiators and coolers etc. this extra protection when confronted with a deer or other unexpected obstacle can mean the difference between driving back to the highway or walking back. I've seen it twice myself. I wouldn't put one on just for the weight savings, but I wouldn't take one off if it was already there.

 

[surfpig]

Too hard to tell from that picture, but my guess these guards have save a lof of grill, radiators and coolers etc. this extra protection when confronted with a deer or other unexpected obstacle can mean the difference between driving back to the highway or walking back. I've seen it twice myself. I wouldn't put one on just for the weight savings, but I wouldn't take one off if it was already there.

That guard might protect those parts from a collision with a crow or something, but not much else.



Nice thread revival, BTW.

 

[Tools R Us]

Too hard to tell from that picture, but my guess these guards have save a lof of grill, radiators and coolers etc. this extra protection when confronted with a deer or other unexpected obstacle can mean the difference between driving back to the highway or walking back. I've seen it twice myself. I wouldn't put one on just for the weight savings, but I wouldn't take one off if it was already there.

A real bumper will do what you say. What is being discussed here is commonly called a "brush guard", they are more of a decoration. The difference is mounting and construction, the damage multipliers are typically only mounted under the bumper and not very strong. In the event of even a relatively minor hit, they hinge back from the mounts, often taking out both fenders, hood, etc, in what would have been a relatively small damage event if not equipped with the damage multiplier. Looks something like this:

 

[LINUS]

Since the ~10ys from Ken's post, the use of these really should be a non-factor.

My CL had 2 ARB's used in the last few weeks - for ~$500 and a little patience you can find a real bumper now days, and I bet those brushguards are at least $250 on up. The math isn't too tough.

The local 80's here either are stock or wear about my level of real steel, I only see the brush guards on newer 4runners, at least locally.

 

[Motleyone]

The problem is the brush guards shown are black. The pimped out chrome ones are ten times stronger.

 

[Rockymtnfamily]

I agree, just look at the damage my brush guard caused to mine:


But not to worry, I got that fancy Pop a Dent thing off Ebay to fix it:


Just a little more work and it will be good as new again:


Actually, the biggest problem I had with my brushguard was it getting caught in the boulders I was trying to drive over. If it wouldn't have been on my rig, that extra two inches of clearance would have made the difference.

 

[Zimbwanabe]

I had a bad ass Scrabler that i totally over engineered with a giant full length roll cage, two spares, two gas cans, skid plates, diamond plate steel floors, bumpers, winches etc. it was such a pig, I'm doing this rig with my eye on keeping weight to a minimum. If it's not going to add anything significant I'm not putting it on. I kind of go either way on brush guards, push bars etc.

 

[92LXAZ]

Since the ~10ys from Ken's post...

Is this a MUD record?

 

[jfz80]

nope plus this thread ^^^ had little breaths of life along the way

Gear ratios, A redux