16+ LX Bumper chop (18 Viewers)

[Nothinghead]

Has anyone chopped anything off the lower part of the front of the 16+ LX?

I've tried searching but have come up empty handed.

Coming from a GX470, I'm not excited about scraping or completely ripping the front on the trails around the western US. I'm not thrilled with the look and weight of what the aftermarket has to offer for bumper replacements except maybe for the Rhino 4x4 bumper from South America, though I haven't seen one on a 16+ LX. ARBs, IronMan, Dissent, Victory, etc. all look a bit too aggressive or just unfinished for my taste.

My neighbor has a GX460 with a few inches cut off his lower lip and it looks and functions very well. I wonder if there's anyone who has done any trimming on the LX (those fog lights make it quite challenging.

 

[Tex68w]

 

[grinchy]

I think it’d be a pretty easy adapt for one of the lc200 rival 4x4 options.

I did a gen 1 using their gen1 lc200 bumper and it wasn’t that big a deal. The hardest part was doing some light fab (hacksaw, drill) to redo the light supports and front crossmember, which many other installs skip entirely.

I found making a composite photo where I overlayed an lc200 with the bumper installed on an lx570 made it pretty easy to see what it could look like.

rival may also have some install photos that they could share with you. . .

 

[Nothinghead]

Thanks. I appreciate the quick reply.

I'm aware of those options. IMO someone should take the crayons away from whoever (over)designed that CBI bumper. The ARB looks okay colormatched and has a good fit/finish but still too aggressive for my taste.

 

[grinchy]

Another solid option if you don’t want a winch is to chop it off and have a tube fabbed up to provide protection. Several nice custom options to look at in the forum who have done this. Might look pretty solid on a gen3. Could even paint the central section chrome to continue the grill shape

 

[Tex68w]

I believe someone did a hidden winch as well.

 

[Nothinghead]

Another solid option if you don’t want a winch is to chop it off and have a tube fabbed up to provide protection. Several nice custom options to look at in the forum who have done this. Might look pretty solid on a gen3. Could even paint the central section chrome to continue the grill shape

That’s not a bad idea.

I believe someone did a hidden winch as well.

That would be nice. I will have the warn off my GX that could be put to further use.

 

[Nothinghead]

Crappy 3 minute photoshop of the Rhino4x4 bumper

 

[tbisaacs]

Crappy 3 minute photoshop of the Rhino4x4 bumper

View attachment 3210185

You are underestimating the depth of the 2016+ grill. The distance from the radiator to the plastic is significantly more than a 2008-2015 LX or a Land Cruiser. You’d have massive overlap and not in an attractive way.

If you look at @grinchy ’s bumper, the grill goes all the way ti edge of the bumper.

 

[grinchy]

Can a 2016+ LX owner post the distance from their frame horns to the front of the grill? Or to the furthestmost point of their lights?

 

[Nothinghead]

You are underestimating the depth of the 2016+ grill. The distance from the radiator to the plastic is significantly more than a 2008-2015 LX or a Land Cruiser. You’d have massive overlap and not in an attractive way.

If you look at @grinchy ’s bumper, the grill goes all the way ti edge of the bumper.

I believe you. That's my fear and I don't have the fabrication skills to try to adapt a Rhino4x4 bumper on my own. I don't want some Habsburg-jawed LX running around town.

 

[tbisaacs]

I believe you. That's my fear and I don't have the fabrication skills to try to adapt a Rhino4x4 bumper on my own. I don't want some Habsburg-jawed LX running around town.

Haha great analogy

 

[Cruiserhead05]

Similar situation here. I've decided to just wait and prioritize other mods first, in the secret (perhaps foolish) hope that someone will come out with a '16+ bumper I like.

Only b/c it hasn't been mentioned or shown, have you seen how Slee adapted the sahara to this '16+

ARB SAHARA Winch bar - '16 - '21 Cruiser No Hoop - Slee Off Road

Features: Compatible with Headlight Washer System Air Bag Approved Recessed Indicators Recessed Fog Lamps Powder coat Black Retains Factory Tow Points Light Mounts Antenna Mount Compatible with radar cruise control - obstruction of sensor will vary with winch solenoid box size.

sleeoffroad.com

 

[J200LXPLORER]

Has anyone chopped anything off the lower part of the front of the 16+ LX?

I've tried searching but have come up empty handed.

Coming from a GX470, I'm not excited about scraping or completely ripping the front on the trails around the western US. I'm not thrilled with the look and weight of what the aftermarket has to offer for bumper replacements except maybe for the Rhino 4x4 bumper from South America, though I haven't seen one on a 16+ LX. ARBs, IronMan, Dissent, Victory, etc. all look a bit too aggressive or just unfinished for my taste.

My neighbor has a GX460 with a few inches cut off his lower lip and it looks and functions very well. I wonder if there's anyone who has done any trimming on the LX (those fog lights make it quite challenging.

View attachment 3208510

Thinking the same as you, the aftermarket bumpers for 16+ are either too bulky, heavy, or unfinished looking. The CBI is the cleanest one, but hate how overdesigned it looks. I want to have daily driver that looks OEM+ with good tire clearance, not a fully built expedition vehicle. Like how some of the GX guys do a clearance cut, have you thought about doing something similar to the quick MS paint I drawn up?

 

[skrypj]

Another solid option if you don’t want a winch is to chop it off and have a tube fabbed up to provide protection. Several nice custom options to look at in the forum who have done this. Might look pretty solid on a gen3. Could even paint the central section chrome to continue the grill shape

This is what I am thinking. Trim the bumper up as high as possible and then run some plate/tube underneath to help.

Can a 2016+ LX owner post the distance from their frame horns to the front of the grill? Or to the furthestmost point of their lights?

Its at least 2 miles. The front clip sticks out so far

Thinking the same as you, the aftermarket bumpers for 16+ are either too bulky, heavy, or unfinished looking. The CBI is the cleanest one, but hate how overdesigned it looks. I want to have daily driver that looks OEM+ with good tire clearance, not a fully built expedition vehicle. Like how some of the GX guys do a clearance cut, have you thought about doing something similar to the quick MS paint I drawn up?

View attachment 3767637

I agree on the CBI. I also dont know that it really increases clearance much, just some extra protection and the ability to mount a winch.

The fog lights make this hard. I actually have been thinking about possibly deleting the fog lights and 3d printing an insert that fills the hole with a cutout for a more conventional aftermarket fog light, like the Diode Dynamics SS3's or something.

My other concern is cooling. I dont wanna remove so much from the center of the bumper that it compromises airflow through the cooling stack since I do use my LX to tow a decent sized trailer.

 

[stellite]

 

[skrypj]

1/3 of the grill flow area is gone with that now. Maybe its not a problem, IDK.

Looks like the sides probably increase clearance a couple inches.

 

[Nothinghead]

How does that integrate with the "skid" plates underneath? Could you get a pic of the underside?

 

[stellite]

1/3 of the grill flow area is gone with that now. Maybe its not a problem, IDK.

Looks like the sides probably increase clearance a couple inches.

Not an issue at all. No more than it is in the standard 2015 and earlier. The lower part is aesthetics more than anything else.

How does that integrate with the "skid" plates underneath? Could you get a pic of the underside?

I can in a few days.

 

[J200LXPLORER]

This is what I am thinking. Trim the bumper up as high as possible and then run some plate/tube underneath to help.


Its at least 2 miles. The front clip sticks out so far


I agree on the CBI. I also dont know that it really increases clearance much, just some extra protection and the ability to mount a winch.

The fog lights make this hard. I actually have been thinking about possibly deleting the fog lights and 3d printing an insert that fills the hole with a cutout for a more conventional aftermarket fog light, like the Diode Dynamics SS3's or something.

My other concern is cooling. I dont wanna remove so much from the center of the bumper that it compromises airflow through the cooling stack since I do use my LX to tow a decent sized trailer.

View attachment 3768198

LOVE the idea of 3D printing a housing to replace the fog lights so you can put some SS3s, I've always been jealous that the pre-facelift ones can retrofit the Baja Squadrons.