Aftermarket front bumper (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Threads
74
Messages
226
Location
JAX, FL
i'm ready to buy an aftermarket front bumper... :bounce: which one should i get? and what are the advantages and disadvantages??
 
I've been looking into this for the past week. Just like Liam said, ARB is pretty much the only company producing them right now unless you have one custom fabricated. TJM used to make them but stopped in 2008? I wish Slee was producing the bumper they have on thier SAS 100. That thing is savage. Looks like bull horns. But I don't want to chop my fenders to get one to look right.

I think I'm going to try and call up some local fabrication shops and see what they can do for me. I like the ARB Sahara w/o the hoop, but seeing how a few people have found necessity in modifying them to gain approach/departure angles, I'd much rather have one custom made and support the local guy in this economy rather than ship one across multiple states. The Slee rear bumper w/swingout is pretty sweet though. I'm curious to see some pics of an ARB rear with the dual sided swingouts. the offset tires/shorter swingarms seem to make more sense for parking lots, trailers, and visibility out the rear window.
 
I've been looking into this for the past week. Just like Liam said, ARB is pretty much the only company producing them right now unless you have one custom fabricated. TJM used to make them but stopped in 2008? I wish Slee was producing the bumper they have on thier SAS 100. That thing is savage. Looks like bull horns. But I don't want to chop my fenders to get one to look right.

I think I'm going to try and call up some local fabrication shops and see what they can do for me. I like the ARB Sahara w/o the hoop, but seeing how a few people have found necessity in modifying them to gain approach/departure angles, I'd much rather have one custom made and support the local guy in this economy rather than ship one across multiple states. The Slee rear bumper w/swingout is pretty sweet though. I'm curious to see some pics of an ARB rear with the dual sided swingouts. the offset tires/shorter swingarms seem to make more sense for parking lots, trailers, and visibility out the rear window.

Those are the same reasons why I opted to go custom with the front bumper. The ARB is a proven bumper, but I wanted something that looked different. I missed out on a TJM, so I went custom instead.

For the rear bumper, though, I went top-of-the-line, no holds barred: 4x4Labs. Expensive and requires some minor modifications to the truck to install, but the results were awesome, zero regrets:
Vorfab front.JPG
brazilian plate.JPG
 
Hey Exiled...when r u coming to Houston?? I would really like to see that bumper in person..looks awsome...what is the weight like....and important thing..how much did it cost?? :eek:))
 
Hey Exiled...when r u coming to Houston?? I would really like to see that bumper in person..looks awsome...what is the weight like....and important thing..how much did it cost?? :eek:))

I don't make it out there too often, but I will in the future, one of my best friends is moving out there in the next month or so for work. If/when I do, I'll drop you a note, go grab a beer. Ditto if you're ever in Austin, ping me and we'll meet up with Davegonz, he's got a sweet 100 here, too.

Bumper is fairly light, comparable to a TJM T3 with the winch cradle, like 130 lbs. Price was very reasonable, comparable to the hi-end ARB model.
 
Exiled - That front bumper is sweet! That might be the best looking one yet! Might consider selling my TJM and have something like that built...:hmm:
 
I love your rig, man. I really like that 4x4labs rear bumper. Just checked out their website and found that they have swappable accessories for the arms and they make a weld-it-yourself kit!?!?!? Awesome!

Question regarding your front bumper. Did they make that out of individually cut pieces of plate, weld them together, then grind it smooth?

If you don't mind my asking, how much did you invest in those 2 bumpers?
 
Exiled's front bumper was all cut from 3/16" plate and then welded together with the exception of the mounts and recovery points which are thicker. I can't recall right off the top of my head what they are. I'm working with Vorfab on some pricing stuff. He's not wanting to do a bunch of off site sales, but he is considering doing some limited runs of 100 series and late model Tacoma bumpers. He has templates for the lower section of the bumper. He really enjoys working with the customer one on one so each bumper is custom to his or her wants and needs. Exiled and my bumpers lower sections started out the same and then he frenched in lights in different locations. It just worked better that way as we both chose different lights. Exiled went with a more elaborate tubing on the top. I went with a simpler design. Complexity of the tubing adds time which in turn boosts the price.

His 4x4 labs rear bumper is the rear bumper of my dreams. Ever since I laid eyes on his 80 series bumper that is the one I've wanted. It has always been a stretch beyond my means until he offered the kit version. Of course by then I had already built two different rear bumpers and 4 different swingout configurations. The 100 bumper took the design cues from the 80 bumper and transformed the 100 into what it should be, a sleek expedition machine. The lines are gorgeous, everything works as it should, and it is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. I do truly lust after this bumper. But $$ doesn't grow on trees in the high desert so I'll make do with my Slee. It is a perfectly acceptable bumper and functions well. At least that is what I keep telling myself.
 
I love your rig, man. I really like that 4x4labs rear bumper. Just checked out their website and found that they have swappable accessories for the arms and they make a weld-it-yourself kit!?!?!? Awesome!

Question regarding your front bumper. Did they make that out of individually cut pieces of plate, weld them together, then grind it smooth?

If you don't mind my asking, how much did you invest in those 2 bumpers?

I also got a custom water can/water cooler carrier from 4x4Labs, it mounts to the ladder where the two big bolts that hold the license plate holder are located. I don't have it mounted all the time because I'd have to open my garage door to walk around the Cruiser and get in it, it's a tight fit! Some additional pics:
sideways(Medium).JPG
S1034982 (Medium).JPG
 

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