Any consensus on bumpers? (1 Viewer)

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I have a 2014 LC200 with 99,789 miles on her. She is still stock. For her 100k birthday, I am thinking about getting her some bumpers, armor, lift, etc. I cannot figure out if there is any consensus on best front bumper. I like the look of the Victory 4x4 strike the best, but I read some mixed reviews on quality. Is there a thread that gives some consensus on front bumpers?
 
For bumpers, it's probably a personal style opinion as anything else. The only consensus is that there's no consensus. There is somewhat a pecking order to the level of design, quality, and cost. Slee and Dissent being at IMO the top of the game. I'm sure plenty of other opinions to come.

Only thing I can offer as I don't do bumpers and skids, is perhaps some thought perspective on what your goals are.

 
My personal favorites (focusing on my LX570):

-Dissent Off-road
-Rival 4x4

I don't think you'll find too much consensus on the best, as there are many good aftermarket options with different looks, strengths, etc.
 
I should have mentioned that I live in the mountains of Vermont and we are surrounded by suicidal deer. They jump in front of my car every few weeks. As such, I want a bull bar. Slee and Dissent don't seem to offer the tubes.

Does anyone have and love the Victory 4x4 Strike?
 
I should have mentioned that I live in the mountains of Vermont and we are surrounded by suicidal deer. They jump in front of my car every few weeks. As such, I want a bull bar. Slee and Dissent don't seem to offer the tubes.

Does anyone have and love the Victory 4x4 Strike?
For deer strikes in particular:
TJM T13 front bumper.
Deer tested… :)
 
I should have mentioned that I live in the mountains of Vermont and we are surrounded by suicidal deer. They jump in front of my car every few weeks. As such, I want a bull bar. Slee and Dissent don't seem to offer the tubes.

Does anyone have and love the Victory 4x4 Strike?
I'm just outside Burlington if you want to check out a TJM T13 on a '16.

Did Victory ever get around to shipping any of those bumpers? They were on backorder for a long time.
 
I have an ARB Summit and like the fit, finish, and coverage/style. As has been mentioned—looks are subjective with no consensus.

The ARB has a solid reputation for animal strikes—with several photos/videos from other forums that add credibility.

Here’s an interesting article which I stumbled across a while ago (hopefully the link works)


FCCC47D6-1219-4A25-B07C-626EAAFD0784.jpeg
 
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some criteria I have (Also looking at bumpers and other gear).

1. Winch drum access needs to be good, i.e. I need to be able to get my hands in there if needed.
2. Full bull bar that is stout enough for both animal strikes and light tree hits (if you drive east coast trails this will make sense)
3. Steel construction for the winch tray, mounts and recovery points.
4. Hi-lift points or at least a good surface to use it from.
5. all stock sensors and features work

So far...
ARB summit fits the bill, as well as the Off road Animal Toro (no t available in the US at the moment though)...
Decent is nice but I wonder somewhat how the aluminum wings will do, and its a bit techno looking for my tastes..

open to others..
 
Slee front has that in spades minus the bull bar. Unfortunately, the ARB winch access is terrible.

I had the Summit on my 200 for animal strike protection (thankfully never used it).
If that wasn’t a concern of mine, I would have 100% had a Slee on it for many reasons some of them you mentioned.

We’re lucky to have so many good options.
 
The lack of installed pics is astounding. How can one make up their mind without pics?
No bars on this Rival 4x4 on an LX
Install was straightforward, but I wouldn’t call it easy.

CBE1A2E6-D80B-4CA6-8417-3FD29DD7CD41.jpeg


7B14BC74-8E0B-4C35-B984-4CF096A216EF.jpeg
 
Don't buy an Ironman front bumper if you need deer protection is the info I have to offer. You'll want something stout, not a thin shell you bolt to a winch cradle
 
My local LC shop (ACC garage) recommended against the Victory 4x4. Said the ones they've seen have been thin with inconsistent welds compared to other offerings.

I ended up going with Dissent, but it's currently on backorder so I cannot speak to it's quality.
 
For bumpers, it's probably a personal style opinion as anything else. The only consensus is that there's no consensus. There is somewhat a pecking order to the level of design, quality, and cost. Slee and Dissent being at IMO the top of the game. I'm sure plenty of other opinions to come.

Only thing I can offer as I don't do bumpers and skids, is perhaps some thought perspective on what your goals are.


This is a great video.
Thanks for sharing!
 
I'm just outside Burlington if you want to check out a TJM T13 on a '16.

Did Victory ever get around to shipping any of those bumpers? They were on backorder for a long time.
Charlie,

That is a kind offer. Thank you. I will send you a private message to coordinate a visit. I have to be in Burlington on the 17th. Can you please upload here a picture or two?

Thank you
Jared
 
I like dissent for the steel/aluminum combo and weight savings. I also think it's the best looking on a LX. On an LC, some of the others look pretty sharp too.
 
Don't buy an Ironman front bumper if you need deer protection is the info I have to offer. You'll want something stout, not a thin shell you bolt to a winch cradle
As I recall, most if not all of the major bumpers have a similar design where the bumper shell mounts to the inner winch frame. The ARB and Ironman both weigh about 200 lbs. with identical 60.3mm outer tube diameter on both and the TJM is slightly more stout at 211 lbs. with a 63mm outer tube diameter. The clearance to the headlight tabs needs a bit of work on the Ironman, but is a fairly simple process. Besides that, I'd say it is basically identical to the ARB in weight/protection, which makes sense as it appears IM largely copied the ARB design (I actually like the curvature on the IM bar a bit better).

I think install goes a long way on any of these bumpers, and making sure you have enough clearance to take an impact without damaging sheet metal is key.

If you are considering deer strikes as the primary factor, I'd take a heavy steel ARB/Ironman/TJM over the Dissent or Aluminum Victory bull bars. The Aluminum bumpers give you a lot lighter weight, less corrosion (longevity) and the Dissent is clearly a higher build quality. The Dissent offers a lot based on its strength to weight ratio, and allowing you to run a bar without going to a really heavy suspension, it is also very expensive.

The reason there is no consensus is everyone has different needs. The IM can also be had for close to $1100 shipped with their regular 25% off sales, which is a very good deal in the current market.
 
Keep in mind some manufacturers have been through extensive testing and also have Australian ADR certification. That doesn't have any legal relevance in the US, but does give me a sense that they have been tested and through the rigors of certification. That's not to say that a bumper that isn't certified is bad in any way, but it is a data point that may factor into some decisions.
 

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