ARB worth it?

[Gimme a 60]

Hello, I know the authority figures on Mud don’t like to discuss price on this page. However I have a pretty good price on a ARB bumper for a 60 series! Is it worth the money? Any good or bad experiences with ARB? I need to mount a heavy winch too.

Thanks!

 

[HemiAlex]

It’s great for an out of the box bumper. You can take a look at 4plus and Trail Tailor but, it’s all up to your preference.

I’ve got an original arb from the early 90’s on my truck and I wouldn’t give it up. It’s been through hell but still structurally sound.

 

[FJ60Seth]

I have an early style ARB on my 60. It’s got some scars and has saved my sheet metal. Definitely worth it to me.

 

[HemiAlex]

I cracked my early ARB in Colorado on Poughkeepsie and managed to not dent my rust. It saved the truck.

It was a hard hit. Trust me. The bumper is solid.

 

[kevin in okinawa]

if it's for a good price what are you waiting for? ARBs are legit.

 

[OSS]

It makes an excellent temporary seat at a camp site.
It makes the front of the car capable of holding a bag for a bit while arranging stuff at a camp site.
It’s top bar is high enough that two poles can rest on it and a roof rack for all sorts of creative uses at camp.
It can be used as an anchor point to affix a clamp to hold a wheel to mount a tire by hand out in the boondocks (if you’ve got the other tools too)
Stuff can clamp or lash to it at a camp site.
It’s very good at killing deer when hitting them at high speed.

It was the most versatile accessory I ever added to my cruiser and there’s no way in hell I’d ever get rid of it - as ugly as it is (from a city folk perspective) or totally awesome (from an off-roader’s perspective).

Even if you never use it for anything but posing. That reason right there makes it worth it - cuz it’s definitely bad ass.

 

[dbbowen]

Man the trail tailor bumper im running now is pretty damn nice. The quality is on a different level from the arb bumpers ive seen. Youll break the frame before you break the TT bumper

 

[3_puppies]

with the way people are driving in town now a days, extra protection from anyone will be worth the price.

 

[bhsdriller]

ugliest bumper there is but other than that they're solid

 

[FJBen]

Man the trail tailor bumper im running now is pretty damn nice. The quality is on a different level from the arb bumpers ive seen. Youll break the frame before you break the TT bumper

And that's not a good thing. Maybe you are speaking hyperbole, but the ARB is purposefully designed to absorb and keep that damage from the vehicle.


@gimme a 60

I've have had 3 ARB front bumpers and they have all been great. The oldest one is still going strong on my BJ74, and it was installed at the dealer by all accounts I can find in 1990 in Australia.

I've hit a deer at 70 in the ARB on one of my 80 series and only cracked an offroad light. Also wheeled the heck out of that rig hitting and knocking it on rocks and never any issues.


Great bumpers, classic. Made for the cruisers. Maybe not the most sleek or highest clearance but you really can't go wrong with one, and you can easily sell it and get most your money back if you decide to change later on.





EDIT to say Trail Taylors bumpers look great and I have zero experience with that bumper or any idea on crash testing/design etc of that setup. I'm not knocking there bumpers or offerings at all.

 

[Godwin]

Yes worth it. One of the selling points for me regarding the ARB is the full frontal protection. Vehicle-deer strikes are common in our region and I want protection from that. If you consider the cost of replacing a grill, lights, maybe a hood, plus other parts compared to the cost of the ARB the decision is clear. I'll take the out-dated, ugly design over the newer sleeker lower profile bumper anyday. I have an ARB on one 60 and the 80 and the other 60 would be running an ARB if I had not had the opportunity to grab one the 4+ Kingdom bumpers.

 

[dbbowen]

And that's not a good thing. Maybe you are speaking hyperbole, but the ARB is purposefully designed to absorb and keep that damage from the vehicle.


@gimme a 60

I've have had 3 ARB front bumpers and they have all been great. The oldest one is still going strong on my BJ74, and it was installed at the dealer by all accounts I can find in 1990 in Australia.

I've hit a deer at 70 in the ARB on one of my 80 series and only cracked an offroad light. Also wheeled the heck out of that rig hitting and knocking it on rocks and never any issues.


Great bumpers, classic. Made for the cruisers. Maybe not the most sleek or highest clearance but you really can't go wrong with one, and you can easily sell it and get most your money back if you decide to change later on.





EDIT to say Trail Taylors bumpers look great and I have zero experience with that bumper or any idea on crash testing/design etc of that setup. I'm not knocking there bumpers or offerings at all.

It was hyperbole, but you are mounting a bumper onto 8 bolts on a small portion of exposed frame, the right impact will break the frame no matter what bumper you are using.

That being said, TTs bumper quality from materials used, to weld quality, and fit are just miles better than the ARB. It comes down to wanting a mass produced bumper or a smallbatch bumper designed this decade in the US tbh.


Not knocking the ARB bull bar at all here, just saying that there are newer improved options out there

 

[MarkBC]

I seem to recall reading that the ARB bumpers actually do have the equivalent of a "crumple zone" built into them to protect the frame.

 

[HemiAlex]

Not arb but relevant.

 

[Spike Strip]

Worth it at twice whatever you're paying.

 

[FJBen]

I seem to recall reading that the ARB bumpers actually do have the equivalent of a "crumple zone" built into them to protect the frame.

Directly from ARB:

ARB has invested heavily in vehicle crash barrier tests to validate the performance and compliance of its air bag compatible bumpers. To ensure compatibility, ARB assesses each vehicle’s frontal crush characteristics and replicates the crush rate in the design of each air bag compatible bumper and mounting system. Using this method ensures that the vehicle’s crush rate and air bag triggering are not altered when a bumper is installed.



Bumpers & 4x4 Protection Equipment - ARB USA


THey are one of the few that actually crash test their bumpers. Again, not dinging other options, but ARB is generally considered one of the best for a reason. Might not be your favorite looks, or the best for rock crawling, but they are a fantastic bumper.

 

[Gimme a 60]

I can’t believe that people think they are ugly. Sounds like it’s a good purchase to me!

 

[Godwin]

I can’t believe that people think they are ugly. Sounds like it’s a good purchase to me!

Did you buy it?

 

[Haggis]

I have three ARB's and I absolutely think they are worth it, especially if you need protection against large game at night.

 

[Gimme a 60]

Did you buy it?

Yes!