Bull bar Causing cracks in 200?

[kcjaz]

Looking at the ARB install instructions, there is more going on than just using the original bolting used for the stock bumper. There are chassis studs that bolt to a clevis bar/nut installed in existing rectangular holes in the frame. It also looks like the tow hook bolts are used somehow to secure the bull bar mounts. It looks to me like the weight of the bull bar/winch are really taken by the tow hook bolting and the "pulling" load when using the winch is taken by the new chassis studs. I'm sure beefing up the OEM bumper mounting plate and/or welds wouldn't hurt but may not be necessary. IMO, the way the bull bar was installed in the video for sure will not work. The thin plates stich welded to the end of the frame rails will very likely fatigue with several hundred pound cantilevered off the end of the frame. Pulling the rig out of a hole using the winch with the bull bar mounted like that would be like attaching a strap to the OEM bumper rather than the tow hooks. Would not end well.

http://store.arbusa.com/Assets/PDF/3415150i.pdf

 

[cruiseroutfit]

This is/was a known issue specifically/solely with the Ironman bumpers dating to my last Aus visit in 2014. To date I've not seen an ARB system with similar issues with the exception of the 1st Gen Tacoma, the "end-cap mod" became a standard installation on that generation when used with most bumper/winch combos. With the mounting of the ARB on the 200, I'm not concerned.

 

[linuxgod]

Also does not look like the bumper was installed correctly. I have installed 100's of Ironman and ARB bumpers on our armored TLC 200. There are also a bracket that is installed at the tiedown point going vertically up. Also the bumper is not just bolted with those bolts coming out at the end, there is a mounting cradle that goes over the chassis.

So my wife scratched up the stock front bumper this weekend, misjudging a dumpster. Nothing terrible, but it could become an excuse to pick up some better front armor and get a much better approach angle. @xkennx, you say you've installed hundreds - what's your opinion of the Ironman "Deluxe Commercial" and "Premium Deluxe" bumpers? They seem to be about half the cost of the ARB, and I highly doubt my truck will ever take anywhere near the abuse, at least on a regular basis, that most of your clients dole out.

 

[Markuson]

So my wife scratched up the stock front bumper this weekend, misjudging a dumpster. Nothing terrible, but it could become an excuse to pick up some better front armor and get a much better approach angle. @xkennx, you say you've installed hundreds - what's your opinion of the Ironman "Deluxe Commercial" and "Premium Deluxe" bumpers? They seem to be about half the cost of the ARB, and I highly doubt my truck will ever take anywhere near the abuse, at least on a regular basis, that most of your clients dole out.

SCORE!!!

Hmmm... I think I'll ENCOURAGE my wife to drive my 200 while I'm unable to drive...in hopes of FRONT and REAR bumper damage! Woo!

 

[linuxgod]

SCORE!!!

Hmmm... I think I'll ENCOURAGE my wife to drive my 200 while I'm unable to drive...in hopes of FRONT and REAR bumper damage! Woo!

I'd be more than happy to let my wife DD your LC. I can't promise only bumper damage though

 

[xkennx]

So my wife scratched up the stock front bumper this weekend, misjudging a dumpster. Nothing terrible, but it could become an excuse to pick up some better front armor and get a much better approach angle. @xkennx, you say you've installed hundreds - what's your opinion of the Ironman "Deluxe Commercial" and "Premium Deluxe" bumpers? They seem to be about half the cost of the ARB, and I highly doubt my truck will ever take anywhere near the abuse, at least on a regular basis, that most of your clients dole out.

Sorry been out in Oman the last week and no access to internet. I personally have an ARB bumper, but cost wise the Ironman is still a good product. Here often Im using mine as a winch platform, pulling out other vehicles, using it to knock down trees/bushes, pushing broke down vehicles down the road/out of the way. The ARB is a much thicker bumper but also much heavier so your suspension setup would have to be different. With the Ironman you can install a simple 1" lift spring in the front and be done with it. One thing that ARB was nice about that Ironman doesnt do is the color matching so with Ironman you repaint it to the same color as your rig and it looks sweet.

With ARM and Ironman both, I recommend if you will repaint the metal bumper is goto a scrap yard (here we have plenty of TLC200's) or order a chinese/korean OE bumper and use that to cut down. Keep your OEM bumper that is color matched and put it away in the garage in case. One thing I did like about the TJM bumper is the fact you dont have to do a cutdown on the OE bumper as they supply you a rubber insert to fill the void.

If its for looks and light use, no problem with the Ironman. They are made in Thailand using robotic welding - I have know Tom (the owner of Ironman) for going on 7yrs now. They are a family owned company that is trying to be a one stop solution for all normal vehicle upgrades.

 

[linuxgod]

If its for looks and light use, no problem with the Ironman.

Thanks, no need to apologize. I'd like to upgrade by next summary but with winter coming and no garage to work in I'm not in a hurry to start.

As far as use goes, I guess it depends on the definition of "light". Probably half our miles are city where parallel parking is the biggest "risk". I'd like to start doing some trail runs and go to Ouray next year though I'm unlikely to do heavy rock crawling (in part because the LC wheelbase is kinda long for rock crawling and in part because I don't want to bash up my DD). In my mind I'm in the "light to moderate use" category.

So the priorities are (1) protection in the city, on trails, and from deer/animal strikes, (2) improved approach/clearance, (3) recovery (especially if I'm by myself), and (4) looks. Honestly I wouldn't expect to have to use a winch and recovery gear more than a few times though - if I'm on trails that require a winch I'm probably in over my head.

FWIW I probably will not color match mine. I do like the look on the basic bumper but I'm not crazy about the look on the bumpers with bull bars. Plus, if it stays black it's easy to touch up when it gets scratched and scuffed whereas color matched will be a PITA to regularly retouch.