Can't decide....4x4Labs or IPOR or AUX tank

[nicholas]

I know, another bumper thread, but your thoughts would be appreciated in helping me make this decision.

Many of you will recall that my LX got a little banged up by a lush bucket a few weeks ago. Well, the my insurance company said there is a ~$1700 check coming my way in the mail pretty soon.

However, I'm having a little bit of trouble deciding which way I should go with my modifications, so perhaps a little open discussion might help push me one way of the other.


I have read just about every thread (dozens) concerning IPOR and Luke's bumper and I am having a bit of trouble deciding which way to go. Getting a real bumper and being able to ditch the stock spare crank and the factory tow hitch was the very first things I wanted to do to my LX after I took it offroad for the first time back in the spring of 2006. However, this project has been sidelined over the years due to other mods like the S/C which was the second thing I wanted to do when I bought my LX. An AUX tank is also one of the things I'd love to have so I don't have to stop as often on road trips and to give me further range in the future when I go on some expedition runs. Of course, lockers have been nagging in the back of my mind and I get reminded everytime I'm in a situation that they could be utilized.


So here are a few of my thoughts:


4x4 LABS
~$1900 shipped including dual spindle swingouts, tire carrier, and powder coating

Pros:
-Easily my favorite bumper
-Excellent departure angle
-Has a double swingout (tire carrier + whatever else I decide to add in the future)
-Only adds about 125 Lbs to the rear if you subtract the junk you cut off the rear
-My main man Doc offered to come over an help me lift the beast onto the frame rails

Con:
-Permanently attached to the truck so if it ever gets totaled (from hitting a tree) or if I ever get a different 80, then the $2K bumper goes with it.

IPOR
$1650 shipped for single swingout and powder coating

Pros:
-Seems like the best price on an off the shelf 80 bumper (I might have a couple hundred $$ left over to put towards sliders or front bumper)
-Seems to be tough enough for the my usage.
-Can be made to have dual swing outs
-Could swap to another vehicle if needed. (back to stock)

Cons:
-Spindle not as heavy duty as 4x4 labs
-No real gains in departure angle besides removing tire/hitch.
-If I add a dual swingout I'd imagine the cost will be close a 4x4labs rear bumper


AUX Tank:
~$1450 shipped including napa pump
Pros:
-Extended range on both road trips and off road trips
-Near complete factory setup available right now in the classified
-Might save a couple of bucks if I fill up when gas is cheap

Cons:
-Would eat up most of my budget leaving me with a trashed bumper and an unhappy 315 spare tire crammed between the factory bumper and my pan hard rod and too much junk hanging down in the rear.

Lockers:
$2400-ish shipped including ECU, F/R axles, switch, harnesses.
Pros:
-I could be like the cool guys and add "factory locked" to my sigjk
-Would be nice to have the few times a year that I need them
-There is a complete factory setup availabe right now in the classifieds. (I've got to quit advertising)
-I will be using my 80 offroad a lot more in a few years and they will definitely come in handy then

Cons:
-A bit more over budget
-Only would use them a few times a year and maybe a dozen times a year at most in the future
-Would take a lot more time than I will have available this summer to install
-Might end up just doing ARB's and a regear in a few years when I use my LX for mainly trail use.



I could install all of these items myself (and maybe some manpower helping me lift the heavy items) so I wouldn't have to worry about installation costs etc.

Right now I'm
60% 4x4 labs
20% IPOR
15% AUX tank
4.5% OEM lockers
0.5% Pocket the cash and hold on tight through this recession (By far the smart and responsible choice)


So what do you guys think? Any final suggestions before I pull the trigger.

Thanks in advance!

 

[35inchoverdrive]

I *heart* lockers.

I'm sure those bumpers are nice, but I think the prices on most armored bumpers are insane. I'm not sayin that they aren't quality, or that they don't take a lot of skill to fab, but over $1k for a bumper is crazy. It's a bumper.

 

[psfpilot]

The aux tank set-up can be had for approximately 2/3 of that cost if found at ebay.com.au, or direct from an Aussie salvage yard, and shipped via SeaMail.

 

[alkaline747trio]

You don't need a rear bumper if I remember the damage you have (pics of your damage aren't on the thread anymore). Sliders will get much more use and are needed/used way more often than your rear bumper would. An autolocker in the rear of your cruiser would also get way more use and bang for your buck than retro-fitting E-lockers would.

With ~$2k you could get a brand new ARB front bumper, weld-on sliders, and an Aussie locker....each being much more useful by itself than a rear swingout would.

So why do you want to spend that money on a swingout anyways?

 

[NLXTACY]

Hookers and blow!!!!

I vote aux tank. I like my IPOR but in truth I didn't need it. I only did it first because I needed a place to put the spare when I get the aux tank in. After my last romp I'd say sliders are more important than a bumper

 

[retrofive]

x2 for sliders. I voted for the 4x4labs just because it was on his list and sliders were not .

But in reality sliders will be my first armor purchase.

 

[EarthX]

----With ~$2k you could get a brand new ARB front bumper, weld-on sliders, and an Aussie locker....each being much more useful by itself than a rear swingout would.----

Do you need a better answer?

 

[nicholas]

You don't need a rear bumper if I remember the damage you have (pics of your damage aren't on the thread anymore). Sliders will get much more use and are needed/used way more often than your rear bumper would. An autolocker in the rear of your cruiser would also get way more use and bang for your buck than retro-fitting E-lockers would.

With ~$2k you could get a brand new ARB front bumper, weld-on sliders, and an Aussie locker....each being much more useful by itself than a rear swingout would.

So why do you want to spend that money on a swingout anyways?

The bumperett was cracked and the body cladding got pushed into the body as well. There was also a bunch of scratches on the side cladding as well. Apparently those body cladding pieces aren't cheap new from lexus . I'll have to repost the pics that I took in daylight.

You have a good point about the ARB/slider/aussie combo. Reasons for the swingout: I don't have room to carry my spare inside the truck with the fam on trips, I don't have a roof rack, and you guys would laugh if you saw how smashed my 315 spare is in the stock location. I was only planning on keeping it there short term. So my #1 reason I'd say is to get the spare tire in a reasonable location.

I don't wheel very often these days and will wheel even less or the next 5 yrs. School takes up literally all of my time and it is about to get even worse these next few years. In about 5 years I will be employable and have an income and more time to play. That is when I will definitely need sliders and a front bumper. The few times a year I do go wheeling, my rear bumper has always been what drags. I have never had any issues yet with needing more front protection. So #2 reason for rear bumper is rear protection/clearance the when I do go wheeling.

For serious wheeling sliders are a must, no doubt. I plan on getting some when I do more serious stuff. I am also looking at a pair I could pick up for $250 by my folk's home. They are a home built set that look like factory running boards, but they are weld on and I rather have bolt on.

 

[landcruising]

sliders

My first would be sliders. I have abused mine already and cats may have been damages without. I was in the same boat a year ago and have been buying as $ permits. You may find some of the items you want used, and you can always use gas cans of extra miles, truth be told unless you are on some long trails or out multiple days you might not need an extra 13 gals.

Of course sliders may not be as useful in mud holes but IH8MUD.I stole this from another post, sorry.

 

[nicholas]

Hookers and blow!!!!

I vote aux tank. I like my IPOR but in truth I didn't need it. I only did it first because I needed a place to put the spare when I get the aux tank in. After my last romp I'd say sliders are more important than a bumper

Sounds like a plan. I'll meet you in Vegas.

What aux tank are you going to use? I know the OEM one fits with the factory spare crank.

I'm in a similar situation. I need a place for the spare tire. I agree that sliders are definitely the best armor for the buck and definitely will save you the most $$$ in damage. But like I said. My wheeling days are all but over for the next few years. The rear bumper will come in handy on future wheeling trips when I have my spare time back and hopefully will serve as a good tire caddy in the meantime.

This is my DD and I need reliable transportation on a daily basis beginning this summer. If I have a flat I would need to change it in a hurry. Otherwise I'd leave the spare tire at home.


Thanks for the good comments so far. You have me thinking I was hoping this would be easy and people would just say, go with the labs bumper, end of story, now get back to board study.

 

[nicholas]

Geeze, why does there have to be so many good things FS in the classifieds these days. There is an ARB front bumper with sliders combo including the fender bar (Trunk Monkey's old armor from what I understand). It might already be spoken for though.

Perhaps If I could get this setup I could just take out one rear seat, get a slee stripper pole (or similar) and just tell the that the cruiser only seats 6 and she needs to pack lighter on trips;p.

 

[Tenzig Norgay]

I say go for the lockers, they seem like the most usable option. You don't have to replace the bumpers till they get torn off, or some lush in a Delorian smashes into the rear, and I'm positive they will drop in price soon enough. Don't worry about the auxilary tank till latter when you can afford it no problem out of pocket, and how often will you really need it in the next 5 years. Sliders are nice but more affordable, maybe a possibility in the near future. With the coming ice age, lockers are your best bet, you could always pull people out of snowbanks for a living.

 

[alkaline747trio]

Rear bumper dragging is no reason to upgrade. That rear crossmember is as good as a bull bar for the rear...good enough to bump up to trees and pivot on to make a quick turn around and has caught the whole weight of my rig dropping off ledges many a time. Might jar your teeth some, but nothing other than the paint seems to complain drop after drop.

 

[MARLIN375]

Have you given any thought to picking up a good quality used plasma cutter and good quality used welder? The downturn in the economy has put more than a few "hobby shops" on the market.

It takes some practice but its not rocket science.
You will soon be fabing everything from sliders to gate hinges and the biggest investment you will be making in your next project is time.

Just a thought.

 

[calfj60]

I just had my 4x4 labs bumper installed on Tuseday....man this thing is sweet...

 

[HomersCanyonero]

Based on your comments, it seems that you need protection against the dangers of the concrete jungle.

Since you won't be wheeling for a while, get the 4x4Labs rear bumper. Get the ladder/jerry-can combo and you can carry your extra fuel. This also protects you against future rear-endings.

Since you rear will be nicely guarded, you might want to protect your front with a stout front bumper. You'll add the winch just in case you need to pull yourself out (since you don't have lockers).

By now, you are sagging too much and your medium lift is not enough. You upgrade to the heavy springs and things are looking good.

You then realize that in order to go rock crawling, you really need 4.88 gears and at least rear lockers. Also, you will need sliders for protection.

I could go on, but you would need bailout money by then.

 

[Leroy]

i'd go with a 4x4 labs (no swing outs), sliders and a slee interior pole, then the aux tank down the road. if you need extended range in the mean time get a good roof rack and some jerry cans.

 

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

I've got a Lab rear bumper and a Long Ranger tank. Before the tank, every trip I took, I would watch the fuel gauge and trust me, it goes down quick. After the tank install, I made a Death Valley run.

I can't express how nice it was knowing that I had the range needed to not worry about fuel. It was as if a huge pressure had been lifted off of my shoulders. I had enough fuel to cover my trip and even gave 5 gallons to one of the guys in the group with a 100 series that was not going to make it to a station without it. There's no messing around with cans and nozzles or anything of the sort.


Even the agrees it has been the single best addition to the 80. She says when she gets her 100, she wants an aux. tank as well. I vote for the tank, it will get you there and back.

 

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

Have you given any thought to picking up a good quality used plasma cutter and good quality used welder? The downturn in the economy has put more than a few "hobby shops" on the market.

It takes some practice but its not rocket science.
You will soon be fabing everything from sliders to gate hinges and the biggest investment you will be making in your next project is time.

Just a thought.

This is also a great option.

 

[Doc]

Get the 4x4 labs bumper. If you ever total the LX you don't have to leave it on the truck. Un bolt it and put it on the next cruiser, or sell it to another 80 series owner.

Get the gerry can holder instead of the aux tank.

Put sliders and shortbus bumper on next years list. Then lockers. From what I hear about your style of wheeling- lockers should be last on your list. Get a winch first.