So, a few years ago I put ARBs on both trucks as an anti-deer measure. I figured with all the late night western driving we do it was only a matter of time and that while it would not prevent damage it would at least allow us to get home with headlights and radiator intact rather than ruining a trip. Well, a few months later the truck was parked at a remote ramp while we were out on a lake for several days on the boat. Someone hit the truck hard enough to shove it sideways a foot and left a note. Far from home, had the ARB not absorbed it with mere gouges, we'd have been disabled.
Fast forward to yesterday. We're on our way to Utah to ski. My 9yo son suddenly had to go #2 and we pulled off an exit to find only a backwoods bar. Had to talk my way in to use the restroom for him. Came back out and put the truck in D and had just leaned on the gas when WHAM! - hit something freaking solid. Jumped out and in their parking lot was about a 20" tall steel pipe a foot in diameter and filled with concrete, painted a perfectly disguised flat medium brown. The point of contact was directly in front of the A/C drier and driver's headlight. It crushed the ARB side wing so it hit the body and marred the paint, then rebounded back out. It left a deep dent between the blinker and the center of the frame.
I was astounded that was it. Don't get me wrong, the ARB has an impressive dent in it, but the impact was absolutely amazing. I'd love to see a video as I'm curious how much the rear end went up. We were probably going walking speed - about 4mph and I have no doubt it would have taken out the radiator, headlight and A/C - easily $2000 worth of damage. Not to mention we'd have been stranded, need a tow and basically heading back home. Instead, I could clean off the brown paint and you couldn't see if from across the street. I drove back onto the freeway grinning from ear to ear, though I was certainly embarrassed.
I'll post pictures when I get back home, but striking a solid object like that with a 3 ton truck is an astronomical amount of energy to absorb the picture will surely not fully transmit. I am absolutely amazed and again offer kudus to what is proving to be an extremely well engineered product. That's two trip-ending incidents this ARB has let us simply drive away from. The impact shook the filaments out of both big Hella 4000s, so I'll be getting some while here for the drive home.
And the concrete filled post? Nothing. Not a speck of the ARB powder coat came off and not even a slight mar. Instead, we've got some paint on our bumper. I simply cannot give this product a higher rating.
DougM
Fast forward to yesterday. We're on our way to Utah to ski. My 9yo son suddenly had to go #2 and we pulled off an exit to find only a backwoods bar. Had to talk my way in to use the restroom for him. Came back out and put the truck in D and had just leaned on the gas when WHAM! - hit something freaking solid. Jumped out and in their parking lot was about a 20" tall steel pipe a foot in diameter and filled with concrete, painted a perfectly disguised flat medium brown. The point of contact was directly in front of the A/C drier and driver's headlight. It crushed the ARB side wing so it hit the body and marred the paint, then rebounded back out. It left a deep dent between the blinker and the center of the frame.
I was astounded that was it. Don't get me wrong, the ARB has an impressive dent in it, but the impact was absolutely amazing. I'd love to see a video as I'm curious how much the rear end went up. We were probably going walking speed - about 4mph and I have no doubt it would have taken out the radiator, headlight and A/C - easily $2000 worth of damage. Not to mention we'd have been stranded, need a tow and basically heading back home. Instead, I could clean off the brown paint and you couldn't see if from across the street. I drove back onto the freeway grinning from ear to ear, though I was certainly embarrassed.
I'll post pictures when I get back home, but striking a solid object like that with a 3 ton truck is an astronomical amount of energy to absorb the picture will surely not fully transmit. I am absolutely amazed and again offer kudus to what is proving to be an extremely well engineered product. That's two trip-ending incidents this ARB has let us simply drive away from. The impact shook the filaments out of both big Hella 4000s, so I'll be getting some while here for the drive home.
And the concrete filled post? Nothing. Not a speck of the ARB powder coat came off and not even a slight mar. Instead, we've got some paint on our bumper. I simply cannot give this product a higher rating.
DougM
Hunted the Challis area last year for deer and got tag soup! Did however call in a 6x6 monster bull and ended up missing him at 150 yds:whoops:
