How many safari's do you go on, (1 Viewer)

[frankies off road]

I see alot of safari built rigs on here; and was wondering where do you go safari at in the USA. Roof racks big steam shovel bumpers that kill any entry and departure angles and weight down an already heavy rig with jugs tires and such. I think i could use my cargo area and have room left over for any of that. I cant see how any of this helps going down trails..

Or am I missing something?



I am not trying to upset anyone I am just wondering what you where thinking;
F.

 

[e9999]

yes

 

[tarbe]

Hitting the ARB on a rock or ledge scrapes the paint on the ARB. Hitting the same rock or ledge with the factory bumper may well cause $1,500 damage. And my factory bumper was more prone to hitting than the "skinny" wings on the ARB.

So yes, I think you are missing something.

 

[-Spike-]

Odd that an off-road company(?) would have to ask.

-Spike

 

[frankies off road]

Hitting the ARB on a rock or ledge scrapes the paint on the ARB. Hitting the same rock or ledge with the factory bumper may well cause $1,500 damage. And my factory bumper was more prone to hitting than the "skinny" wings on the ARB.

So yes, I think you are missing something.

I think i may see what your saying : was it lack of a better design on the market ..

 

[Jerome3]

yea.........i dont know about you but i would much rather carry jerry cans full of gas outside rather than inside and smell the sweet smell of gas my entire ride, but sure ,you could fit a few cans in the rear cargo area if ya dont mind the fumes and spilt/leaked gas on the carpet. i think most people here have built their rigs the way they have for a reason and most mods serve a purpose out on the trail and on the city streets, deer, slow street crossers etc...The arb bumpers which many have on this site increase approach angles and hold up better to obstacles than do stock bumpers. rear bumper mods, at least all i have seen, increase departure angles as well. i feel like this is a somewhat uneducated or poorly researched post/question, so yes you are missing something

 

[frankies off road]

Odd that an off-road company(?) would have to ask.

-Spike

why would my question be odd for an off road company ?

seems adding feet to entry and departure angles would lessen the mobility of any off road vehical.

I am asking for product marketing reasons.

 

[elmariachi]

Yep, you're emissing something. The 80 Series is a unique vehicle in many respects. In addition to being very tough, it is extremely capable in a lot of offroad situations, driven properly. And because one of its greatest strengths is its ability haul a lot of payload, what you have is a unique combination of payload carrier and offroader. The reason you see guys build up 80 Series with what you label "safari" is because guys like to use the truck both for offroading AND getting to the offroad spot. You will rarely see a guy trailer an 80 to an event. Instead he will load up all his camp gear and his 5 family members and their luggage, drive 500 or 1000 miles, arrive at the destination, make camp and start wheeling. You won't do that with just your "cargo area," unless you are all sharing underwear and toothbrushes and staying at the Holiday Inn. To me that's the greatest thing about the 80 and why mine is built in what you are calling a safari configuration. It sure as hell ain't 'cause I am chasing Oklahoma giraffes.

You need to get out of the office and go to Moab or the Great Smokey Mountain Trail Ride and see what its all about. Then you'll understand.

 

[Jerome3]

what bumpers are adding feet to the entry and departure angles of our vehicles?

 

[cruiserdan]

I prefer to boat....

 

[MoJ]

Where are my sunglasses?









I think it depends on the need. Myself, not having any little punks (yet) to drag along with me, I prefer more of a self contained setup. Travel light, avoid as much weight as possible, spare mounted in the cargo area, etc. The rear bumpers available don't appeal to me personally. I really like the idea of some simple, nicely designed, bolt on wings that would hook right up to the frame and the rear crossmember that's already there -- something similar to what BRKLYN1 showed in his ROTW. Seems like it would help keep 2 things to a minimum - cost & weight. I think there's got to be an relatively simple way to avoid the massive rear bumpers. As far as the front goes, I think the ARB fits me perfectly. My part of the country is heavily wooded and full of deer. Before the ARB I broke a front marker light assembly navigating between trees - all it took was a very small branch hanging out. Again, this is all opinion, I certainly respect the views and needs of others, which btw are apparently the majority as that is what many of the products cater to.


Driveway and backyard in progress.

 

[frankies off road]

what bumpers are adding feet to the entry and departure angles of our vehicles?

ARB front and rear was what i was looking at ...

I am not saying its wrong just seeing why most are built this way,and asking thess questions is how i get answers,

I am seeing a trend and wonted to see if it was the look of a safari rig or if you guys and gals needed that gear,

sorry about the ruffled fethers but it gets answers that i need.

 

[elmariachi]

Regarding the ARB specifically, it was designed in Australia after many years of destructive trial and error on Land Cruisers. Is it the best thing going? No. Can it be improved upon? Sure. But so far no one has come along with a $700 solution that beats it in terms of performance, functionality, fit and finish and durability. That's why I just chuckle everytime I see one of these Texas trucks with that POS Ranchhand bumper on it. Could you possibly hang more treadplate steel on a truck and make it look any worse? I think it will be along time before anyone delivers a mass production, affordable alternative to the ARB.

 

[gulp3000]

ARB bumpers do have small negative effect on entry angle when off-roading, but they greatly improve the entry effects of plowing into a deer at 75 MPH.

 

[elmariachi]

I am seeing a trend and wonted to see if it was the look of a safari rig or if you guys and gals needed that gear,sorry about the ruffled fethers but it gets answers that i need.

No ruffled feathers. Every group has its posers but I think the majority of people here build their rigs to suit their lifestyles. I know I do. What trend are you seeing and are you thinking of building something?

 

[tarbe]

ARB bumpers do have small negative effect on entry angle when off-roading

Coming straight on, maybe. But if you can angle in, the ARB is better.

 

[frankies off road]

No ruffled feathers. Every group has its posers but I think the majority of people here build their rigs to suit their lifestyles. I know I do. What trend are you seeing and are you thinking of building something?

The safari trend ,but i needed to know if it was a trend or needed: yes i have plans depending on this thread outcome.Something new may not be needed if the market is already pleased.

I already have a rock crawler bumper in development and its just that a rock bumper,so I am just probing..

 

[elmariachi]

The safari trend ,but i needed to know if it was a trend or needed: yes i have plans depending on this thread outcome.Something new may not be needed if the market is already pleased.

I can tell you that if I had the skills and the equipment to weld, cut, bend and fabricate, I'd be building for this market. Just look at the active threads and you can see the appetite for smaller, lighter roof racks, different style front bumpers, lighter less expensive rear bumpers, rock protection, jerry can mounts, on and on and on. I wouldn't try and guess and assume....just start asking people what they want, they'll tell you.

 

[Jerome3]

we are always open to new and improved products and im sure someone on this forum could provide a vehicle for prototype products and testing. what kind of products would you be looking to produce?

 

[alkaline747trio]

I get what Frankie is saying, he is wondering why people don't ask for more out of what is already offered. I love how the ARB is bomb proof, but would much rather it be "tucked in" more but still have the strength.

Having both is where we have to compromise Frankie, it is hard to make a bomb-proof bumper that is compact. Now granted, you can make a darn good bumper that has killer approach angle, but it will take a whole lot more than a single design and a good welder.

ARB put a whole lot of time and testing and engineering into the bumper to make it do what a bumper is suposed to do, bump into things and keep the rest of the truck intact. Now if someone can offer something with the strength of the ARB, but give a better approach angle, you'd have a few of the more hard-core guys trade the ARB for one, and have a good bit of the people upgrading from factory buying too. But, the ARB works for most people's situations and is in the lead of what is offered right now.

Like elmariachi said, we pack up everything AND the kitchen sink, cross the country, wheel the s*** out of our junk, and ride home with our plush interior and AC. These roof racks and bulky tire/jug carriers let us carry more (albiet some probably just do them for looks) and carry it where we'd like it, outside of our nice interior.

Since the LC is more of a niche market in the US, there isn't much offered so give ARB/Slee some more competition and throw out some new ideas/executions and the products avaliable will grow and then we can mod our rigs more specifically to what we do.

I personally would choose a bumper with a better approach/departure angle than ARB/Slee/Hanna currently offer if the quality was on par or even better (if it can get any better).

Carry on...