New ARB bumper... anyone else feel the....
- Thread starter jimfitz99
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I personally do not like the look of hoop bumpers for rigs as wide as ours. In the older 4runners and pickups they look decent, just a little jeepish in my eyes on the larger rigs. Like those fabtechs on a full-size f350. And I hate how some bumpers dont even have the loop reach the top of the grill.
However, I do feel that the underside of an ARB needs some tweaking to personal preference. Thats why I am still on the fence of making my own ARB style or upgrading theirs. However, I cant justify the price of theirs just to tweak. I wish I could just purchase their one piece vertical pieces (CNC cut ones).
However, I do feel that the underside of an ARB needs some tweaking to personal preference. Thats why I am still on the fence of making my own ARB style or upgrading theirs. However, I cant justify the price of theirs just to tweak. I wish I could just purchase their one piece vertical pieces (CNC cut ones).
It's all about what you use it for. Mine is there to hold up my lights and look cool. And also flip deer, which I have acually done. If I was a hard core rock monkey, I would look at other bumpers. My rig stays in the drive most of the time except for fishing trips, which put me on back country roads at first and last light next to rivers, where the deer come to drink. I hit one two years ago that was a four point buck most hunters would be proud to bag, and not a scratch on the ARB. Sometimes I think the squeaking of the drift boat trailer calls them in.
Pretty much any modification one might consider for the 80 series should be based on expected usage. I boght the ARB because much of my family lives in the hill country area of Texas. It has the highest deer density of any area in the United States (I also hunt there). Everyone in my family has hit a deer at some point in their lives and it can make a mess of your vehicle. The ARB is absolutely strong enough to take the hit and protect your vehicle.
With that said, I agree with the notion that it is not the optimum bumper if you want to use your 80 series to rock crawl. My 80 does crawl rocks but right now I am primarily crawling them to get where I want to go, not just to crawl rocks.....although I am starting to enjoy the rock crawling side of it more and more. If rock crawling became my primary objective, I might go to a lighter bumper with higher clearance and better tie-ins to the frame.
With that said, I agree with the notion that it is not the optimum bumper if you want to use your 80 series to rock crawl. My 80 does crawl rocks but right now I am primarily crawling them to get where I want to go, not just to crawl rocks.....although I am starting to enjoy the rock crawling side of it more and more. If rock crawling became my primary objective, I might go to a lighter bumper with higher clearance and better tie-ins to the frame.
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Wow... I'm on board with everyone to some degree. After basketball i managed to convince my wife to give me 1 hour to install this new toy. Sure enough it went on quickly. Come summer i can feel it coming off for some slight modifications. I didn't realize that it allowed you to retain the OE tow points. I'd like to loose them (ground clearance) and beef up the ARB "shackle" points. My plan is to match the geometry of the shackle point on the exterior of the bumper and mimic the interior plating with 1/4" or so plate. So you ARB owners know that the side of the bumper is held by (2) small diameter bolts per side so that thincker plate should atleast transition into the upper or lower side.
My only other complaint is that the welds on the front face of the bumper weren't ground flush before painting. I mean it couldn't have taken tooo much effort prior to painting and the bumper would have looked way more....... Finished>
My only other complaint is that the welds on the front face of the bumper weren't ground flush before painting. I mean it couldn't have taken tooo much effort prior to painting and the bumper would have looked way more....... Finished>
Your MT bumper looks a little different than what is on their website. Any other pics or info?
To the OP: The rock crawler wannabees have hi-jacked your thread (again).
Before the flamers kick in, let's set the record straight. The 80 series is not a "hard core rock crawler", and never will be with out extreme modification. Any attempts to make it look like one are futile IMO, and take away from what the 80 really is: The best all-around SUV ever made. The ARB in it's stock form, although far from perfect, is perfect for what the 80 is, IMO.
This forum is chalk-full of examples of what owners would like their rig to be and no disrespect intended, but the ARB Bull Bar was never intended to excel in all of these areas. Obviously, there's a lot of dissatisfaction with the bumper, but let's be realistic. The ARB Bull Bar does what it was designed and intended for and does it well.
Anybody with common sense knows the outcome when rock and automotive steel collide. They both suffer in some respect. Rock crawlers know that it's a delicate balance between armor and keeping the vehicle as light as possible because they know that inevitably steel and rock will meet. All off roaders can benefit, from keeping that in mind, but we must also keep it in perspective. We, who do other types of wheeling, have other concerns. And that is why the ARB bumper is attractive to the wheelin' community, IMHO.
Before the flamers kick in, let's set the record straight. The 80 series is not a "hard core rock crawler", and never will be with out extreme modification. Any attempts to make it look like one are futile IMO, and take away from what the 80 really is: The best all-around SUV ever made. The ARB in it's stock form, although far from perfect, is perfect for what the 80 is, IMO.
This forum is chalk-full of examples of what owners would like their rig to be and no disrespect intended, but the ARB Bull Bar was never intended to excel in all of these areas. Obviously, there's a lot of dissatisfaction with the bumper, but let's be realistic. The ARB Bull Bar does what it was designed and intended for and does it well.
Anybody with common sense knows the outcome when rock and automotive steel collide. They both suffer in some respect. Rock crawlers know that it's a delicate balance between armor and keeping the vehicle as light as possible because they know that inevitably steel and rock will meet. All off roaders can benefit, from keeping that in mind, but we must also keep it in perspective. We, who do other types of wheeling, have other concerns. And that is why the ARB bumper is attractive to the wheelin' community, IMHO.
It might occur here that when the OP picked up his bumper and immediately noticed things he wanted to do to improve its strength and/or clearance that this post was directed to the rock crawlers rather than being hi-jacked by them.
The 80 is an exceptional crawler for 95% of the trails with relatively moderate modifications - you simply cannot turn it into a buggy terribly effectively. This is generally true of all SUV's no matter how hard people try.
You can easily beat up an ARB on trails that the 80 is handles with a lot less drama than most of its peers while driving home in greater comfort.
This is not speculation.
Nay, I think you need to take a zanax. The ARB is made to take a kangaroo hit. They're about the same size and weight as a whitetail deer - that's why I have one on my truck.
As for the anti-OZ rant, perhaps you should travel more. They're actually pretty squared away and we have much more in common with the Australians than you think.
As for the anti-OZ rant, perhaps you should travel more. They're actually pretty squared away and we have much more in common with the Australians than you think.
I work with some Australians and in fact manage a global business development program for a fortune 15 company. On that point, I need something quite a bit stronger than a zanax.
You missed the tongue in cheek there as well as the target. I just don't get very excited because something was made in Australia, because doing so generally means paying a premium for mid-grade equipment that comes with a sticker with a kangaroo on it
The fact that an ARB is about the size and weight of a whitetail deer is exactly why I don't have one on my truck.
The OP recognized the weaknesses in the ARB and asked for input on what people have done to fix them. I think it is worth educating people that these bull bars are relatively weak outside of the frame box, despite their size and weight.
If you want ARB to build a better product, defending it based on what you believe it was designed for in Australia rather than the reality of how the product is built is not a good idea.
Im still wondering why the thing doesnt come with any usable recovery points. They dont get stuck much out in ozland? Maybe everyone has a winch and never needs a tug? Thats just silly.
D
D
Pics of 5ths of an inch? Never seen a tape with that!
Well then you just didn't try hard enough.
My fingers meant to say 2 & 20/64ths.
That reminds me, need to pick up sand paper & paint
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Airbag
FWIW I've been told the ARB bumper is the only one that is compatible with Toyota's airbag system. Could be important if you are so equipped.
FWIW I've been told the ARB bumper is the only one that is compatible with Toyota's airbag system. Could be important if you are so equipped.
Aren't you worried that since you moved it closer to the rig that if you hit something it will do more damage as the bull bar moves back and hits the rig sooner?
Just thinking ahead some.
Just thinking ahead some.
Maybe the only one tested. As far as I know, only inertia sensors are used in the system, any rapid deceleration will set off the airbags.
I figure if I hit something hard enough to bend it back to the hood it would have to be tall & heavy & at that point, it wouldn't matter anymore anyway. The botom of the bumper is 26" off the ground.
Well of course it is lighter, it's a tube bumper, where the ARB is not. You are comparing two completely different bumpers.