Please guide/advise me on bumper guard vs brush guard for my new LC 200

[serpico1]

Hi All,

I hope everyone is staying safe. Here in Florida we are "open" but its still a crazy time!
I thank everyone in advance.

I am expecting my new 200 next month and as I have said in an earlier post I am a die hard Toyota enthusiast but I am not blessed with technical expertise (music and athletics more so!)

Anyway, I am in Florida and not really worried about animals/wildlife but more I would get this to add a layer of safety in traffic/driving, etc.

My budget is flexible as I have saved for a long time to get this beast.

2 quick questions for the group please:

1. What should I be thinking about putting up front, a bumper guard like an ARB heavy duty? or a brush guard?
2. Will either affect MPG and lower it from city driving of 13-14 mpg, to 11-12?

Thanks again everyone.

Eric

 

[CharlieS]

Congratulations!

Brush guards are damage multipliers. If you are going to put something on, make sure it is protective. Lots of good options from the high volume ARB, TJM, Ironman, Rhino 4x4 and Dobinsons, to the small hand crated like Dissent, Trail Tailor and Metal Tech.

In my limited experience it does impact mileage and handling, so suspension upgrades are beneficial.

 

[TheGrrrrr]

I think there has been a lot of discussion about bumper options and protection vs damage multiplier over the years. You could probably search for "damage multiplier" and find a lot of those conversations and get to see all perspectives. I don't really have an opinion on that either way. One of the biggest considerations with a front bumper is weight. This often comes down to two questions: Steel vs. Aluminum (and the trade-offs for each) and winch vs no winch. Anytime you add weight, you will impact MPG to some degree, but the heavier you go, the more you need to be thinking about handling which means suspension. A lot of folks on here have upgraded their suspension for off-road duty (lift, articulation, off-road handling etc.) but when you start adding weight with a bumper that becomes a much bigger consideration.

I don't worry about animal strikes much either and my off-roading isn't usually putting an aftermarket bumper in harms way, so I'm primarily looking at Aluminum options from Dissent, Rhino and CBi. This gains me better approach angle and the ability to fit larger tires. If I was more worried about animal strikes or other collisions, I might be more inclined to go steel for added strength and probably an Aussie brand like ARB who has to conform to pretty strict Aussie crash test and air bag standards. I'm not focused on that because the LC is already in the extreme top echelon of safety with just the factory plastic bumper. There are tons of well thought out discussion and opinions on this topic, so search on some of the terms I've used here and get your fill. I honestly don't think you can go wrong with any of the common options, but there are trade-offs. I don't think safety is a significant trade-off on any of them, but I'm 100% sure someone will disagree with that opinion.

 

[Markuson]

External mods that disrupt the already crappy airflow definitely impact MPG even more than weight.

Brush guards only protect a bit of the front brush, but do nothing to protect where we all tend to get pinstripes—the side panels. In an accident, they really aren’t much help, and can make damage worse.

Maybe decide whether you want a winch in the future and how important impact strength is to you. There are cool looking bumpers that offer clearance but almost no protection/strength ... And there are full bull bars that do everything pretty well except MPG

Obviously biggest protection comes with a full strength bull bar (TjM/ARB). If you just want a winch, there are lots of options from full strength protection to minimalist/hidden.

Here’s a different thought—
Maybe consider living with your stock bumper for a while. If you are fine with replacing it anyway...then if it gets scratches...no biggie. And it might let you figure out what your needs actually turn out to be.

 

[serpico1]

Thanks very much for the detailed and insightful advice/explanation. Much appreciated! I will def do some more homework and look up those discussions. I now better understand the difference.
Have a great night all.
Eric

 

[kcjaz]

My TJM certainly did not improve my mileage but it wasn’t that big of an impact. Maybe 1 mpg worse (though that is 5% ). The bigger thing I notice was handling and in particular the much worse nose dive when breaking hard. The new suspension fixed that. The bigger AT tires really killed the mileage.

Where I’m at animal strikes are a thing and my T13 has earned its name Deer Slayer. I may have spent more money on gas but that thing has saved me thousands in front end repair!

 

[Markuson]

Where I’m at animal strikes are a thing and my T13 has earned its name Deer Slayer. I may have spent more money on gas but that thing has saved me thousands in front end repair!

Same here with my TJM T13...& only weeks after installing. Deer-slayer indeed.