TheGrrrrr
GOLD Star
Been a while since I posted a poll, and this is one I've been wondering about for a while. Another post reminded me that I wanted to ask. Note that I'm asking which one you have installed, not which one do you like/want.
POLL: Which Front Bumper Do You Have on your 200?
- Thread starter TheGrrrrr
- Start date
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ARB Bull Bar. Been sold on them since https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/daughterofromer-learned-the-value-of-armor-accident.50707/
Plus I know someone who hit a deer on the highway and essentially washed his bumper off
Not as sexy as some of the others, but for me its the function
Plus I know someone who hit a deer on the highway and essentially washed his bumper off
Not as sexy as some of the others, but for me its the function
ARB. Crash tested and built like a brick house. I am all for supporting local business - but they do not have the R&D behind them like ARB.
As you can see - lots of companies try and mimic the ARB design - for good reason.
As you can see - lots of companies try and mimic the ARB design - for good reason.
No love for Trail Tailor?
*marks Other*
*marks Other*
TheGrrrrr
GOLD Star
- Thread starter
- #7
I love the way the Rhino looks when its color matched. Just a beautiful design all around. I'm planning to go with Dissent once my home purchase is complete, but Rhino was a very close 2nd place in my decision ranking. I just can't get over how pretty Ben's welds are.
Markuson
SILVER Star
Just don’t expect impact protection from the Dissent...
It’s got a great light/minimal look. But impact protection? Well...it’s light/minimal & a potential multiplier from what I’ve seen.
Doesn’t make it “bad.”
Just go in aware of what it is/isn’t..
I think Jason does runs of them as he gets some interest, but they're not published on his site.
Hants
SILVER Star
Have the ARB... wish I had a Slee!
What are people's thoughts on front bumpers "disabling" the crumple zone?
It seems helpful to have this kind of armor in a low speed collision, or when hitting a deer, but in a head-on collision it seems very dangerous. All that energy that was supposed to be absorbed by the car's crumple zone, is now going straight into the occupants. Instead of "gradually" going from highway speed to zero, it happens immediately.
Though it seems like some smaller bumpers without bull bars (like Dissent?) might not have this problem?
It seems helpful to have this kind of armor in a low speed collision, or when hitting a deer, but in a head-on collision it seems very dangerous. All that energy that was supposed to be absorbed by the car's crumple zone, is now going straight into the occupants. Instead of "gradually" going from highway speed to zero, it happens immediately.
Though it seems like some smaller bumpers without bull bars (like Dissent?) might not have this problem?
Hants
SILVER Star
There is a rumor you got a 200. Still waiting for the photographic evidence
Without pics, it didn’t happen, eh?
Anyone drive 100+ mph regularly with an aftermarket front bumper? Is it like driving a brick through the wind? I bought an ARB bumper but never put it on over this. Ended up selling it. I wanted that SLEE heritage edition bumper but scared of losing top speed. So far I have been lucky and missed hitting ~100 deer in heat but I avoid certain roads at night so I don't mess up my Toyota bumper. I also thought about the TJM bumper as its prettier than the ARB. But my favorite is Slee Heritage Edition.
Markuson
SILVER Star
There is a rumor you got a 200. Still waiting for the photographic evidence
I can testify—tis true...
Hants showed up in a shiny new 200 a while back for breakfast in La Jolla...
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prharper
GOLD Star
Rhino
Good question and one people need to think about when deciding to modify their vehicles. The short answer is that replacing the OEM front bumper and crumple bar with a heavy steel full on bull bar style bumper like my TJM T13 bolted directly to the frame is less safe in a head on collision. The engineered crumple zones extend the time of impact which reduces the impulse needed to stop the forward momentum of the vehicle which reduces the force felt by the occupants in the vehicle.
So why did I choose my TJM bumper? Well, in my judgement (and experience), I am much more likely to hit a deer than another LC going the other way at 70 mph.
TheGrrrrr
GOLD Star
- Thread starter
- #19
This is just my perspective but, I'm a firm believer that nobody 'wins' in a head-on collision. That said, I'd rather be in a 200 series with no front bumper at all than 90% of stock vehicles on the road if it happened. So, for me the head-on collision scenario just isn't a decision factor. Whatever I have up front should be designed to meet my functional requirements for day to day and recreational use as opposed to being optimized for a theoretical possibility. I feel like I have already optimized my risk by driving a 7,000lb vehicle made of a lot of steel instead of a Ford Festiva. If animal strikes were common in my area, that is a theoretical possibility that would rise to the level of consideration.
I think both the ARB and TJM are probably the strongest/safest options on the market, but they are huge and heavy. I just don't need that heft. The Dissent I find to be more sleek and understated while seeming strong enough to handle the bumps and scrapes I'm likely to subject it to. The Rhino is similar but doesn't seem quite as strong, which may not be true at all. Maybe I'm not thinking about this correctly, but if aluminum skids are effective for moderate off-road use underneath, then a properly designed aluminum bumper should be able to meet my needs. Of course I could also be wrong about that as well. The middle ground for me would probably be the ARB Sahara, which is sitting in 3rd place for me.
Aluminum can be just as strong as steel *and* be lighter too, but it's more expensive per pound.
www.erectastep.com
There is a rule of thumb in boat building that aluminum is roughly half the strength of steel at one-third the weight. This means that an aluminum vessel can be built at a given strength that is two-thirds the weight of a comparable steel boat.
So to get an aluminum bumper (or skid) with the same strength of steel you need to double the thickness (material). Because of the cost (you're now talking 2x the material, plus the difference between steel and aluminum) you normally see those working with aluminum optimizing for weight, not strength.
For my purposes if Jason at Trail Tailor had been working with aluminum or Dissent had released a bumper with bull bar when I had purchased mine I would have gone that route. I'd wager most go with a new front bumper for approach improvements and winch mounting options, which either option would provide. I'd also wager that aluminum would be a suitable upgrade for most deer strikes, though you could end up with more damage (bumper and front end) with a larger animal (moose, elk, etc).
Aluminum or Steel: Which Metal is Better?
Steel, a carbon-iron alloy, and aluminum, a metal, are two of the most highly used materials on Earth, especially within industrial applications.
www.erectastep.com
There is a rule of thumb in boat building that aluminum is roughly half the strength of steel at one-third the weight. This means that an aluminum vessel can be built at a given strength that is two-thirds the weight of a comparable steel boat.
So to get an aluminum bumper (or skid) with the same strength of steel you need to double the thickness (material). Because of the cost (you're now talking 2x the material, plus the difference between steel and aluminum) you normally see those working with aluminum optimizing for weight, not strength.
For my purposes if Jason at Trail Tailor had been working with aluminum or Dissent had released a bumper with bull bar when I had purchased mine I would have gone that route. I'd wager most go with a new front bumper for approach improvements and winch mounting options, which either option would provide. I'd also wager that aluminum would be a suitable upgrade for most deer strikes, though you could end up with more damage (bumper and front end) with a larger animal (moose, elk, etc).
