Steel bumpers.....difference in daily traffic protection between hoop style and full wrap? (ARB Sahara vs Deluxe)

[Francis K]

Alright so I picked up this 2007 LC for a family member and unfortunately they live in a neighborhood where seemingly everyone likes to bump into everyone elses cars, I know that sounds kinda silly but I am not exaggerating when I say every single one of their cars has been bumped by somebody and this not like a neighborhood with narrow streets or a lot of congestion their neighbors are just careless idiots. It's not just their neighborhood the area in general is a hot bed for really dumb car accidents and parking lot bumps, I am about 10 minutes away and it was very lightly snowing I kid you not there were AT LEAST a half dozen fender benders on the way over there this weekend. Partly because they're all entitled jerks and kids who don't care about money and partly because the rest are older than dirt. So you bump a lease or a newer random car who cares right they are replaceable....A 100 series in good shape in the midwest not so much, I want this car to be protected from idiots I searched forever to finally find one that was worth putting money into.

A very kind mud member has a ARB Sahara for sale and he's shockingly in Michigan. There were two different part numbers for that bumper from ARB, one for 98-02 and a different from 03-07. Here on mud some have said it should fit fine but I'm waiting on an answer from ARB themselves for that, I may purchase it anyway for a future 100 series even if it's not.

Keep in mind this bumper is solely for daily traffic/parking protection so assuming it should be good to go for the 07 as I believe it will be my question is does a full wrap deluxe style really protect better than just a hoop sahara style? I had a full ARB on my 80 series and while they are a very stout bumper I'm not so sure that if a tall truck or whatever else popped me at the headlight level that those tubes were actually going to do anything to stop that impact.

What's your guys take on it?

Attached pic of both styles I'm referring to...

Hoop Sahara:

Full Wrap Deluxe:

 

[Trapper50cal]

In my opinion, the full wrap is more about deer and elk strikes (having originally been designed for kangaroo strikes in Australia). As for traffic, that's completely reliant on what you hit. Anything lower to the ground is going to have a bad day with either bumper. Just don't get one of those bolt-on "brush bars"...those are what we call "damage multipliers".

 

[Francis K]

In my opinion, the full wrap is more about deer and elk strikes (having originally been designed for kangaroo strikes in Australia). As for traffic, that's completely reliant on what you hit. Anything lower to the ground is going to have a bad day with either bumper. Just don't get one of those bolt-on "brush bars"...those are what we call "damage multipliers".

I unfortunately know all about the disaster of damage multipliers! Learned that the hard way 25 years ago when I was 16 and thought it looked cool on my LX450....ooof. It was NOT cheap to fix these trucks properly even back in 2000, I think the insurance tab was something like 22k.

 

[Trapper50cal]

...I think the insurance tab was something like 22k.

oooooch!

 

[Francis K]

oooooch!

It wasn't even a crazy accident, bad weather stupid mustang just spun out and right into me. She was good for another 18 years until I sold her though which I wish I never had.....dealer fixed it, it was nice when you could still get OEM everything right? Mind you I KNEW nothing about cruisers or car maintenance like I do now, I kid you not I did NOTHING to that poor truck but change the oil at jiffy lube and sometimes not even that here in nasty salty road Michigan. She never left me stranded once in 18 years, crazy to think back on considering the overkill approach I take to car maintenance now....

 

[Scotty UZJ100]

I have the full wrap on my lx. Sometimes I think about chopping the hoops and cleaning it up as it blocks some of the headlight but I kinda like the idea of the extra protection. I would say that armor in general is a great idea if you living in the city. I had a crack head bump into me on driver side door and my rock sliders saved the day (shout out WKoR). Only need to get a dent pulled out and the trim piece replaced everything cost $750.

 

[Exiled]

I was in a muti-car accident on Saturday in my stock 100, and the damage to my front clip was significant (stock bumper). Airbags didn't go off (in either car) but it will need the bumper, grill, right headlight and valance replaced and the right fender and hood repaired. If I'd had a bumper with upper bar work I'd probably driven away with zero damage to my truck. So as I wait for the response from the insurance company on whether they're going to total my truck (likely), I'm hating the fact that I never added a front bull bar and that will change soon. My vote is for full bar work but obviously a lot of it comes down to preference. I don't think the difference in weight is substantial enough on a 5K+ truck to matter either way.