TexAZ
NEW???? It's BETTER than new!!!
This sounds like Ralphie from Christmas story, just carefully work into conversation about how I NEED a red rider bb gun.
To Hell and Back Moab 2017
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TexAZ
NEW???? It's BETTER than new!!!
If you're going that route, sliders protect from errant doors in parking lots and shopping carts.
Just wait till a wind storm and a cart comes flying across the lot at 15 mph.
Welcome to AZ, there are no trees to slow the winds
Just wait till a wind storm and a cart comes flying across the lot at 15 mph.
Welcome to AZ, there are no trees to slow the winds
Markuson
SILVER Star
I made initial contacts with TJM early on, and did a lot of calling and waiting (but I was in the hospital & rehab after my nasty accident so patience was easier).
Even though TJM's new US location is just 15 minutes from my house...they won't sell stuff to customers without a vendor.
So Slee became my vendor for that purchase, and Slee also became the vendor for the remaining 3 bumpers that were shipped with mine.
Slee does seem to keep up with TJM's slooooow trickle of bumpers...and so they are usually a good bet to actually find one...but it takes patience. I do know that the 4 or 5 that recently arrived the US with Slee as the vendor are already spoken for. Not sure what the heck is taking so long to get them, but I do know they were establishing new fabrication sources.
indycole
GOLD Star
To @Canyonero's point, I also run 33s and did a lot of bumper scraping in Moab. Now, while that's nothing new for my bumpers, it's easy for the damage to add up for gnarly hits. I went into Moab with one goal regarding bumper damage: to salvage enough of my bumper to save for an aftermarket bumper. Well, I failed. I did just enough damage to basically need to replace my entire plastic bumper just to get an aftermarket one.
The rear corners are especially susceptible to damage. It's easy for the bumper to catch on rock and rip it completely off the vehicle. If you're lucky, you can snap it back in place easily. However, the plastic does not do well with repeated bashings. The most recent time mine came off it broke half of the plastic tabs that secure the bumper to the quarter panel. Mine is essentially glued to the truck at the moment.
Damage from not having rear armor can add up:
Moral of the story? Like everyone else has said, clearance, lift, tires, and sliders are good investments for Moab. However, I don't personally recommend expecting to still be able to use your stock bumper in conjunction with an aftermarket bumper if it's seen heavy abuse. I really did not expect it to break in the ways that it did.
The rear corners are especially susceptible to damage. It's easy for the bumper to catch on rock and rip it completely off the vehicle. If you're lucky, you can snap it back in place easily. However, the plastic does not do well with repeated bashings. The most recent time mine came off it broke half of the plastic tabs that secure the bumper to the quarter panel. Mine is essentially glued to the truck at the moment.
Damage from not having rear armor can add up:
- It's easy to break the rear side support, $45 each time, I've broken this three times
- Movement in the plastic bumper also broke the mount on the rear tail light and the entire light must be replaced, $300
- Replacing the entire bumper cover is $800-$1000 once you factor in the paint job (yeah, I'm probably getting hosed on that here in the Bay Area)
- I've had to replace the trailer harness thing twice as well, forgot how much that costs
- The plastic cover below the quarter panel was mangled... another $100 drop in the bucket
- There's a crack in the center of the bumper and repairing that cost $1 in cable ties
Moral of the story? Like everyone else has said, clearance, lift, tires, and sliders are good investments for Moab. However, I don't personally recommend expecting to still be able to use your stock bumper in conjunction with an aftermarket bumper if it's seen heavy abuse. I really did not expect it to break in the ways that it did.
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I'm running BFG 275/70/18, AT KO2's and they measured 32" height mounted when new (at street pressure). But hey, no tire rubbing... rear bumper on the other hand... seemed to rub itself all over every rock that was even close (that hussie)...
When these tires are done, I'll be moving up to 33's and perhaps different wheels with a touch of offset. If I can find 5 Rock Warriors I'll go that route, or aftermarket.
I'll be going with the simple one-piece ARB bumper shortly. Just don't want the swingouts.
Damage tally was about $500, excluding the bumper itself. Smashed the driver side radar sensor to smithereeeeeeens and that poorly placed trailer harness.
One other note - the ARB hoop on the front end probably saved some damage to the front lens on the passenger side as well.
Are you happy with the TJM overall? I never liked the ARB bars much curious what your experience has been like. A nice pic would be cool too.
indycole
GOLD Star
Obviously I'm not Mark, but here are a bunch of photos of his bumper. I will add that his TJM is awesome and I'd be glad to have one.
Soooo Cool. That bumper (and truck) look perfect. I love the old school "Toyota" grillObviously I'm not Mark, but here are a bunch of photos of his bumper. I will add that his TJM is awesome and I'd be glad to have one.
Markuson
SILVER Star
Obviously I'm not Mark, but here are a bunch of photos of his bumper. I will add that his TJM is awesome and I'd be glad to have one.
Wow, Cole! As usual, my favorite photos of my own truck are shots by others, and particularly by you! Thanks for posting. Haven't seen some of those. You and Kreiten are all over the scene with your photo skeeeells!!
Markuson
SILVER Star
I would absolutely do the TJM again. It has proven its strength several critical times already.
Only down-side of the TJM is that finding one available for purchase is tough, and requires patience.
If you want one, call Wes Carter at TJM USA, or Slee Offroad who often is the vendor with the few that arrive in the US.
I know it's not the popular route to take, but what about a spacer lift until your stock suspension wears out? You don't have to go crazy, but an inch or two goes a long way out on the rocks. Also, as you start adding bumpers and sliders, you will lose ground clearance as your stock stuff squats. Spacers are a pretty cheap (about $200 for all 4 corners) intermediate step until you can get a true suspension upgrade.
TexAZ
NEW???? It's BETTER than new!!!
Spacers will get you taller, but the stock shocks/springs are so soft the truck becomes wobbly. Don't want to be riding around like a jeep!
10mm front and rear will be fine with stock components, but much more than that and you start to get serious lean in the corners and a wallowing as you exit the turn.
I ran 2" spacers on stock shocks up front when I sent my Icons for rebuild. take the marshmellow feel of the stock suspension and amplify it.
I did it out of necessity, but definitely wasn't going to go wheeling with that set up.
If you were so inclined to upgrade your suspension in stages, I would go with 10mm spacer up front, then 2721 springs in back, then front coilovers and rear shocks.
definitely not the ideal way to do things, but it is an option.
10mm front and rear will be fine with stock components, but much more than that and you start to get serious lean in the corners and a wallowing as you exit the turn.
I ran 2" spacers on stock shocks up front when I sent my Icons for rebuild. take the marshmellow feel of the stock suspension and amplify it.
I did it out of necessity, but definitely wasn't going to go wheeling with that set up.
If you were so inclined to upgrade your suspension in stages, I would go with 10mm spacer up front, then 2721 springs in back, then front coilovers and rear shocks.
definitely not the ideal way to do things, but it is an option.
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I believe that's the infamous Greg rock that hosed his fender and hashed my rear passenger RW ring.
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