Upgrade me: Tell me about the LX and metal bumpers. (1 Viewer)

[waynegro]

Let’s hear it. The good, bad and the ugly. Do I sink the money into a metal bumper setup? I recently made the jump from a 05 GX 470 to a 05 LX 470 and I think I want to take plunge into the metal bumper crew. Pretty sure I want to go with the ARB-3413190 deluxe bull bar.

So whats the deal? I’ve called around to several shops in the area and received a variety of responses including one shop saying ARB has footnotes saying this bumper does not fit the LX, which obviously it does. I understand there is some cutting involved with the install? Is the install pretty straight forward? Should I seek out a LC specialty shop or can any joe blow 4x4 shop do this install? How many hours of labor is reasonable for the install? I’m seeing $900+ just for labor.

What’s the deal with having to adjust the torsion bar ect after the install? Can a typically off road shop do this competently? Does anyone have the adjustments handy? What kind of cost is incurred with this adjustment?

The LX definitely isn’t fast or even quick by any standards, with that being said does the extra 100lbs+ of the ARB deluxe noticeably slow the vehicle down or alter the handling characteristics?

Anyone regret putting the bumper on? I love the look and I drive a lot on rural roads and would enjoy the added protection of a steel bumper.

Any feedback is appreciated before I drop close to $4k on this setup.

 

[saucebox]

Suspension adjustments come from sticking 165lbs (IIRC) way out on the nose of the truck. The ARB fits on an LX just fine—the modifications come from cutting the antenna mounts off the top of the bar. They interfere with the grill when the hood comes up (on an LX).

No, no noticeable change in handling, accelerating, or braking. It continues to not be a sports car.

No regrets on mine—99% of the time I wish it wasn't so big or heavy, but then our group jets down to Moab on a fair few Friday night runs and there always seems to be a herd of deer in or near the road on the way down.

The instruction-writing department at ARB is...IDK, maybe a charitable group to help the underemployed? The instructions are sort of awful, but you should be able to find help here. Worth keeping in mind if you're paying someone else to scratch their heads instead of yours. I'd either hit a reputable ARB dealer or shop...or just DIY.

 

[waynegro]

Suspension adjustments come from sticking 165lbs (IIRC) way out on the nose of the truck. The ARB fits on an LX just fine—the modifications come from cutting the antenna mounts off the top of the bar. They interfere with the grill when the hood comes up (on an LX).

No, no noticeable change in handling, accelerating, or braking. It continues to not be a sports car.

No regrets on mine—99% of the time I wish it wasn't so big or heavy, but then our group jets down to Moab on a fair few Friday night runs and there always seems to be a herd of deer in or near the road on the way down.

The instruction-writing department at ARB is...IDK, maybe a charitable group to help the underemployed? The instructions are sort of awful, but you should be able to find help here. Worth keeping in mind if you're paying someone else to scratch their heads instead of yours. I'd either hit a reputable ARB dealer or shop...or just DIY.

Thanks for the reply. I’m confused.. So the cutting is done on the ARB bumper, not on the LX?

Thats a no go for me to install the bumper so I’m at the mercy of a shop.. so I want to make sure I’m in good hands. I assume most of these 4x4 shops do mostly domestic vehicles and haven’t done many 15+ year old 100 series trucks.

It’s kind of a bummer that after spending close to $4k for a bumper/winch combo that I have to tweak the AHC to carry an extra 100lbs up front on a 6000lbs vehicle. I’ve combed through multiple threads mentioning this and no one has really spoke of a ‘go to’ setting for the TBs with a ARB deluxe setup, yet I see so many peeps running this setup.

 

[HotSoup]

Look at the ironman bumper if you are considering ARB

 

[hoser]

It's not difficult to install. You just need two people, cut-off wheel, 12 pack of beer and average mechanical ability. It'll install w/o tweaking the AHC but tweaking will only help. Added weight could be up to 250lbs depending on winch set-up. You will be cutting the antenna tabs off the bumper and the part of the frame horns. Some people have bent their front grill supports to avoid cutting the antenna tabs. That is not the route I would take.

 

[OEMGUY0720]

Anyone regret putting the bumper on? I love the look and I drive a lot on rural roads and would enjoy the added protection of a steel bumper.

This is the #1 and imo the justifiable reason for the switch to a front steel bull bar, protection.

Yes it negates fuel consumption (added mass) and aero dynamics (wind drag). However you can probably walk away with an animal strike at 60mph (depends of course how huge/small is the animal) with a close to-intact front end in the middle of the night as to a complete total loss of vehicle bec of the collision and maybe injury to you and your passengers.

Yeah the usual approach angle, option for a self-recovery winch, farm jack mounting points convenience and all that party trick stuff, but it still all boils down at the end of the day, Protection.

AHC pressures can be restored and maintained by upgrading your torsion bars (spring rate=load capacity).

 

[waynegro]

Thanks for the reply's everyone.

So with the TB's are most upgrading them (if so to which bar) or just adjusting them for the added weight?

What is a reasonable amount of time to install the bumper? Seems like most shops are charging 6-7 hours for the install w/ winch.

I"m ok with the decrease in fuel economy and aero drag because it already sucks.

Is the Iron man bumper better than the ARB? They look pretty similar.. I dont know anything about the Iron man setup... Whats the deal with it?