PennSilverTaco's "Perfect 5-Lug Regular Cab" Build, Aspergers, and General BS MegaThread!

If it's not gusseted good luck hitting anything at all without damage

 

My truck was backed into a spot and she was making a left turn doing like 5 MPH; Her passenger door scuffed along my front bumper smushed it in…

 

Gussetted?

 

Here’s another Taco with the same Bull Bar (but in chrome) that I took pictures of back in June 2021; Unfortunately, it looks as though it’s installed in a manner virtually identical to mine…

 

Gussets are angled supports like on this bumper

 

How much does something like that cost? More importantly, how much does it weigh? My gas mileage already sucks!

 

It's pretty well known on here that bull bars like that do not offer any kind of protection. They're so cheaply made that any kind of impact and they just bend into your front end and cause more damage.

but to answer your original question just loosen the 4 bolts you pictured, tilt it out, and re-torque the bolts. That'll move it out.

 

I wasnt recommending you get something like that haha. Just echoing what others have said here and it's basically that those little push bars like you have aren't good for much beyond looking cool and hitting shopping carts

 

As was already mentioned your bar will fold when a fat girl leans against it. It needs a strut high up on each side going back through the grill to the frame for any realistic support.

 

I prefer the look of the stock bumper; Should I just pull the thing off for now?

 

I don't really care for the way it is fastened to your truck, no support. It will not do what you want it to do.

But I'm old...

 

Is there any way to reinforce it?

 

Also, all advice is greatly appreciated; That's what TW is all about!

 

To be honest, If you don't have a good eye for fabrication you probably shouldn't fool with it.

 

no way to reenforcement without spending a large amount of money that could of bought a steel/aluminum bumper.

I’d take it off and keep it stock or upgrade to a stronger bumper. Imo.

however at the end of the day it’s your truck, if you like how it looks there and are ok with risking more damage keep it there. None of us are driving it but you.

 

You’d have to totally rebuild it.

 

No. It’s a cosmetic part at most.

 

Since you asked. Aftermarket bumpers can vary in price. If you buy a bumper from a reputable manufacturer you're looking in the +/- 1k range for a steel bumper. My bumper is aluminum and it weighs ~50ish pounds on its own. Factor in a winch (I run a synthetic line) and you're tacking on an extra 60ish pounds. So for my set-up its roughly 100-150 pounds. I don't think it'll affect your MPG's all that much.

 

I wouldn’t worry about it, if you like the way it looks leave it alone.