Thoughts on Aluminum

I am looking to get bumpers and skids for my truck, but it is a slow turd already (2.7L manual 5) so I am looking at aluminum armor to keep the weight down. I'm not really doing serious rock crawling and just want the skids and bumpers as insurance for casual off-roading, mounting a winch, and mowing over all the animals that are constantly trying to kill themselves where I live.

Do any of you have experience with aluminum armor? Should I even consider it?

 

Alum should be fine for casual off-roading. But I think my alum TRD engine skid plate is heavier than the oem steel guard. I’ve never had a need for a winch, but I off-road mostly in the dez where there is not much to hook a winch to. What has come in more handy is my 6-ft Hi Lift with wheel straps - I can lift any corner by the wheel to stuff rocks or boards under the tire. Rock sliders should be a requirement for rock crawling but I would not get them in alum.

 

Steel for bumpers and sliders
Aluminum skids are fine if you aren’t actually rock crawling

 

Why choose a steel bumper over aluminum, do you think this one will crumple on a deer?
https://www.coastaloffroad.com/product-page/1st-gen-toyota-tacoma-high-clearance-front-bumper-kit/
This is where most of the added weight is going to come from.

I live in a place that snows a lot so the winch is mostly for that. I'm also gonna put in lockers as my truck is not TRD, but that is for a different thread.

 

i would honestly consider a cheaper steel bumper before considering any aluminum bumper. the cheaper the bumper, the thinner the steel, which will make it lighter.

by the time aluminum has the same impact resistance as steel, it's about 3/4's the thickness, and lots more expensive, with minimal weight difference.

 

I don’t know how the impact resistance of typical aluminum bumpers compares to their steel counterparts (in legit testing) but the weight difference is typically pretty significant. The aluminum bumpers I am looking at are about half the weight. Whether or not that’s worth the cost is another story.

 

After browsing the bumper impact thread and seeing some real life crash damage I concluded aluminum would not be able to take out a deer without some significant damage.

 

Agreed

 

I feel like most of the time steel is cheaper than the aluminum version so the only con is the weight

 

I was in a suburban with an Ali Arc bumper that smoked a muley at about 45. Hit it pretty much dead center. Couldn't see any obvious damage with a quick flashlight inspection.

 

The build of a Suburban like a tank in itself

 

Isn't the deer hit threat to vehicle mainly folding over your grill, fender, and hood, and to the driver, up into the windshield?
Aluminum bumper should be strong enough for short animals. More expensive for sure but half the weight up front.

 

Allpro al against chevy

 

Doggo looks ok, everything else is plastic, metal, and replaceable. I'm assuming a steel bumper wouldn't have fared THAT much better. Anyone have some pics to disagree?

 

Casual off-roading does not require additional armor.

 

What do you consider casual? Some of the trails around me are fairly tight with trees and pokey up rocks that like to tickle under bits. I realize a skid plate may have high centered me but I got my axle stuck on this one.

 

Dirt roads with no obstacles. Something with a trail rating of 1-3 which would be considered easy.

 

maybe I'm just doing things I shouldn't

 

Casual: Subaru with minimal effort, Mazda 323 or Honda Civic with significant effort.

Business Casual: 2WD work truck on 30" street tires with a ladder rack and toolbox with minimal effort.

 

been through a few crashes, just had to repaint it every time