Need a functional brush guard.

Hello all
New here not sure if this is the right place for this post or not? I'm in need of a strong functional (keeping deer from cracking my bumper) brush guard. There seems to be a lot of makes and styles out there. Along with a large variation in price. I'm afraid I'll order one and end up with an aesthetic model that's meant to look good but not meant to shed deer. Can anybody give me some suggestions. Aesthetics are not important. But I don't want to end up with a 500 lb cow catcher that would look at home on the front of an 1880 steam engine.
Any help is appreciated. We have way too many deer in the area I've hit 8 or 9 in the last 6 years. Luckily I tend to drive slow so I've only had significant damage done 3 times. It's not uncommon to see a dozen or more deer on the way to work.

 

Well, ARB's guard is made for hitting kangaroo's, so I reckon it works good for whitetail too. But, being an ARB, it costs a pretty penny.

 

Anything you bolt on that is just a brush guard is going to crack a bumper cover if you hit a animal as large as a deer. They are for mainly looks and just light brush.

You will need a complete bumper with integrated brushguard to hit a large animal with minimal to no damage.

There is always the variable if the animal is jumping as well when you are striking it. Ever see the devastation a deer caused when it impacted the windshield/roofline. It was a messy situation as a very rare one.

 

Thanks for the reply. I'll give that an honest look over but it is out of my price range. Although if you add up the deductibles it might make since. Any other options under 500 bucks

 

Look into a ranch hand brush guard. It is probably the strongest brush guard out there. It may be a little more than $500, but cheaper than plate bumper.

 

Look around and you can find some for around $500.

http://ktperformance.net/i-6683134-ranch-hand-legend-grille-guard-toyota05-09-tacoma.html

 

Ranch hand guards fold up like a cheap suit when you hit a deer. They're too heavy for their own good. It actually works against themselves. I know because Ranch Hands are made right down the road from me, and they are the most common guard in our area. Every other truck has one. They look tough, but they won't protect your truck, period.

I would steer you towards a guard that I know will work, for really cheap, but the company is small, and I'm sure they do not have a website. In fact, I'm not even 100% sure they are still around. These guards are what all the ranchers in west Texas use, and the border patrol does too. When I was in the fire dept out there, I've seen these things hold up to T-bone wrecks. Deer, the only thing you need to do is square up the deer, and try not to avoid it or you risk having it wrap around and nail your fender. Here is a pic of my 97 with that guard. The company is/was called Del Rio grill guards, but like I said, I'm not even sure they are still around.




Whatever you do, don't waste your money on ranch hand.

 

OP, search for Ranch Hand on Tacoma world.

 

With such a large amount of the bumper cover exposed and lack of adequate support for dealing with a impact of a deer it is not a good product for the OP's needs.

Average white tail is 200 pounds, it is going to cause some damage. Brush guards are exactly as they state, brush guards. They will brush off a deer at about 5 mph, they are meant for trail brush.

Graphic images in this link FYI.

Just look in the link below to see what a deer can do to a vehicle.

http://www.theginblog.com/2007/12/soo-what-happens-when-you-hit-an-animal-at-90mph/

 

Photoshop is my bet^
Compare the damage to the top of the cab from different angles/pictures.

 

Just google "deer car accident" and click the images tab up top and you will see that the pictures of deers hitting vehicles are true. They can be devastating to a vehicle. Not photoshopped.

Once again graphic images for bambi lovers and those at work.

https://www.google.com/search?q=dee...ury-attorney.com%2Ftag%2Fcar-crash%2F;608;458

 

Here is a nice interior view of a brutal smack down. (Warning - Graphic deer dismemberment and/or entrail explosions)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n9eBr-nqKY

 

x3 on not getting just a brush guard. Your going to want a full plate bumper with headlight protection if you want it to hold up to an impact with a deer.

fwiw, ranch hand does make full plate bumper replacements that will straight murder deer, they just don't make one for the taco unfortunately.

 

GODDAMN

That is a grill guard. I'd be worried the Taco couldn't hold it up, looks like it probably weighs 500 pounds, but I found their phone number and I'm gonna give 'em a call, find out weight and price and if they can ship. That is a serious piece of gear right there, and I'm not into buying stuff that doesn't get the job done. Looked at the Ranch Hand stuff and was not impressed. This surely would do the job. Thanks for posting it.

 

Arc Rite, Del Rio, Texas. arcrite.com I think is the web site. Without it my 2006 would be in a junkyard after turning 2 250# mule deer (not at the same time). And it's roughly $500, same as your deductible but you get to drive away instead of calling for a tow. Bolts right on. Powder black or chrome.

 

Ha ha, yeah it looks a little more massive in the pic. I asked, and the guy told me it weighed in right around 114 lbs. Lot of folks out there won't use anything else. Now, ranch hand isn't all bad. I think they just overbuild their guards to a fault. They still have plenty of good stuff. In fact, I have a rear RH bumper and a lady rear ended me and I had zero damage. Her front end was pretty damaged. No driving it home, that's for sure.

Cool. I know they used to call them del rio GG, and also a lot of older guys would call them Hines GG. I'd be interested to see what their Tacoma version looks like myself. My buddy still lives out there, so I may have to pop in and see what they have.

 

ARB.

 

Looked at arcrite.com, not sure that's the place either. I will ask my buddy and see what I can find out.

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...Ed91dIOEdBX9QiRUsEkonMw&bvm=bv.53537100,d.dmg

 

Nice find!

Just texted my buddy and he said he thought they were still in business. He also said he's seen a Tacoma with one around town. I'd like to see what the Tacoma guard looks like. On my 97 I had them extend it out a few inches more than normal, because I thought the "standard" was too close to the gill. I wanted to be able to wash behind it, and stand on it if needed.