ARB front bumper

For those interested, pricing released:

https://store.arbusa.com/zenith-win...YunzTnezKNUuxEm-radIIyP2zIpexU2DhYgYWA.Sz6w5u

 

kinda ghetto to just cut the fender flair like that on a $50+k truck with a $2.5k bumper

 

Instead, I'd love for them to come out with other, smaller (in both scope, size n price) OR gear. They don't even have 4th gen Tacoma recovery points for sale on their website when you search for vehicle specific gear. Just a $2500 bumper requiring you to cut up your truck to install. Obviously not marketing to smaller wallet customers...

 

I thought the same thing but these bumpers are mostly for people that take their truck rock crawling so they need that high clearance and protection. People like you and me don’t benefit in this bumper. So to them the truck could be there recreational vehicle that has lots of disposable income to support this hobby of theirs.

 

You can get the rear recovery hooks like I did.

 

Those are nice and of course they do fit. But I'm happy with the Factory 55 2" receiver recovery method. I am most interested in the front recovery hooks, for which I think they are very much lagging on designing and producing for the 4th gen masses.

 

Yeah I couldn’t find the ARB front hooks so I just purchased aftermarket ones from Bonobos.

 

I as well. Seemed the best option at the time I got them last December. However, I'd like them a lot more if they were attached in more than one dimension around the frame.

 

Mine shipped out today along with my alpharex headlights(finally). Will post the combo in a week or so once it’s all installed.

 

Well the installation sheet says it won't work on the Trailhunters, but the ask a question area says it does. Time to get some specific emails. I'm wondering about the trailhunter skidplate.

 

That's how Toyota designs a truck bumper. Take something like a F-150 1st ren Tacoma or 2G Tundra. There's already a straight line to work with and the bumper does not extend to the wheel well arch. I think that way has cleaner look, coincidentally I don't really care for the look of AM bumpers on the F-150 ARB has one the bumper looks good but I don't think it flows well with the truck. Still think the seperate bumper looks better all even tho the new style ARB looks better on Toyotas. I prefer the factory upgrade bumpers on the Bronco, and the non-modular style found on the Raptor. I haven't seen the ARB on a F-150 with 40" tires either so that might change the look a little.

 

Nice that we have options but I’d still take C4 Fabs bumper for $2K over this one

 

Follow up- response from ARB regarding the Trailhunter:

"It does also work with the trail hunter. You will have a different cut with the fender flares as they are slightly different from other trims."

 

I'll be watching your install closely. I want to buy one, but I've been caught too many times with this truck already, I don't want to be the first guy.

 

I’m running the NYTOP carbon flares which are wider than stock so the cut lines show a bit more than most others would. All in all I’m very happy with the finished product.

 

I'm pretty sure I'd put something like this off indefinitely, but I do fantasize about getting a winch, which would pretty much necessitate a new front bumper. But steel isn't getting any cheaper. Or winches, I suppose.

As to the winch, better to have it and not need it...

Having had to use winches to recover vehicles before, I feel it is a bit of an insurance policy, especially off-road without any other nearby companion vehicles.

 

I wouldn’t recommend this bumper for most people. It requires way more cutting and modification than any other I’ve done. It also looks way too extreme if your truck is stock or mostly stock. If you just wanted a winch up front there are great options from ADD, Fab fours, DV8, and others for center section bumpers with winch trays. I ran an ADD bumper on mine for almost a year and loved it. I just wanted to go to the next level with my build.

 

@kana6207 with the 160lbs plus winch on the front, did you replace the front springs?

 

Completely agree. Really like the DV8 bumper design.

 

I did. I’m running the icon stage 11 kit with their triple rate springs, billet upper control arms and remote reservoir shocks.