300AACTaco's Black '15 DCSB Alaskan Adventure Build

Oh yeah definitely gonna add a winch so the weight savings are a big benefit

 

I think aluminium is the best way to go. I have steel but wish I would have spent the extra money

 

I think you'll appreciate the weight savings of the aluminum bumper right up until you hit something hard.

Aluminum is soft enough that you can dent it with soft impacts (rubbing up against a rock or tree) and tear it apart with hard impacts (animal strike, auto collision, etc). Steel will just scratch or bend respectively.

My opinion: if you are going to buy armor, buy armor.

I measured my suspension before the steel bumper and winch. I'm still waiting to add the skid plates before I measure again. I'll let you know how it goes.

I'm using 886x coils and have only noticed an improvement under the weight.

Hunter

 

Good insight right there. I appreciate it! I guess if the 886 coils are made for that extra weight you won't really see a decrease in MPG related to the weight too much then? And did yours start riding better after you added the bumper? I know right now mine are pretty stiff, not unbearable but still pretty stiff

 

I've got some fuel economy statistics in my build page you can look at (1st post). I'll update when I have data for the bumper.

I don't anticipate a huge decrease in fuel economy due to the weight; I expect the altered aerodynamics to have a greater negative impact. That will be the same with steel or aluminum.

My suspension is much better under the extra load. Hitting small bumps used to jar the whole truck. Now it seems to absorb them like suspension should. I've been waiting for this result. If the driving manners didn't improve after I added the bumper, I was going to change out the coilovers; it bothered me that much. If yours is similar to mine, aluminum won't help as much as steel will.

 

That's the only main thing holding me back about the aluminum is the extra $369, not sure if I want to fork it out or use that money for an IFS skid

 

Sweet, and yeah that's what I would think would have a greater effect on MPG is the altered aerodynamics. MPG is an important factor for me because driving up north there's not a gas station every few miles lop

 

Sub for a cool build

 

Thanks!

 

Are you driving to Fairbanks, or the slope? Sounds like you need a rear bumper with a swing-out tire/fuel can carrier; or you could drop the spare from under the bed and add an extra fuel cell.

 

I'm driving up to Atigun Pass, taking the Dalton Highway of course. I just wanted to go to the Arctic circle, I would go to Prudhoe bay but it's not too scenic and you need a special guided tour to even get to the water so I figured Atigun Pass would be a good turnaround point. I've already lost the spare under bed and have a full size permanently mounted in the bed. I've got a pelfreybilt rear standard plate but if I could go back and do it again I might have done a swing out. An extra fuel cell would be sweet, but I'll also be adding a frontrunner roof rack and can always stick some rotopax gas cans up there!

 

Ordered a pelfreybilt offroad 2012+ Aluminum Front plate full hoop bumper!

 

And the wait begins

 

It does! Hopefully it won't be too long lol

 

Ordered a Pelfreybilt Steel IFS Skid today

 

Very nice!

 

This build is getting really good fast!

 

Thanks guys!

 

Looking good buddy!