Bull Bar Confusion [2016 TRD Off-Road]

Looking to add a bull bar to my Black 2016 TRD Off-Road model. However I am finding a lot of conflicting threads discussing the need to cut or modify the bumper or completely remove the factory skid plate to allow for mounting of some of the westin/aries models out there.

Can someone clarify this on the 2016 models?

Do the westin's come with a black skid plate? if not, suggestions on painting it black? (I live in New England so I imagine I need a weather appropriate paint type.)

Cheers,

M

 

What i can say, is they fold back and do more damage to YOUR vehicle even in slow speed accidents.

 

Proven happened to me, useless for anything else but lights

 

Thirded, it did far more damage to my truck than it ever gave back in looks. (I was actually going to take it off because I ended up thinking it was ugly, but got in an accident before I was able to get around to taking it off.)

 

I can see the being the case as the bar mounts directly to your frame.

 

Save yourself some $$ and order a lo profile c4 or Pelfrey blt.

 

That's too bad. How about the avid bars? Seem to be popular alternatives and seem to be attached differently.

 

Mine from an under 10 MPH impact crushed into the bumper, broke the grill, the headlight tabs closest to the grill and from the toward force buckled the hood. WASTE OF MONEY

 

This.

I had a bullbar. It mounted to the forged aluminum part of the bumper. I removed it when I came to the conclusion that it would just fold back into the truck and make a bumper sandwich. I've got a low profile steel bumper that @CanyonRunner made for me.

 

Same concept. If you were to hit something (even just tap a rock off road) it would push back and break even more stuff.

 

These are bull bars:




I have personal experience with ARB, they'll take a serious impact. I might trust a Ranch Hand, they seem substantial. Anything else is a damage multiplier, usually called nudge bars. I'd say anything that doesn't require you to increase the front spring rate (a Ranch Hand is about 90 lbs and an ARB bumper is over 100 lbs) is just for looks.

 

Same thing, but probably less damage because they sit lower and have less impact area. Will look just as goofy as a bull bar.

Get a real bumper or go without.

 

or SSO

 

I have an ARB bumper and thankfully have not been in an accident but have nudged a few trees and rocks out on the trail and had no problems as a result. I went with ARB because they are one of the only companies out there that actually crash tests their bumpers. The original design came from the need to protect against big animal strikes. The idea behind it is that sure you might have some damage but you'll be more likely to be able to limp home. This is especially important when you are in the middle of nowhere. They also mount to crash cans instead of directly to the frame to help replicate crumple zones of the factory bumper and be classified as airbag compliant.

http://store.arbusa.com/Bull-Bars-Bumpers-Tire-Carriers-C8.aspx

As for body modification, yes you will have to do some decent cutting (at least for the ARB bumper). There is no going back without buying a new frontend.

 

I don't think I could agree with you.
As you know, most modern cars are designed with crumple zones, and to take an impact and get crushed rather than propagate that kinetic energy to the passenger cabin and hurt the occupants.
A really strong and heavy bull bars like the Ranch and ARB are designed to take an impact and protect the vehicle (within parameters), not the driver as they are designed for such terrains. Cattle, farming equipment's, brushes, terrain, and Kangaroo's.
An official frontal impact study or test hasn't been done with one of those beasts up front.
Where-as most other nudge bars, light bar mounts, lower skid armor would just snap or give away and drop in case of a frontal collision. And/OR damage more of your vehicle.

 

I have heard mixed reviews on ARB and for $1600 its not worth it.

However:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/sso-slimline-vs-c4-lo-pro-vs-stingray-lo-pro.467436/

Your welcome

 

You’re...




Welcome

 

Actually ARB does crash test their bumpers. That's a requirement in Australia as I understand it. They are able to claim that their bars don't change the airbag deployment characteristics of the truck.

 

For the sake of insurance and knowing they're tested and engineered and stand behind it being one of the largest companies for off road. Seems worth it.

But man do I love those lopro

 

Well, that changes my view.