2016+ Tacoma CBI Offroad Fab T3 Front Bumper

Attached is a full installation write up for a 2016+ Tooyota Tacoma CBI T3 Front Bumper. I know there has been a lot of questions as to where certain parts go and the options for different bumpers. I hope this answers everyone's questions and if you have any questions that weren't answered please let me know.

Review:

Nathan and his team at CBI Offroad Fab have nothing but the best when it comes to fabrication and designs for their new T3 line up. When it came to deciding on which bumper I wanted to go with for my build it was a hard decision between @CBI Offroad Fab and @Pelfreybilt due to both companies having great designs, a large backing from the Tacoma World members and very fair pricing for the quality of work. All in all I decided on the CBI T3 Front bumper. The fit and finish was second to none and the over style flowed better IMO for the overall front to back.

Ordering:

The overall time frame from the day I ordered to the day it arrived at my doorstep was just shy of 3 months. Now before people go crazy and start bashing on the build time let me explain a few things that may differ from other orders. My bumper build was a little bit more in depth as I was making changes along the way to ensure the bumper was going to fit my needs. The front bumper mid way through being built had to be widened by 1" on each side to ensure full coverage of my Bushwacker fender flares once cut. I didn't think about this until about 2-3 weeks in and they were luckily able to make this adjustment no questions asked. At this same time I was having my dual swing arm rear T3 bumper also being made. While there was only one other bumper in existence like the one I was requesting (Xoverland's Tacoma) I was expecting some possible issues and I specifically stated for CBI to take their time. In the end people need to realize that quality craftsmanship takes time and if you want a quality bumper expect quality hours going into the welds, cutting, bending and spot checks.

Packaging:

The bumper(s) are well packaged with multiple layers of padding on all corners, cardboard reinforcements all around and plastic bands holding everything in place on a custom built pallet. unfortunately I was not home at the time of delivery and wasn't able to inspect the pallet prior to signing for it. If you can be there when the pallet is delivered I would highly recommend it so you can make sure the shipping company didn't cause any damage. From what I could tell CBI only uses trustworthy freight companies to deliver their items and it definitely showed when I got home to a well packaged pallet.

Pros:

As stated above the fitment was spot on and little to no tweaking was needed to just basically bolt the bumper up after making the cuts. The welds were the most impressive welds I've seen on a bumper... ever. I had a Raptor prior to the Tacoma and even those bumpers which cost twice the price weren't close to as well built as these bumpers. the textured finish was great as well and matched my side steps perfectly.

Cons:

while I wouldn't say its a deal breaker by any means but the only thing I could find that bothered me a little bit was the way the center 20" light bar brackets were designed. rather than a "J" design where the light bar could slide down into and prevent the light bar brackets from backing out, the slots are straight back which in time with enough vibrations from off roading could cause the light bar to slide backwards out of the slots. other than that I couldn't find any other way to make this bumper better.

I hope this helps answer some questions and if you had any doubts on purchasing a front bumper from CBI this should help with whether or not you want to tackle the install yourself. if you have any questions please let me know and I will be doing a write up for the rear dual swing arm T3 bumper as well.

 

sub'd for my install

 

Does anyone know a good way to seal off the inner fenders from the engine compartment after making cuts? I don't like the idea of mud getting back there?

 

@Danactive What tool did you use to make your cut? I am leaning toward an oscillating multi-tool. I can't decide if I want to have the shop do it (they have installed a few already) or just get to cutting myself. I just dropped it off for powder coat, so should be installing later next week.

 

Sorry for the late reply, I used the electric body panel saw from harbor frieght. It’s only $20 I think and I got a set of the fine tooth blades. Worked much better than a dremel and I feel made a much sharper cut. I did place some trim on the cut area to clean it up a bit

 

No worries man, thanks for getting back to me. How about for sanding down/cleaning up the edge? What did you use for that? Also, was the only cuts each side across to the grill and the entire bumper drops or did you cut around the edge all the way around like I've seen on a YouTube vid (different bumper)

 

As far as sanding I tried my best to make the cuts as even as possible and then I trimmed it with a very sharp exacto knife and painted the edges to prevent chipping. It’s a lot of extra work but it’s worth it unless you plan on going fiberglass fenders in the future. The cut is even exactly across each side like mentioned. Be careful in the area where the two parts (bumper and fender) meet because there’s an important plastic clip/tab that holds the two portions together. I butchered mine a little but since I’m going to trim it eventually and cut my fender flares (bushwackers) I wasn’t too worried. Best advice is go slow and don’t force the cuts. If you start to get any resistance check it out and take your time before continuing the cuts. The pictures in my instructions are literally step by step exactly how I installed it. Hope it works out man and if you have any questions while installing just shoot me a PM with your number and I can talk ya through it

 

I was curious if you ended up getting a Baja Designs S8 light bar or something else. I can order the 20" bar and have it slide right into the current mounting brackets or will I need to modify something to get it mounted up? I just received my T3 bumper for my 2018 Taco and pretty excited to get it put on the truck this weekend.

 

Sub’d