Total n00b needs some help with a bumper...Yes, that again. Sorry.

Yeah, it would need an additional hoop cutting across that huge gap in the middle in order to be what I need. Again, asking some guys about custom work seems to be the way to go. Or getting the ARB.

 

Sos is running a 20% off deal right now: http://sosoffroadconcepts.com/2016-2020-tacoma-front-winch-bumper/
Slap some of these on too: https://www.bayareametalfab.com/FBR...inforcement-brackets-2005-to-2021-_p_142.html

 

LOL of course. I have ADS 2.5 coilovers with 700lb springs. group 34 battery for power, sp, powertray, bumper lightbar, and 9.5k winch. I suggest the 650s would be fine but if you plan to upgrade the bumper and get a bumper light, and winch, bigger battery, DEF go 700lbs. I also removed my sway bar.

 

Damn, that sounds expensive.

I won't need a winch, I'm not going that far off-road. That should save some cost, and weight, but this is getting crazy expensive fast. I guess I didn't realize how much it cost to dress up my new Barbie.

 

I think as long as you are having someone build it, you might as well have them build it like a pilot (cow catcher) on a train. That's exactly what they're for. I'm not sure how that would look, though... Your taco might end up looking like the jeepers creepers truck.

 

yeah. Its always good to have a winch especially from where you are at. You can always add it later.

 

I do agree that the ARB would be best for not damaging your truck in a collision but I would argue that there is a very small difference in that the arb bumper has a very small crush zone vs most other bumpers hard mounted to the frame. This crush zone will probably not budge in a collision with a large whitetail or another animal, making the impact on the frame comparable to hard-mounted bumpers. Hard-mounted bumpers have proven to stand up to high-speed collisions with 200lb animals with no damage to the frame, so in my opinion, the advantages of an ARB bumper are a wash when considering wildlife collisions.

I would also argue that any experienced fab shop that knows how to properly weld can build a structural bumper and even more easily add a grill crossbar to an existing bumper that will stand up to animal collisions as well as the rest of the bumper.

The disadvantage to the ARB bumpers is to keep them a reasonable weight they are made out of mostly 1/8" vs the standard 3/16 at least on first gens and I would venture to guess it is the same on third gens (looked like they were 150 ish in my research and they are big in person). This makes them much easier to dent and when dented they lose structural strength which isn't something you would have to worry about as much on other plate bumpers.

Considering all these things I personally have an arb because they look good on first gens to me.

Also, it isn't ideal but your truck will be fine with 150lb of bumper in the front and stock front suspension. It isn't ideal and I personally would look to upgrade it eventually but there are plenty of people out there that put on a bumper and leave stock suspension.

 

Thank you. I know I'm kind of a pain, but I'm really just trying to protect my investment the best I can. I've never owned a new vehicle before. Not even close. I'd really prefer not to ruin the very first one I've had.

I appreciate the insights!

 

No problem glad I could help a bit. I totaled an 03 extended cab on a deer driving to hunt and when I replaced it I knew I needed to get something because I'm not going to stop driving around early in the morning during deer season and they like to jump out of ditches where you cant see them.

 

Yeah, the last one I hit was in a work truck I had a couple trade-ins ago. She came up off a steep slope on the left at full speed, and crossed in front of me. All I saw at 65 was a tan blur. My foot was moving to the brake, but she was dead and the truck was a wreck before it ever got there.

We finally managed to talk our district manager into putting bumpers on the work trucks...after, in the last year, a Dodge 2500 was totalled, a second one had well over $6k of damage, and two others had in the area of $4k each. And that's just OUR crew's vehicles, not counting the other crafts. My supervisor had to keep hammering away at it though, continuously pointing out how instead of paying GSA $30,000 for the totalled Dodge, we could have put the nicest bumers in the world on all 7 crew trucks and had money left over. Never mind the other $14k-$15k from the other vehicles.

And, yet, we're only doing half of them this year.

 

First thought when I read your post was ARB, but you could also get something close to what you want and have a local shop add what it is missing. Keep in mind that if you block the sensor in the grill you will get some dashboard warnings. I'd say anything with the protection you want is going to be heavy, but with no winch you might be fine with no suspension upgrade. My setup added around 150 lbs and is fine for me on the Pro, but much more than that and I'd be wanting some heavier springs in the front.

 

In Australia at least, the ARB bullbars are air bag compliant, not sure if they meet any specs from where you are. This is to ensure the airbags deploy as normal. The bullbars are used to stop damage on smaller animals. If you hit a big red kangaroo there will be damage but the intent is you can still drive it away. You may be hours from help. I hit a kangaroo in my town car a mazda 6 which caved in every side panel when it ran into the side at 80mph. With the ARB bars we need to upgrade the suspension on our utes for the extra weight.

 

What is it about animals and the sides of trucks? A co-worker was on his way back to Libby from Kalispell, and a bull elk ran full into the side of his work truck. That was a high-dollar repair IIRC, in the neighborhood of $10k.

The elk was fine, apparently. Got up, shook himself, and ran off.

I'm waiting to hear back from a shop in Missoula about modifying a bumper to fit what I want before it's powder coated. We'll see what the cost is. It's the weekend though, so it might be a bit.

 

Also remember that you have the TSS in the grille so any crossbar will need to be out of its view to not beep at you.

 

Yeah, I was at one of the shops up in Kalispell on Friday asking the same questions. They had a 2021 Taco they had just put one of the Fab Four bumpers on...the one with the flat bar that crosses right in front of the logo. Their solution? Cut the bar, remove a section, and bolt a piece of black lexan over the gap. Sensor worked again.

Looked like shit. I asked "Doesn't that compromise the strength of that bar?"

"I don't think so. Why would it?"



I left that shop. I doubt I'll be back anytime soon. Or ever. I should have taken pics.