Steel Bumper Weight/Gas Milage

Evening everyone -

Ive got a 2006 TRD sport and I've got a question about how the weight from steel bumpers affects gas milage. I work in the outdoor field and spend more time driving than off roading, however, my rear bumper has damage to it and I'm considering just replacing it with a steel bumper rather than a standard bumper.

How has your steel bumper affected the gas milage that your truck gets? Is the durability worth the weight?

Any input you have would be much appreciated.

 

I took a 4mpg hit. But did both bumpers, a winch, lift, shell, and big 10ply tires. So hard to pinpoint what upgrade did exactly what to my mpg.

I can say I am 90% on road and put 15k annually on my truck and am totally satisfied with my steel bumpers.

A few weeks back a girl in a Honda civic rear ended me parked at a red light on a foggy morning. Her whole hood was crushed in. I had no damage, even my powder coat was intact.

 

Not a direction I would recommend if you are concerned. Remember that weight also needs to be supported by the right suspension. You potentially will exp sag and or poor ride quality without proper suspension.
An alternative may be an aluminum front bumper, which will save some weight.
GL.

 

MPGs LOL....i get maybe 10 mpg with front bumper and skids with bigger tires.

 

No one would know how much it affects MPGs but we know It takes lots of energy (gas) to move things from point A to point B, particularly heavy steels. I'd personally stay far away from it. Well, unless I want to use my taco as a tank.

 

I put a TJM bumper on the front of my truck 2yrs ago and can say that MPG's might have dropped 1-11/2, but I'm not real anal about it.
As for susp. it dropped a 1/4in at first maybe 3/8in now, but haven't checked lately

Durability? totally worth it if someone hits you, if not when they see it they think twice.

 

If you do just the rear and ditch your factory hitch as well I don't know that you'll see much of an decrease if at all in mileage. Seems to be the front that does the worst. You shouldn't see much of an increase in weight if you lose the hitch and I don't think the aerodynamics shit the bed like the front.

IIRC Eric at Relentless weighed one of his bumpers and the stock hitch and bumper and they're pretty close.

 

with my skids, bumper, lift, and tires i have dropped maybe 4-6mpg avg compared to stock. The added weight and the aero efficiency of a brick with the bumper helps this

 

x2. Scangauge shows about 15mpg but the traded protection versus the cheap OEM parts well worth it. An easily damaged OEM bumper from a minor impact pretty much negates any MPG savings or having OEM parts but drive like a madman.

 

the bumper i built weighs about 80# and i lifted about 2" and my mpg are the exact same, but i removed my sway bar which is about 20# or so plus the stock bumper and crash bar are another 20# or so. so im really only up 40# over stock. this time next year ill be running some d rated 255/85 MT's tho and expect 1-2 mpg loss.

 

A rule of thumb for passenger vehicles is 1 to 2 percent decrease in MPG for every 100 pounds of added weight.

 

Thanks for your help everyone. I always appreciate all of the knowledge this forum has to offer!

 

If the bumper weights 150 then its like riding with a 150lb friend in the truck