Deer protection

Bought my brand new SR5 and within 6 days deer jumped into the road and took out my grill and radiator. Will be doing a lot of forest roads and trails as I do a lot of hiking and camping so wondering if a grill guard/bumper upgrade would be worth getting to help prevent more serious damage.

 

If it's a bumper and not high speed yes.


The ARB ones are designed for hitting kangaroos up to about 60km.

I'd image the other ones would help but can't say for sure. All the fab shops on here you'll find are just that, fab shops. None are big companies like ARB that actually crash test their bumpers.

 

ARB. $1800. 135 lbs.

 

If you are dealing with friggen elk, moose or large deer, you are probably going to have a total loss however you hit them. Whatever bumper you are concidering, look carefully at the design and do not get an angled back bumper that can deflect a large body up and over the hood in order to protect the grill - they are simply not that safe. Forward angled or vertical “cow catchers” with a deflection angle to the sides are better. Ive seen the aftermath of a car after a full sized burro flew through the windshield and out the back window at 55mph and it eviscerated all its guts on the way through the truck. The truck had a tipped back pushbar and the burro went up and over the grill and hood. Luckily, the driver was only slightly injured and the plastic grill was saved!

 

I look out a decent sized doe ~100 lbs at about 35 mph with Demello bumper that I had on a previous Tacoma. No damage to bumped just need to get the fur and blood off. ARB does have the upper hand since they are crash tested. Lots of options out there, just figure out what's right for you.

 

Had this guard on our recently retired 01 Taco.

Wife hit a deer, braking from 60MPH. It definitely reduced the overall damage but still an expensive repair.

 

Get a bumper with a hoop, there's a lot of options like ARB, demello offroad, c4 Fabrications, etc.

 

Just as @Joe23 mentioned, if you want to stand a better chance arb is the way to go. I've personally never hit one BUT I can say that I feel very safe and confident that if I should I'd come out alive



Also for your viewing pleasure arb vs a tree

Also how you could expect it to look like

 

That FJ was one of the dumbest things I've seen in a while...funny, but dumb

 

Mine was about 900$ shipped

 

Super dumb. And still got stuck ahah but he just bounced off that tree with that arb

 

So you're the bastard who took the 3WOOFS plate. Now I know why my application was rejected.

 

HOW?!?!?!

 

^4 wheelparts had a sale a few months ago.

 

Thanks for the ideas guys, one other thing. I do plan to install a winch at some point as its not uncommon for me to be out on my own. Is it worth getting the winch first then the bumper, the other way around, or both at the same time?

 

He has a gen 2. Last gen bumpers are a lot cheaper, since the gen 2 isn't made anymore.

Get the winch at the same time. You have to remove the bumper to put it on, and that's a hassle when these bumpers are over 100lbs. It's a cost now or later, but WAY less effort if you just drop the full amount for both now.

I have a SOS offroad concepts "streamline" winch bumper right now, but I can't imagine putting a full plate bumper from a fabricator with no crumple zone up front. Even the smaller SOS bumper I have is so stout that the frame would break way before the bumper. That's great on a rock crawler or an offroad rig, but my truck's a commuter / family vehicle that sees dirt for maybe 1% of its mileage max. I love my SOS bumper and don't regret it, but sometimes I think an ARB may have been a better (though way more costly) choice.

 

I need moose protection haha, not happening.

 

My ARB saved my bacon when a dude crossed the center line on me.

Totaled the truck but I walked away without a scratch.

 

LMAO