Are steel bumper inserts even worth it?

[avacado11]

Attached is the off road bumper I have in mind for my Tacoma.

is it even worth a sh*t seeing how it doesn’t even cover the outer edges? I will either buy that or a brush guard, although I know the downsides of guards causing major damage if it gets pushed in. I love the look of it but I don’t care for it that much where I’ll risk collateral damage.

a full steel bumper would be ideal but it will look front heavy with my stock suspension set up. So that’s a no go.

 

[SZR48207]

I have something like that on mine from Avid Off Road. (not my pic)

It's really only there in case I ever pull up too close to something (like the wall of a parking garage) or if some stupid inattentive driver in front of me reverses into me without noticing I'm there.

 

[avacado11]

I have something like that on mine from Avid Off Road. (not my pic)

It's really only there in case I ever pull up too close to something (like the wall of a parking garage) or if some stupid inattentive driver in front of me reverses into me without noticing I'm there.

didn’t know that even existed. I will very likely get that after I scope out the rest of the market. Nice to have lower bumper protection so I don’t scrape the bumper against a wall or pole.

 

[Traction]

Until it gets bashed in to the painted bumper, it is just expensive dead weight. Mine is just for looks.

 

[Cripes]

Ive heard that some versions may save your radiator if you strike a deer. At least you'd still get home.

 

[meep]

its like the classic tow ball question... where folks leave their hitch in to ”protect” from impacts. The bumper is designed to deform so the frame doesn’t have to. But when we mount something stronger directly to the frame, we might protect the bumper, but then the frame has a greater chance of being bent.

I liked the steel exo-accessories for wheeling when you knew you’d be pushing over smaller growth. It would sort of preserve the look of the paint. But structurally? Hard to predict the thing you might hit. might help stave off a deer hit.

other thing to consider... in my older ‘yota, only the lower fascia had any kind of bumper bracing... the thing that looked like the classic bumper was just plastic. Reinforcing that would have made me feel better.

 

[AZjeff]

That one you're looking at says winch ready so it's sturdier than those tube style ones. You're right it doesn't offer much protection.

We called those bull bars and brush guards damage multipliers.

 

[SZR48207]

its like the classic tow ball question... where folks leave their hitch in to ”protect” from impacts. The bumper is designed to deform so the frame doesn’t have to. But when we mount something stronger directly to the frame, we might protect the bumper, but then the frame has a greater chance of being bent.

I liked the steel exo-accessories for wheeling when you knew you’d be pushing over smaller growth. It would sort of preserve the look of the paint. But structurally? Hard to predict the thing you might hit. might help stave off a deer hit.

other thing to consider... in my older ‘yota, only the lower fascia had any kind of bumper bracing... the thing that looked like the classic bumper was just plastic. Reinforcing that would have made me feel better.

There are 2 kinds of people in this world:

1. Those who leave towballs in the hitch
2. Those who have banged their leg/knee on one and taken it off.

LOL

 

[Skippy722]

There are 2 kinds of people in this world:

1. Those who leave towballs in the hitch
2. Those who have banged their leg/knee on one and taken it off.

LOL

I felt this.

Like 07Piloteer said, it may or may not save your radiator after hitting a deer.

 

[Pew]

Ive heard that some versions may save your radiator if you strike a deer. At least you'd still get home.

That's what happened to my cousin. He was on a roadtrip From LA to Glacier NP in Montana, hit a deer and his steel inserts prevented his radiator from getting smashed on his 4runner.

 

[meep]

The inserts go inside the plastic? Like real reinforcement? If that’s the case I’d be all over it, especially if it’s an oem part.