Headlight hoops yay or nay?

Hi y'all, aside from rustproofing and ceramic coating and roof rack...I haven't done any major mods.
My next mod will be a front bumper, but I don't know if I should get it with headlight hoops or not. My SR5P is my daily commuter and work in a major city where about 75% of drivers do NOT carry insurance. I'm basically looking to protect it from those who don't know how to driver/park. I work for the traffic division at the police department and I can't tell you how many crash reports I've seen where drivers do not carry insurance and drive suspended.
My co-worker has had every one of her cars clipped and recently her whole entire front totaled. Delivery truck backed into her and practically climbed on the hood. (Super old prius)...I mean they practically have a front end shaped as a ramp.
I also live near a metro parks with so many deer that they allowed hunting this past year.

Is there another option other than headlight hoops? TIA

Thoughts?

 

By “headlight hoops” you mean those bumpers with the metal bits that protect the headlights too?

Either way there’s a good chance you’ll want to upgrade the suspension for the extra weight. (I’m not too well-versed in the world of aftermarket bumpers)

I’d weigh the risk of also changing how your vehicle takes impacts. It’ll bash and scrape through minor things I’m sure but bigger collisions might pass more of the force through to both you and the frame.

I’m not familiar enough with the use of bull bars or the sort to protect from deer, just that bull bars are also called “damage multipliers” when in other types of collisions.

 

Yes, to protect the headlights and front end corners.

I figured at some point the suspension would need upgraded for the extra weight of both the front and rear bumpers but I’m planning on doing that afterwards when I do tires/wheels.

Hmmm…in deciding which front bumper to go with I have only been considering which ones would protect the vehicle better and not about the forces upon collision.

Damage multipliers? Are you saying that in terms of crashes and insurance…these types of bumpers are considered as added mods that cause more damage than if it didn’t have one?

 

yes for hoops

 

youre thinking about brush guards being damage multipliers. They do zero in impacts. Brush and bugs are all theyre good for.

 

they mean causes more damage in the event of an impact. True steel plate bumpers provide a lot of protection, brush guards are junk and are “damage multupliers” See pic.

 

You work in Oakland?

 

Personal preference.

 

Yay on a plate bumper like ARB or CBI

Nay on a brush guard

 

The bull bumper here saved my 4R. 55 mph between the headlights, dead center hit. Only damage was the license frame was tweeked. It did go in the freezer.

 

Can you invest in a crappy car instead? My buddy is a fireman in Nevada but lives in the Bay Area (Ca). He drives a 23 yr old Honda to work and has a bad as Tacoma when he is home. He gives no shits for dings, cracks, or anything else.

 

youre the reason why I got mine!

 

Almost. Youngstown, Ohio. I lived in San Leandro for a couple of years after the military then I high tailed it out of there and moved to Carmichael and then Orangevale before I came to Ohio. Now I live in Boardman. I hate that I work in Youngstown.

 

I thought these front bumpers were steel...but I guess some are both steel for bumper and aluminum for the rest?

 

they are steel but thin and only attach by 2 bolts at the bottom on each side and have no rigidity. Its just for looks imo. Bump into anything solid over 2 mph and that whole thing is flexing back into your beautiful ride.

 

+1 to this! I nailed one in July at 40-50 MPH and got away with almost 0 damage. The wiring harness to the washer fluid reservoir was damaged, otherwise nothing. The fog light has been out since last October.



I'd personally get the hoops if I were getting a full bumper. That probably would have helped last fall when I hit a deer with the passenger front corner. This was around 40 MPH, and caused $5K + in damage. You can't see it, but the headlight is cracked, on top of the damage to the bumper and grill.

 

bummer, there should be at least 4 points of attachments. I'll keep looking

 

Dumb question...can one upgrade/adjust the front coils on the Limited?

 

I honestly thought you meant Stockton.
What most people don’t know is that people from Stockton drive to Oakland to commit crimes now.

god I hated working in Stockton.

 

Also meant to post this, I grabbed their Baja Bumper and it weighed about 200 pounds all told


https://www.demello-offroad.com/demello-4runner-2010-2014-front-bumper

 

wow 200 pounds!?!? It's sharp looking though. For that weight, would I need to change the suspension?

 

I did, went with an OME set up. He also does aluminum.

 

I always thought Stockton was just agriculture...I guess no one wants to rob a tree at gunpoint for its fruit

 

Damn, that's a Cali company. Sometimes I wish I was living back there. My husband is from Ohio. He would never leave his fam. He has a small town mindset. Which is sort of a shocker since he was a military man. I'm a free spirit...lived in 3 states and 3 countries including U.S

 

I do have a 2006 jeep commander V8 w/electrical issues that I can't seem to let go. We use it to haul a trailer for trips to home depot, tractor supplies and mulch/gravel runs. It left me stranded in an alley once

 

They are DESIGNED to increase body damage in case of accident. That was so you can take out fenders as well as front stuff. You get the advantage of WRAP AROUND IMPACT. I would say leave off headlight damage increasers and perhaps add some lower gussets to strengthen front. I added a similar bar to rear of my Jeep and heavily re-inforced it with more brackets to frame.

 

Oh I really love that rear bar. Who makes it? Yeah...I actually have changed my mind about having headlight hoops and looking into something that strengthens both front and rear ends.

 

any updates?

 

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...OCePlclvhgpuFukjWyV64HcSLU6SFIeryzO4jzbtPOd94

I reinforced heavily it's mounting.

 

I do not have an aftermarket bumper yet. I have been looking at them for years.
My take is their goal is to increase the approach and departure angles. All the front bumpers expose lots of the tires and related suspension parts.
Also if it is solidly bolted to the frame it should not just fold down onto your front end like some of the simple bolt on bull bar types.
I think our stock bumpers have bumper "crush cans" designed to absorb collision impacts. It appears these are not used when a new all steel or aluminum bumper is bolted to your frame.
I think aftermarket bumpers are designed for trail hazards not auto impacts at any speed!