Aries Brush Guard installed.

Barely got it installed before dark. Bought it off of Amazon and it arrived in perfect condition 5 days before it was scheduled.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JVPGEPU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Installation was a pain due to location of bumper bolts. I have big hands and it took a fair amount of cussing to get the bolts started with the brackets on.

Quality of the brush guard is very good, looks very nice, and should save me money in front end damage. It is VERY solid and has a nice flat platform for an LED light bar.

I installed one on my older Ram and a week later, a guy lost a couple of pallets off his truck and I hit one. Scuff mark on the brush guard vs. shattering my grille. After having it on a couple of years, it still looked great and it saved me from some front end damage a few times. Well worth the $500 investment.

The one I put on the 4Runner is a little different, but it follows the body lines very well.

The only downside to it is that it REALLY affects the approach angle. If this was a serious off-roader, it would not be good. Even on my Ram, there were a few times just on mild logging roads that the front bar dug into the dirt on an obstacle. This one will be no different.

May end up lifting the whole rig, so that may help, but as is, it is not for someone who wheels their rig on anything other than mild trails.

 

Doesn't protect anything....

 

Whatever, Negative Nancy...

 

Sorry just pointing out fugly when I see it.

 

That's the same bar I'm running..
Added a 32" double row bar under the cross bar.. perfect fit!

 

First you say it doesn't protect against anything, which is obviously not true, since my old one definitely protected against a shattered pallet, multiple large tumbleweeds on the freeway, tight turns on the trail and nosing into an embankment and small trees, etc.

Now you say it's ugly.

Not really understanding why you chose to post in a thread to just say nasty things about other people's rigs.

 

Try hit something solid with it and it pushed the entire guard into your engine bay.

Then come back and tell me it protected anything or did more damage. Plenty of discussions on this.

But yes you are correct your rig I retract my fugly statement.

 

Not my kind of tea ether BUT I think it’s wrong to throw it out in a disrespectful way
Taste is different and that’s good otherwise we would all order the same vehicle in the same color etc.

Let’s be respectful here

 

That is one fine looking cow pitcher......how many bolt connection points are there?

 

I had a guard like this on a 04 Ranger I had, hydroplaned into the back of a box truck. All I had to replace was the guard and bumper, at the speed I was going, if it wasn’t for the guard, it would of been totaled. Some look better than others and it all depends on what you like but to say it won’t protect anything is bs.

 

Bull bars concentrate the force in a smaller area also pretty much effects the shock absorption that was design by engineers (what do they know anyways right?).

Now Im not saying full bumper don't do the same either. i've just personally seen a bull guard pushed back into the engine bay.

 

Have to disagree with you. I own the same guard. I took it off because I noticed a drop in MPG. Several months later I had a semi cut me off at a lane drop. My choice was a hitting the semi or taking out a traffic barrel. I took out the traffic barrel and had some minor damage to the front fender. The grill guard flairs out a few inches and would have prevented the damage to the fender had I not taken it off.

 

The six bumper bolts and two upper bolts. It's rock solid.

 

Yeah, I was surprised at how solid the mounting is.... not saying you can plow through anything without damages... everything has its limits. But, I can say since I usually back into parking spots, it has taken a few good shots from people who dont know how to park/drive/care about others property ....

 

Down here standing up to anything bigger than a deer is just gravy.....

 

There's a reason why these are called 'damage multipliers'. What does this thing weigh? How has it affected your handling?

 

Don't know will never put one on mine.

 

how do you clean your front bumpers near the headlight area? I feel like the extra metal crossbars substantially block accessibility

 

The wife has small hands! Lol... I get the majority of spaces..., she gets the lower and hard to reach and tight spaces

 

like your prostate?

 

Are you serious? Handling? It's a frickin' 4Runner and an 80lb brush guard...

I have a hard time comprehending the concerns some people have with brush guards causing more damage than they prevent. How many serious front end collisions are people getting into? If you are hitting something hard enough to force a brush guard into the fender, or lights, or engine bay, then if you had hit something without it, you would have suffered serious damage, regardless.

I mean, really. Think it through, people.

I bought this because the front end of the 4Runner protrudes and looks like it's just begging to get bumped into, and because I personally have had my prior vehicle saved from minor damage by one of these. It was not bought to save the front end from a major impact, which no bumper or brush guard will do. All that energy gets transferred one way or the other. How do I know? Because I was an auto claims adjuster for USAA Insurance for 6 years and have seen hundreds of collisions and the resulting repairs.

Until you've had the amount of experience I have had looking at hundreds of accidents and doing the investigations and inspecting the repairs, then seriously just stop throwing out ridiculous assertions and conjecture that you don't have the technical background to back up.

 

Calm down buttercup. It's a legit question. Hanging 80+ pounds off the front end of your rig might affect handling could it not? I can tell you from experience it does. Now you need to add a lift. You're also assuming a lot about my experience but whatever. If you like it that's all that really matters right? That it is fugly is just an opinion. You know, that thing we're all entitled to. Beautiful 4Runner ok.

 

Just 11 more shopping days till Christmas......take a breath, maybe take a drink....

 

Grill guards are great protection for deer and antelope hits.

 

They are certainly popular in Australia. I think it's a must have accessory down under due to the kangaroos.

Should be good protection against deer strikes.

 

I don't think the light bar is an improvement, lulz.
But yes, any modifications are good modifications. We all have our own sense of taste, and it is nice to see what people do with their truck.

 

I don't see a problem with that as long as they are bolted to the frame like this and the impact goes towards the frame its all good IMO.
(Example pics from a different bumper products).

 

Two years later and still going strong. Saved me from a pheasant strike and a few big tumbleweeds.

Ended up lifting the rig 2.5" and it has been just fine off road.

 

I like it. If it wasn't for TSS I would put one on mine.

 

I hope you’re kidding. Read the title