Custom Grille Guards

[Ranger1776]

id like to start a thread on custom grille guards, no the cheap ones you buy at the parts store and bolt on, ones that either you have made, or had the welding shop make one up for you, i built mine, waiting for some steel to come in to make one for my dads dakota, and waiting for my buddy to get a truck so i can build on for that one too. Thanks Guys!

Soon to have some lights installed

 

[PanamaExpat]

That's one truck I don't want to tangle with... I am still working on a design for my front bumper and grill guard. Gotta get the body back on the chassis before I take on anything else.

 

[97RangerXLT]

I like it. I think a 2" reciever in the middle of it would make it even more baddass. you could make a license plate holder that goes in the receiver for normal driving, but when you need to put a hitch/ winch you can swap out the license plate for those items.

AJ

 

[BLOODBANE]

Don't know if this is what your after or not, but both of mine (Ranger and Explorer are Duff bumpers.

On the Explorer I did have to weld the hoops on, as it came unwelded. The Ranger's came as one piece. The Ranger has the Doff rear tube bumper and it has the 2" receiver built in. Both of these bumpers have taken a beating and have held up well.

 

[projectnitemare]

I have the same duff bumper on my ranger, I like it. I'll build a new bumper now that the truck is torn down though. I built this one for my 05 Ex.

 

[dieseldane]

There is already a thread like this. It's even stickied.

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=397

 

[crazypj]

I don't have anything like it, not 'into' the 'post apocalypse' look

 

[Ranger1776]

thats cool, those duff bumpers are like, originally so you dont roll over forwards right? that style of bumper i mean, and i was planning on doing that receiver idea mainly for a big ol winch, haha

 

[Ranger1776]

dieseldane, i wasnt looking for ideas, i just wanted to see what other people have or have made... thanks for the link though

 

[rawrrediffer86]

i really wanna build one for mine. one with a winch perferby. hah. just waiting till i put my lift on.

 

[Ranger1776]

for me it just adds so much to the truck when you build your own, like my truck, everyone knows whose truck it is... plus those cheap ones from the store make me laugh, they would seriously do more damage to your truck in a deer hit for instance, than the deer itself would!!

 

[rawrrediffer86]

for me it just adds so much to the truck when you build your own, like my truck, everyone knows whose truck it is... plus those cheap ones from the store make me laugh, they would seriously do more damage to your truck in a deer hit for instance, than the deer itself would!!

No I hear ya man. Id rather build my own. Make it custom tho!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

for me it just adds so much to the truck when you build your own, like my truck, everyone knows whose truck it is... plus those cheap ones from the store make me laugh, they would seriously do more damage to your truck in a deer hit for instance, than the deer itself would!!

I can't help but think my Westin would do a better job at keeping the deer out of my radiator than my plastic grille would...

A good laugh is people hang these monster grille guards on their truck thinking they are going to make them really tough for deer. I bounced a deer off my STOCK bumper with little damage on my F-150 and it spun around and crushed in my wheel well.

The crowning joke is that it bypasses the cheap to replace brackets that bend and transfers it all to the frame in a real accident... which is almost always an instant total to bend unless your truck is brand new.

Some of the homemade bugger fab I see running around... I would rather drive around with the front of my truck crushed in. :eyeroll:

 

[Ranger 1776]

i guess i also like the fact that i CAN and DID build my own... i was saying, on ones ive seen, the deer pushes the bar back into the body of the truck, as most of the super cheap ones are thin metal bolted on the bumper with minimal clearance between the guard and the body, not sure what style of westin you have but im talking highway speeds with one of these

http://www.dfwcamper.com/images/acc/Grill/Toyota_Tundra_Grill_Guard_Feb_2005.JPG

the center pieces are usually fine, but when people hit them in the light guard portion which is so far away from any anchoring point that you can wiggle it with your hand... leverage is the enemy in such a situation... ive seen some nice aftermarket guards like these though...

http://image.8-lug.com/f/25906724/0912_8l_02_+2002_chevy_silverado_2500hd_crew_cab+ranch_hand_grille_guard.jpg

Besides, my grille guard utilizes the crumple zone in the front of the frame, and i would rather have NO damage to my truck, than a little damage...

 

[Ranger 1776]

especially these ones

http://www.luvernetruck.com/Product_Line/Grille_Guards/Grille-Guard-Stand-Alone.jpg