CRad4D

Hello all,

First post, thought it would start with a question I've had. And please try to withhold nooby bashing if this has already been discussed in great detail already, late night and no luck finding a thread yet.

To start, I have a 2012 f150 4x4 offroad package and I have been looking to replace the front bumper/add a grill guard. Our company, without much dispute, has told everyone to add a heavy duty bumper and/or grill guard to their trucks. We have had several collisions with the local deer here and costs to protect is quickly going to override costs to fix damages. However, of course I have made this way more complicated for myself than it really should be, but I'm picky when it comes to my truck.

My personal preference is leaning me towards a prerunner style bumper and guard similar to these made by:

Fab Fours


TrailReady


ADD


Road Armor


Iron Bull, etc. Forgive me if I left any out, but these seem to be the fabricators that are producing full bumper replacements with a stylish prerunner guard.

We are using a local fabricator due to well established business relations, but he has the capability to build anything similar to these. However, he has told me that not only is a full bumper a little too heavy for a 150, but also that the prerunner style does not actually give the protection i'm looking for against wandering deer on country roads. He says that style will actually vault the deer into your hood/windshield and suggests a standard independent full guard to solve both issues. Personally, I think it's BS, but have no experience with it.

Looking for any opinions on both the weight and protection issues he has brought up. FYI, F150 is not my weapon of choice....

Does anyone know the stock front bumper weight? just curious for comparison.

Wordy first post, but trying to get him fabbing today sometime. Thanks in advance to all input given!

dac12046

Why does he want u guys to get a bumper when u can be more cautious when driving the country roads the stock bumpers are pretty already. I rearended a crv and the only thing that happen to my bumper was the brackets bent and it was pointed upward a lil. But I get a heavy duty bumper with a brush guard

adam74

The big steel ones you need at least an 8" lift for it to look good, I only like them on F250 8"+ lift.

The ADD is different and looks good, I had to change mine, the stock was bent so i needed a new one anyway.







I'll get some good pictures once I clean m truck.

CRad4D

I don't know if you've driven much at 5 am in BFE central Texas, but there is literally no way to avoid them at times unless you drive 10 mph everywhere... No light source for 50+ miles + vegetation to edge of 15' wide roads = deer in grill, some of them just have a death wish. But I agree, stock bumpers look real nice.

Adam, that's a great looking ride. Wish I wasn't currently in a company vehicle to rig out like that. No sense in spending money on what isn't mine, and company won't pay to make it look that nice. I'll see if the fab shop can make something like the ADD Rancher. Would give me the protection I need and a much lower profile than the standard square steel bumpers.

One day or another I'll get another personal truck to do exactly what I want with.

jjfertig

I had a similar prerunner design on my old F150 when I hit a deer. It didn't vault the deer onto the truck but I did substain damage to the hood and light housing.

Under your circumstances and concerns (protection and weight) wouldn't you be better off getting a full brush guard? They're not nearly as heavy but offer a more complete coverage of protection against deer (unless you choose a full replacement with brush guard, ie. cattleguard).

Not my truck, but what I'm referring to:

CRad4D

Thanks for the info, that is what i was afraid of. And yes, you are correct, under my circumstances a full brush guard is the best solution. Just wanted to see if anyone, like yourself, had experience with a prerunner vs. wildlife. The reason i'm debating is because I've never been a big fan of an independent brush guard, but that picture is an exact model of what my truck would look like with one doesn't look too bad.

I do still like the looks this ADD Rancher


Just not real sure how this, or any full replacement will look without a lift.

DanAustin

I have the ranch hand front that doesnt replace the whole bumper kinda like the one posted above. Most of the ones above are nice for offroading but Idk about a deer. I creamed a deer outside of san antonio last year at 70 only damnage to truck was the lower plastic valance cracked. Where Im from (Loraine) We have alot of deer and Im always going to San Angelo and to our land in Brownwood. We put em on every truck some people say they will wrap around and cause damnage to the fenders and what not but Id rather have dented fenders and be able to drive home vs a deer going through the radiator and causing engine damnage and having to sit for a tow truck for hrs. My dads old company was the same way but they paid to put them on thier big rigs he was always going from san angelo area down to further central tx . Grille Guards pay for them selves if you live in areas where you actually need them not just to have it for looks like most people do.

Vandicate

Looks good. Fort McMurray?

CRad4D

Definitely a necessity here. Our main jobs are going from Kerrville to San Angelo and then a big one out west. I ended up going with function over form, just had to get over my preference. This is what it will look like, just in flat black finish on white xlt.

DanAustin

What brand is that one? I like the two lower bars in the center running verticle. Heres mine only pic I have on the 12, The silver truck was my 2010 same grille guard though