F350 Grille/Bumper Guard

[eyemgh]

I ordered a F350 and elected to get the factory winch. I like the clean install and reduced weight. After it was too late to change the order, I realized I probably should have done an aftermarket bumper and winch as it's a more robust combo for animal strikes. Alas, too late. So, does anyone know of a robust grille/bumper guard that won't just fold over with a deer or javelina strike that will be compatible with the factory winch? Or, should I go naked, and hope for the best? No adaptive cruise, BTW. Thanks!

 

[Explorerinil]

I ordered a F350 and elected to get the factory winch. I like the clean install and reduced weight. After it was too late to change the order, I realized I probably should have done an aftermarket bumper and winch as it's a more robust combo for animal strikes. Alas, too late. So, does anyone know of a robust grille/bumper guard that won't just fold over with a deer or javelina strike that will be compatible with the factory winch? Or, should I go naked, and hope for the best? No adaptive cruise, BTW. Thanks!

I’ve never seen a grill guard actually really protect much of anything, all I have seen fold in and cause a ton of damage during a strike. I can tell you, be careful the front bumper actually hangs kinda low and the trucks being so big has a few blind spots up front. I went over a small rock and the bottom of the driver side bumper barely hit it and it twisted the front bumper, $1400 to replace it.

 

[vintageracer]

All most "Grill Guards" are good for is bending the front frame rails when there is the lightest of hits.

 

[MR. ED]

Buckstop. Want one for my 350. I had a Renegade on my old Dodge and it worked great for the 3 deer I smacked. Not sure what would've happened had they been elk.

 

[eyemgh]

Buckstop. Want one for my 350. I had a Renegade on my old Dodge and it worked great for the 3 deer I smacked. Not sure what would've happened had they been elk.

Is it a full bumper and guard, or just a guard?

 

[NoDak]

If you hit something hard enough to bend the frame horns with a grille guard it will bend the frame without the grille guard. Even an ARB bumper will bend the frame with a hard hit. What a good grille guard adds is survivability. I'll take some hood, grille and fender or even frame damage if it keeps a deer out of my radiator and allows me to drive home. Where I live that's a big deal and could mean being stranded far from home in the cold.

I've seen Ranch Hand guards take some good hits.

 

[tacollie]

May help. May not.

winch full protection bumper F250

I am torn between 3 bumpers. I am trying to advantage of some of the sales over the weekend. Just wondering if anyone has any experience. I have always liked and used the ARB full guard bumper on my toyota's. I am trying to find something similar to that for the F250. options are...

expeditionportal.com

 

[BritKLR]

FWIW. Ranch Hand and/or ARB. Been running both for over 25 years with several deer hits, strikes and one crash and the trucks/Cruisers have always survived with little more then paint damage from flying debris.....Don't know about the winch compatibility but both are offered with winch mounts. Good luck.

T-boned the mini van as it ran a stopsign. The mini van was totaled. No frame damage or sheet metal damage to the Cruiser except for paint damage due to the force of the glass exploding across the front of the hood. Heck, I still have that ARB in my parts pile to add to my project truck! I suspect the cruiser would have been totaled without it.

 

[eyemgh]

Unfortunately, the thing that makes Ranch Hand attractive, a second mount point, makes it incompatible with the factory winch. They use the same holes.

 

[UglyViking]

If you hit something hard enough to bend the frame horns with a grille guard it will bend the frame without the grille guard. Even an ARB bumper will bend the frame with a hard hit. What a good grille guard adds is survivability. I'll take some hood, grille and fender or even frame damage if it keeps a deer out of my radiator and allows me to drive home. Where I live that's a big deal and could mean being stranded far from home in the cold.

I've seen Ranch Hand guards take some good hits.

This comment right here. Nothing you put on the front of your truck will save it from a bad hit, some may make it worse. That said, the difference you should be looking for is what will protect the engine bay, radiator, etc. so you can get home or get to "safety".

I've seen very few non bumper replacement units that look like they can take a hit.

 

[eyemgh]

This comment right here. Nothing you put on the front of your truck will save it from a bad hit, some may make it worse. That said, the difference you should be looking for is what will protect the engine bay, radiator, etc. so you can get home or get to "safety".

I've seen very few non bumper replacement units that look like they can take a hit.

That's my problem. I ordered a factory winch and it's too late to cancel it. It's integrated into the factory bumper. Not sure what my options are at this point.

 

[NoDak]

It's just a Warn winch on a mounting plate mounted behind the bumper. I'm sure it will mount to an aftermarket bumper just fine.

 

[eyemgh]

It's just a Warn winch on a mounting plate mounted behind the bumper. I'm sure it will mount to an aftermarket bumper just fine.

I have to get specs from Ford, but I think they had to make the mounting plate smaller and thus the bolt pattern different to get it to fit. I know it’s not a commercially available product.

 

[UglyViking]

I mean if your primary issue is that you can't use the ford winch I'm sure someone is wishing they bought the Ford winch setup. Just sell that, and then buy something new you can mount aftermarket.

I love the fact the Ford offers a clean install winch in their diesel, but it is a bit undersized for the truck anyway. If you have the extra space due to an aftermarket bumper may as well take advantage of it.

 

[eyemgh]

I mean if your primary issue is that you can't use the ford winch I'm sure someone is wishing they bought the Ford winch setup. Just sell that, and then buy something new you can mount aftermarket.

I love the fact the Ford offers a clean install winch in their diesel, but it is a bit undersized for the truck anyway. If you have the extra space due to an aftermarket bumper may as well take advantage of it.

yea, I think if I were to abandon the current setup, I’d upsize the winch too.