heavy steel bumper vs oem bumper damage
- Thread starter Wildcat
- Start date
A heavier gauge bumper would be damaged, too, just less. Discussions on front grille guards are the same, while PD's bolt them on, in a serious collision they just increase the insurance claim. They aren't deer proof. There is a benefit to stronger (not necessarily heavier) bumpers, after a certain point, tho, they will just transfer energy to the frame causing it damage. And sudden deceleration of unrestrained occupants is somewhat controlled by having successively stronger layers of construction. Bumpers are the initial weak link.
The one good thing about step bumpers is sticking out enough to keep the tailgate from getting beaten. Bumpers are cheap in comparison. On a 66 Mustang they were literally pieces of chromed trim. My 05 F150 isn't much better.
The one good thing about step bumpers is sticking out enough to keep the tailgate from getting beaten. Bumpers are cheap in comparison. On a 66 Mustang they were literally pieces of chromed trim. My 05 F150 isn't much better.
rruff
Explorer
One thing that's sure is that the heavier bumper will do more damage to the thing you hit! 🤪
I think ideally, bumpers would have strong and stiff outer piece with a flex element between that and the frame.
plainjaneFJC
Deplorable
Like an ARB or Ironman
Stiff outer piece with flex element? Model T bumper did that, hard flat face mounted on a leaf spring across the frame. Plenty of old timey B&W film with the Keystone cops demonstrating it.
Like aerodynamics, tho, over 55 and it gets spicy. As said, more metal = more damage. One exciting video of a cruiser doing over 100mph shows a slow motion collision with a deer going up, tearing off the hood, thru the windshield, and out the back glass. Pretty much processed it and all that was left might fit a cooler. IIRC trooper was unharmed, cruiser totaled, tag filled.
I did that with a 90 Cherokee late one night at 35mph, punctured the radiator, destroyed the cheap plastic grille, etc. and the deer skidded down the asphalt, got up and walked away. Thought it could get around the front of my Jeep after leaping over a ten foot fence. And did. I drove it a few blocks home steaming. Pinched off the core tubes and drove with that radiator for another 18 months. Brand new all brass three core lasted about 90 days, then crunch.
It ran too cold anyway.
Like aerodynamics, tho, over 55 and it gets spicy. As said, more metal = more damage. One exciting video of a cruiser doing over 100mph shows a slow motion collision with a deer going up, tearing off the hood, thru the windshield, and out the back glass. Pretty much processed it and all that was left might fit a cooler. IIRC trooper was unharmed, cruiser totaled, tag filled.
I did that with a 90 Cherokee late one night at 35mph, punctured the radiator, destroyed the cheap plastic grille, etc. and the deer skidded down the asphalt, got up and walked away. Thought it could get around the front of my Jeep after leaping over a ten foot fence. And did. I drove it a few blocks home steaming. Pinched off the core tubes and drove with that radiator for another 18 months. Brand new all brass three core lasted about 90 days, then crunch.
It ran too cold anyway.
Peter_n_Margaret
Adventurer
In my new build, I have taken a lesson from modern cars.
The original bumper is a folded/welded C section from 3mm steel.
It looked OK, but is actually not very strong at all.
The replacement bumper is fabricated from 6mm high density polyethylene sheet plastic that is hot bent and hot air welded into a rectangular tube and attached to the front chassis cross member at multiple points.
The hatch is so I can get access to the attachment points and to use it as a storage box, maybe for fishing rods?
Much lighter and much tougher, and no rust, ever!
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome
The original bumper is a folded/welded C section from 3mm steel.
It looked OK, but is actually not very strong at all.
The replacement bumper is fabricated from 6mm high density polyethylene sheet plastic that is hot bent and hot air welded into a rectangular tube and attached to the front chassis cross member at multiple points.
The hatch is so I can get access to the attachment points and to use it as a storage box, maybe for fishing rods?
Much lighter and much tougher, and no rust, ever!
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome
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dstefan
Well-known member
Is that a one off (and did you make it?) or does some company make them?
I used to have a 5/8” UHMW tranny skidpate on my built Tacoma that was great. It would deform a bit on hits or rocks, but slide over and bounce back. It was just a flat sheet, well anchored, but I can see how a well formed and welded 3D bumper could be good. That stuff is super tough and a lot lighter than steel.
Peter_n_Margaret
Adventurer
One off that I made.
I can do shorter hot bending and simple welding, but I got some help with that one.
I am a big fan of fabricated HDPE. Light tough and almost indestructible.
Likewise with tanks.
All my water and fuel tanks are rotomoulded HDPE.
I make the sheet metal moulds and get a local moulder to rotomould them for me. That way you get exactly what you want at any thickness you want.
This is a 130L water tank.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome
I can do shorter hot bending and simple welding, but I got some help with that one.
I am a big fan of fabricated HDPE. Light tough and almost indestructible.
Likewise with tanks.
All my water and fuel tanks are rotomoulded HDPE.
I make the sheet metal moulds and get a local moulder to rotomould them for me. That way you get exactly what you want at any thickness you want.
This is a 130L water tank.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome
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dstefan
Well-known member
Very cool! Thats some great DIY.
Different perspectives on the same issue. Here in Texas one of the most common accessories on trucks are Ranch hand Bumpers, personally know of a sales rep who drives the Hill Country 2 lanes daily year round. Kills at least 50 deer a year with no damage to his superduty. Little in common between a full Ranch Hand bumper and the usual aftermarket grill guard. Many Ford dealers routinely advise the snow plow prep package on new trucks to deal with the 400 lb weight of the bumper.
Surfing the net and reading about Ranch Hands, they are very capable of surviving hits at lower speeds. They aren't cheap, you do get your money's worth.
Over a certain threshold they have demonstrated they will tweak the frame. When the insurance adjuster calculates the costs of straightening it, plus uses the inflated percentage threshold "totaling" a vehicle, then a highly modified truck owner may find themselves uncompensated for their "investment." That's not a disclaimer against the bumper as much as the wreck and applies, bumper or not. I lost a mechanically restored '80 F150 to a large tree limb in a tornado, all I got was street value for a rusty old truck. if you're a cattleman or off roader who pushes things out of the way, a Ranch Hand is a good tool to add to the protection of the vehicle, but on a daily basis just driving from a suburban home to work, it's got a gas penalty fee every time it's cranked up, and it won't net an ROI if insurance is calculated.
They are kinda like plate carriers for your truck.
Over a certain threshold they have demonstrated they will tweak the frame. When the insurance adjuster calculates the costs of straightening it, plus uses the inflated percentage threshold "totaling" a vehicle, then a highly modified truck owner may find themselves uncompensated for their "investment." That's not a disclaimer against the bumper as much as the wreck and applies, bumper or not. I lost a mechanically restored '80 F150 to a large tree limb in a tornado, all I got was street value for a rusty old truck. if you're a cattleman or off roader who pushes things out of the way, a Ranch Hand is a good tool to add to the protection of the vehicle, but on a daily basis just driving from a suburban home to work, it's got a gas penalty fee every time it's cranked up, and it won't net an ROI if insurance is calculated.
They are kinda like plate carriers for your truck.
rruff
Explorer
Low strength steel is actually very good at absorbing energy through permanent deformation. This is a nice feature if you are trying to reduce G forces on occupants, but the steel gets mangled in the process.
If we want to reduce damage to the vehicle and the bumper itself for low speed impacts, which seems like a good goal, then the plastic bumper may work quite well. I wonder about how much energy it absorb before it cracks though.
I have 2" tall, slightly hollow loading dock bumper made of rubber... backed by a 2"x1/8 6061 Al tube, which is backed by a 2"x1/4 Al tube.
I needed to build a wide rear bumper. I bought a stock steel bus bumper new. (85"x9") Not expensive. The steel was good but not enough for my needs. I cut 2x3" 1/4 tube, and welded it to the back. Now I have two tubes welded to the back side, with a trailer hitch welded below.
Now I am thinking how to hang it on the truck frame.
Now I am thinking how to hang it on the truck frame.
IdaSHO
IDACAMPER
Personally, for front bumpers its all about safety and the ability to take a hit and still get home.
And around here animal strikes are far more of a concern than anything.
So it needs to be engineered with factory crumple zones and air bag sensors in mind.
It also needs to protect the front end enough, mainly headlamps and radiator to allow the truck to remain drivable.
So Im all about ARB front bumpers these days. Well engineered, tough, built for big winches, and properly coated to last.
And rear bumpers? Whats that? Never have seen the need. Hope I never do.
And havnt been called out on it yet..... yet.... if I do Ill build a receiver mounted bumper to be "legal"
And around here animal strikes are far more of a concern than anything.
So it needs to be engineered with factory crumple zones and air bag sensors in mind.
It also needs to protect the front end enough, mainly headlamps and radiator to allow the truck to remain drivable.
So Im all about ARB front bumpers these days. Well engineered, tough, built for big winches, and properly coated to last.
And rear bumpers? Whats that? Never have seen the need. Hope I never do.
And havnt been called out on it yet..... yet.... if I do Ill build a receiver mounted bumper to be "legal"