Brush / Grill Guard - post em' if you got em'

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MoreOvalteenPlz

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I like your front license plate! I almost got one for my truck, but used a different one I already had in the garage. :D

Haha thanks you can order one through the link on OCCW's facebook page. It's great representing the pokes and agriculture everywhere I go!
 

wobly

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Has anybody successfully found a brush guard/grille guard that can 1) bounce a deer off of it without deforming 2) accommodate the ParkSense sensors in the front bumper?

Deer are a threat here and so are elk, but I have pretty much resigned myself to the fact that if I hit an elk while driving, it will probably end up in a new truck from the damage whether I have a guard on or not. For the deer, I would like to bounce them off the front without tearing up the radiator, lights, etc. The tradeoff is that I like the ParkSense feature when in a tight parking area and don't want it screaming at me because it senses the brush guard.
 

Bfisherman

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I posted most of this on another thread but here is mine. A story about this Westin HDX Grill guard is that the place I ordered from said it would fit my Express so I ordered. When it showed up I could see it needed the chrome bumper to mount a lower brace and not the plastic clad one I have. I checked Westin's web site and they clearly say it won't fit the Express. I did not buy from them and did not think to verify fitment with the manufacturer (lesson learned). I emailed Westin to see if they had Express brackets but no response from them. Being an engineer and tinker'r I decided to make my own lower bracket. I am pretty happy with the results and think it is more solid than the original concept.

I included an after the crash before repair and then after repair with new Grill Guard picture.

I can't recommend this GG to anyone with an Express due to the modifications I had to do. I really prefer the look of my truck w/o the GG but don't want to repeat this damage from hitting a deer again. That drivers headlight was in pieces.
I considered a full steel bumper and grill guard but chose against. Things that stopped me, IL salt on the roads during winter and the auto body guy saying the steel bumpers rust (his statement not mine) and I thought without a lift, my stock truck might not look right. Like all things, if you have one and like it, that is all that matters. One thing, you should be well protected with a full steel bumper/GG.

I think any GG like I have will bend, pretty sure but it adds a bit of protection to the vehicle. I paid about $580 total, shipping included.

Bill
 

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avolnek

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I bought a GR trailers replacement bumper from a kid locally... paid significantly less than it would have cost to buy a new one and have it shipped..

overall i am impressed with it! weighs just north of 200 pounds and is incredibly stout! Designed with enough curves to match the body lines and such but not being too curvy...
 

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Bfisherman

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avolnek, should be good for deer or the eventual zombie Apocalypse. Ha, looks good by the way!

Bill
 

avolnek

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avolnek, should be good for deer or the eventual zombie Apocalypse. Ha, looks good by the way!

Bill

Thank you! My wife, daughter and I do a lot of camping. Dragging a big fifth wheel the last thing i want to do is worry about an animal running out in front of me, so it is there for said purpose... :)

I'm also on our local fire/rescue dept and have seen too many accidents with trucks towing something thinking they would be better off to swerve to avoid the collision...
 

Road King

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I've had my eye on this for a while. I love the fact that it lowers into a step so I can get under the hood. It's called the AMI Swing Step Grille Guard

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Oh man, can I just get those tow hook replacement brackets?! Would be awesome for mounting a light bar...
 

MANual_puller

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Has anybody successfully found a brush guard/grille guard that can 1) bounce a deer off of it without deforming 2) accommodate the ParkSense sensors in the front bumper?

Deer are a threat here and so are elk, but I have pretty much resigned myself to the fact that if I hit an elk while driving, it will probably end up in a new truck from the damage whether I have a guard on or not. For the deer, I would like to bounce them off the front without tearing up the radiator, lights, etc. The tradeoff is that I like the ParkSense feature when in a tight parking area and don't want it screaming at me because it senses the brush guard.

Doubt it. Hitting a deer is a heck of an impact. My ranch hand bumper is bent, no idea what the previous owner hit. I'm pretty confident that the truck will still be driveable if I ever hit a deer. One nice thing with the bumper replacement guards is that you can cut out any bent parts and weld new back in, repaint and away you go. Maybe $100 in the steel + time. Way cheaper than insurance deductible. Basically if you hit one deer it pays for itself.
 

Road King

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avolnek

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Yeah, I seen those... but they are for a 24" light bar. The one's in that pic look like the could work with a 30" light bar. All I had to do was shave my hooks down about 1/16" and my 30" bar fits between them.

Yeah I seen a guy who did just that. He milled a chunk out of his tow hooks to mount a 30" bar and bolted straight into the hooks... cleanest damn light bar install i've ever seen... I'm not a fan of light bars, more or less for the fact EVERYONE is doing it, but damn his looked like it was meant to be there... Had to appreciate the effort he put into it for sure!
 

RamWagon

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Move WIY kit. Still not finished. Adding jeep hooks and some sort of stinger i have to fab clock in around 120 pounds. 3/16 plate with 1/4 gussets throughout.
 

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Italgeorge

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I just got in my Swing Step from AMI today!! I’ll install it in the morning and post some pics for y’all!

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I have a trailready grillguard bumper. Very heavy duty [300 lbs) and 17500 lbs winch mounted in it that brings the total to almost 500 lbs. I think a lot of thing hitting it might just scratch the poweder coat.27750530_10155287568442963_6364894033296644869_n (3).jpg
 
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