I'm looking at alot of builds on this site and I see that 99% of people use aftermarket bumpers.
Does the use of armor (bumpers, sliders, cages) depend on what type of off-roading the truck will do?
If the trails are easy and there won't be any rocks encountered can I get away with using a stock front bumper?

I was thinking of running a stock bumper with a hoop mounted to it to mount lights.

 

of course i only play in mud and theres not really a need for anythat all i have is a nice rollbar now one of these days ill weld me a nice front bumper but i have to many mods waitin on

 

a majority of the front bumpers you see are show, especially the ones with the giant stingers. by the time you actually need a stinger to keep your rig from geting crushed, you might be in a situation that will require the jaws of life..

most people get by with a set of sliders, for the obvious reasons, and a winch of atleast a good spot to connect a chain..

 

It's all up to the driver. I wheeled a lifted subaru station wagon for years, with stock bumpers and no skidplates, just have to know where the obstacles are so you don't do damage.


Steel bumpers will improve clearance, prevent damage, and add strong tow points. Rock sliders will also prevent damage. A [correctly built] stinger on a bumper can help prevent flipping over forward, and should you roll it onto the roof, prevent radiator damage.

Bumpers and sliders also make a great place to use a hi-lift jack to make repairs. Without them, you will have to carry a floor jack, which can be a MASSIVE pain to use on the trail.



The first wheeling trip I did in my 4runner was done without skidplates (not even the stock ones, bolts are broken off in the mounts...), and smittybilt (AKA poorlybilt) tube bumpers, which are really only for looks, I can use the high-lift on them, but that's about all I got over stock ones. In the process of the body lift and engine swap, the only skidplate I have added is the budbuilt one for the tcase. Hopefully I can get the stock gas tank plate mounted before I do much, but we'll see.

 

i damaged the rocker panel on my '84 and couldn't open my passenger side door for 4 months till i had $$ to fix it.
get s liders

 

I tell you what, I wish I had an aftermarket bumper on the front of my truck. I tell you why. When I wheel, I only have my hi-lift with me. I've had to use it once on mine to change a front tire because I blew a bead and on a full size stock dodge when wheeling that ended up having a flat on the front.

Trying to use that hi-lift on the front bumper on mine is very sketchy to say the least. That thing don't support much weight at all and when working around a hi-lift is sketchy to begin with. If I had an ARB or a tube bumper with the slider adapter on it, I woulda felt safer. I suppose it would be the same with sliders on too, but I like going as far forward or as far backward as I can when lifting to change a tire.

 

what do think is going to happen?
exo cages and any other form of armor are expensive and a lot of work for a reason, they work. Nothin that works well comes easy or cheap.
Also depends on how nice you want to keep "functionality" of the cab and such.
Armor definetly adds capability. Sure you can go wheeling without it and have a good time, but theres a lot of places that will turn your rig into swiss cheese without it.

 

you don't need a exo cage for normal 'wheeling' however you should have sliders and decent bumpers front and rear.
I see a ton of high lift jacks mounted on racks of mall crawlers that have no place to use said jack or even recovery points besides what the thing was tied down to the Truck when it rolled in on an Auto Transport Truck

 

I guess it all depends on what you do.I think a lot is keep up with the big boys

I have had a high lift jack since 1976 I have never had any fancy body armor and have been in some pretty wild country..

Although it was not my style to drive over stupid things just to say i could I had to get into these places for work If I couldn`t drive it meant Horse back and pack out stuff by mules .

Body armor sells people think they need it.

Winch bumpers rear custom bumpers yes I have built my share over the years then they served a purpose other then to look good

 

start with sliders, then move to bumpers. Sliders also double as a step to clean the roof of the truck. I hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiighly recommend sliders if you have an extended cab.

 

All good info. I haven't been off-road here in CT.
Most of the off road trucks I see on the road are Jeep Cherokees with mild lifts and no body armor. They are usually covered in mud.

 

The stock bumpers on our trucks do not hold up to much abuse

http://youtu.be/2kLTLH-yWIw

 

The front bumpers on our trucks are nearly useless. I hit a tree going about 20km/h (12mph) being stupid. Smashed up the hood and grill pretty good. If I had bought a decent bumper I could have avoided such damage.

 

agree'd. Bumpers and sliders are a must. But at minimum. A cage alows you to just get crazy.

 

I wheeled for a long time with 33's 4.88's spooled in back and just a front winch bumper in my 89 pickup. Did great even with no lift just cut fenders. Mostly was just the bed that got destroyed. Then I sas'd it and caged it.

 

Before

 

Before and after