Bull Bar vs. Brush Guard

[Commuter Cop]

Hey All,
This is my first post on the forum and I need a little advice. I do some serious commuting and encounter a lot of deer on the way. I've read that that front end of my 2500 doesn't hold up too well in a deer confrontation. I've got a limited budget and really can't afford a new Heavy Duty bumper just yet (just got truck 2 months ago and down payment ate up my juice money). Question will a bull bar save my front end in a unwanted deer encounter or do I need to go to a full brush guard for added protection? Buy the way what is the primary reason for a bull bar anyway?
Thanks for your help and I'm putting myself in the hands of the experts. :confused:

[MaxACL]

Welcome to the forum (First things first...)

Two questions... What's a Bull Bar (is that like a drinking establishment)? And two... Wouldn't a Crow Bar work? :confused:

On a serious note, I'd talked to a driver in South Texas that had hit a deer in his Ford. The deer did some dammage, had to replace a raditor and some aircondition stuff but he was driving the next day (his job is delivering travel trailers). Had he not had a brush guard in place, the deer would have done much more dammage.

Hope this helps
:D
Mike

[ChaoticRacer]

If you're willing to spend anywhere upto $500 for a "brush guard" that might do more damage than protect, feel free. Personally I would just save the extra $3-400 and go with a ranch hand replacement bumper. But I like to buy things once IMO

[NEAB]

ChaoticRacer, would appreciate a website for the Ranch Hand replacement bumper. Thanks.

[DMAX4LIFE]

http://www.ranchhand.com

[Michigana_Joe]

Ranch hand front-end replacement. Wife recently took out a buck that weighed nearly 200 lbs. with zero damage to the bumper or the truck (a 2500 Suburban). Yes she was luckly, but there would have been damage had she not had the Ranch Hand.

Another time while parked she had an Aztec bump her head on in a parking lot (driver misjudged distance?). Again zero damage (Aztec damage was substantial).

I could go on, but suffice it to say the bumper has paid for itself many times over...

[sonofagun]

Commuter Cop,

Welcome to the forum and the world of DMAX, you're gona love both.

Ranch Hands are the best for serious damage control. They are too clunky looking for me and weight a lot (thereby the protection). I also feel you need to add a ranch hand bumper to the rear so the truck looks right.

I have had Manik brush guards on my last two trucks. I buy the stainless steel model since it is stonger. They are double mounted (mounted from the bottom to the frame and through the grill to the frame). The big problem with most brush guards is they are often light weight and bend under impact or they roll forward from the bottom only mount and do upper front end damage.

Any Texas deer hit fast enough would cause damage to all but Ranch Hand units in my opinion. I have hit a deer with my '01. The Manik grill insert over the headlight was bent and I did have to replace it ($80), but the bar held the deer off with no other damage.

I was traveling about 45 miles an hour (probably braked to the 30s at time of impact. The deer was pretty busted up.

You can find a Manik SS brush guard for around $650 to $700 if you shop.

Regards,
Bob

[BlackMax]

Ranchand also makes a brush gaurd that is a bolt on and is a strong unit. It boltts on at the frame supports on the bumper and on the bottom to the frame. I have not hit anything with it but am shure it will pay for itself if I do. It saved my front fender when someone got too close in a parking lot. All I had was white on the gaurd but as much paint as there was I bet they don't get that close to another truck.

[HD-Nate]

It may stop a big buck but what will it do for a big Tom???
:eek:

smile.gif smile.gif smile.gif

http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/images/1049311061171_turkey1.jpg

http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/images/1049311061372_turkey2.jpg


STORY HERE (http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/article***p?sectionId=45&id=8398)

http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/article***p?sectionId=45&id=8398


OK cant find a way around the forum link censor, replace the *** with ./j/s remove the /'s :rolleyes:

[ 11-26-2003, 07:55 AM: Message edited by: HD-Nate ]

[jjgmc]

What happens when a GMC hits a deer going 70mph. {Click on the link below} I am geting a tough country frontend replacement. I wounld buy a frontend replacment over a brush guard anyday after what happened.

[Commuter Cop]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Those pictures speak for themselves.
Sorry that happended.
But on the bright side if that was a Honda Civic... :eek:

[jjgmc]

If I was driving a Honda I would not be writing this reply. :D :D Anyways damage was $5000 the insurance covered the cost of the brush guard. I will not have to pay that much for the frontend replacement. If the brush guard was not there the radiator and intercooler would have been damaged so it helped some what. I will post pics of the tough country frontend replacement when I get the truck back

[ 11-30-2003, 08:22 AM: Message edited by: jjgmc ]

[stretch]

http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/images/1049311061171_turkey1.jpg

I had the same thing happen to me this past spring in my work van. The turkey didn't make it through the windshield but damn close and on the drivers side, enough to scare the poop out of me and sprinkle be with small chunks of glass. :eek:

[ski]

before a SS brushguard for $700, checkout www.roadarmor.com (http://www.roadarmor.com) for a bumper at $995. great quality and not run of the mill. I have a stealth series and am very happy.

[Commuter Cop]

Looking forward to seeing those pics of your new bumper jjgmc. I think I'll hold off getting anything until I see them. smile.gif

[jjgmc]

If you want go to www.toughcountry.com (http://www.toughcountry.com) and take a look at the deluxe frontend replacements for chevy/gmc thats what mine will look like

[sonofagun]

Turkey and Deer oh MY!!

What a mess. The turkey arrival would have required my to extact myself from the rear seat!

JJG,

Did your Manik guard have the extra brackets through the grill our was it just mounted at the bottom?

Bob

[jjgmc]

Grill guard is a smittybuilt outland. yes it did have the brackets threw the grill and on the bottom