So I have a line on a Ranch Hand grill guard. But I'm kinda on the fence about putting a grill guard on my truck.


I have concerns and would like those that have or have had a guard on your truck to provide your thoughts.


Thanks for your help.

 

What are your concerns?

You are looking at just the guard, that allows the use of the factory bumper?

 

Yes. Strength, effects on fuel mileage and any unknowns that others have encountered.

 

Strength, your looking at the right brand, and others like them. Ranchhand is built to help protect your front end from damage. It would help with things like retread on the interstate if it kicked up at you, or a deer.

While not as good as a full bumper and guard, it will still help.

MPG will not change much. Your adding 150lbs or so. And it's not like our trucks are aerodynamic to begin with.

It will obviously stick out a little further up front, so don't squeeze to close to the car in front of you parking.

The ones that are waste of money are these chrome bull bars, that are to thin to protect you from anything.

 

Roger that. Thanks.

 

Some grille guards can cause more damage than they prevent.

The top of the grille guard tips backwards and smashes against the hood, or the headlight guard wing of the grille guard swings backwards and smashes the fender... all in minor collisions where the only damage that would have been otherwise sustained without the guard would be limited to just the bumper and perhaps the grille shell. So in that case, the damage escalated from just replaceable parts to body and paint work.

Painting and sheet metal reworking is really expensive, and requires a shop, or shop like expertise and equipment, to do it right. Replacing a bumper and grille alone is a DIY bolt on job in the backyard with simple dime store tools and Craigslist derived cast off parts.

The issue is that grille guards mount low, on the frame horns, which are even lower in the 2008 through 2016 trucks. The low mount is a pivot point, so 1 degree of impact at the mounting point multiplies quite a bit by the time one measures 2 feet above the pivot point. Some of the grille guards are three feet tall, extending from the chin spoiler to the top of the grille. There is no solid upper mounting point to stop the grille guard from tipping backwards on impact.

Adding a bumper guard, without the grille guard is a solution that would prevent the tip back on impact problem, as would adding a full replacement bumper with an integrated grille guard that was sturdily welded to the bumper itself, reducing the tendency of an independent grille guard to pivot and fold at a bolted flange.

 

good info, thanks.

 

The bolt on grill guards developed here in Texas were meant for opening bump gates without damaging the truck and keeping hard thorny brush, such as mesquite, out of the radiator. They will take an impact from our relatively small Hill Country deer if you brake, but can't manage to avoid hitting it. They were never meant for hitting full size deer at highway speeds. They cause more damage in traffic accidents, to both vehicles.

Like stated above, if you want strength, go for a full replacement. If brush or bump gates are a concern, get a full guard on it.

 

On the current model year Ranch Hand Grille Guards there are lower mounts that go through the under the bumper air damn/deflector and mount to the lower frame of the truck to assist in making sure that the grille guard is reinforced from folding back into the truck in a collision. Many manufactures do not do this.

I went with the Ranch Hand Grille Guard rather than a complete replacement bumper grille guard set up to be honest I like the chrome of my front bumper and I did not want the extra weight of an aftermarket bumper hanging forward of the front suspension

Earlier this week I got a wild hair and cut out the mesh inserts between the cross bars on my Ranch Hand. I like the open look, it allows more air flow to the trucks grill, improved my MPG, but in the process it does remove the factory grill protection from road debris.

As for my needs, it is more for parking lot, poor drivers, and maybe a deer with a death wish. I sold the longhorn a few years ago and leased the ranch land to a local who runs some of his cattle and farms the rest.





If you look to the right side under the grille guard you will notice where the air damn has been cut to allow the metal strap support to go back and attach to the frame of the truck.

 

Right now I have a Grill Guard....I was going to buy a Buck Stop aftermarket bumper but:
1. I dont have 3k to spend for that
2. I was worried about the aftermarket bumper and 15k winch always hanging off the front of the truck. Maybe some day I will get one.
...Gage

 

Thanks. can I bother you for a picture of the bottom mounting bolts and attachment?

 

Sure thing, I have some on my photobucket account, let me see if I can locate them.

My truck may appear a little different than yours due to having a lower front receiver hitch also mounted to the frame. But you can see the strap coming from the grill guard and the bracket that it mounts to. No drilling is required to mount the grill guard. Or for that fact the front receiver hitch if so inclined.

 

Thanks. I really like the hitch. Really helps when backing up the trailer, or do you use it for mounting accessories to the front of the truck?

 

What I have found with the frame mounted front receiver hitch is that it exits the front of the truck very low to the ground. In the photo you can see that what I have mounted in the receiver is a step platform for engine access. I also have a Bodiak front receiver hitch which mounts by bolting it through the factory tow loops. Two bolts per side which makes it very easy to mount or unmounts as needed.

Bodiak is a very small family owned business with a customer service that far exceeds what many companies strive to achieve. When I was looking at purchasing their hitch I had concerns as to whether it would fit in conjunction with the Ranch Hand Grille Guard and took the time to provide me with different measurements and answers before I placed the order. I highly recommend these folks and their product.

http://www.bodiak.us/

I use the Bodiak receiver for my portable winch as it keeps it up high off of the ground. If I need to double the winch line back to the truck to increase the winch load capacity I place a receiver mounted D-ring in the lower receiver to use.

An additional thing about both front receiver hitches is that the lower hitch and frame double as front end support in strength in the event of a frontal collision. The Bodiak makes for a nice step platform for engine compartment access. And being mounted to the factory tow loops also helps to strengthen the front of the truck against any impact and damage to the expensive cooling system parts behind the bumper and grill.

 

Nice. Thanks. Just one more mod to add to the list.