An aftermarket steel front bumper serves many purposes. For one, it protects vital front end components. Two, it drastically improves your approach angle. Three, it allows you to safely mount a winch and add auxiliary front lighting.
This plate bumper from True North accomplishes all of those things while keeping the weight to around 90lbs. Without a winch, you wouldn't even need to upgrade your front coils.
This item ships freight as a DIY KIT. The fully welded bumper can be found HERE
A little about the bumper:
- The frame mounting plate, winch plate, and skid supports are all 7 gauge HRPO steel. The inner main vertical plates and underwing supports are 3/8” thick steel. Shackle mounts are 1/2" steel. All other sheet metal parts are made of 11 gauge HRPO steel. All tubing is 1.75 OD 11 gauge ERW steel.
- The bumper was modeled around a warn m8000 winch that has a 10" x 4.5" mounting pattern and centered fairlead/spool. Other winches may fit (similar size and mounting pattern required). Depending on the winch size you will possibly need to detach and relocate the control box.
- We realized that these bumpers are going to be mounted on 20ish-year-old vehicles and the chances of each and every one of them having a perfect frame with no previous front end damage are slim. So in order to offer the best fitment possible, we made all the mounting points slightly oversized. This will give you a little adjustability when mounting. Depending on how far you need to adjust you will possibly need to use washers as shims between the bumper and the frame. New bolts and washers are included.
- Weighs roughly 90 lbs. Any grille guard tubing will add to this.
Important Notes
- In order to get the tightest fitment and strongest mounting design possible, there is some modification required. You will have to trim 2 inches off the front of the frame rails on the vehicle. This will not reduce the integrity of the frame. After cutting, clean and coat the cut area with some spray paint to prevent any rust issues.
- This bumper was designed specifically for 3rd gen 4runners and 01-04 Tacomas. Tacoma owners installing this bumper will need to add 3/4" spacers (made out of 6061 aluminum blocks) to the bottom mounting points and use extended M12 hardware (spacers and hardware are included). The bumper will work on 96-00 models but has not been tested in-house yet, so if you have those years please be aware it might not fit perfectly and have a gap between the bumper and grille. If you do have a 98-00 model be aware you might also have to trim 2 inches off the front of the frame horns on the vehicle. This is the same modification required on all years of the 3rd gen 4runner and will not reduce the integrity of the frame. After cutting, clean and coat the cut area with some spray paint to prevent any rust issues.
- This bumper will not work with body lifts without leaving a gap. It will work with stock height and suspension lifted vehicles.
- There may be small imperfections on the surfaces of the parts, such as small areas of surface rust or shallow scratches caused during the manufacturing or shipping processes.