Here are some of the ones I am considering.

Ranch Hand

If you want a HEAVY DUTY full replacement grill guard and back bumper that won't budge, check out Treto's Welding in Ozona or Del Rio Grill Guards, and talk to Art Magaña. These are the stoutest builds I have ever seen on a front or back bumper. Frontiers & Ranch Hands are just too light duty to deter much body damage at highway speeds. Another great custom option is Arc-Rite in Del Rio. Not sure where you are located, but Southwest Fabricators out of Junction is another great option for a very sturdy bumper.

Out of those pictures OP, I'd go with the first one.

I think the more you cover the better you are. I would look for the heaviest built replacement and go with it.
Just putting a guard looks "cool" but does not protect much and with all the color matched bumpers and air dams any thing you hit is expensive.
I would also go with the receiver hitch on the front. It is cool for putting A&M emblems as a hitch cover AND the most important reason is you can "drive" a trailer into places you can't back one. If you have 2 wheel drive it will keep your tires out of the water on boat ramps plus you can see what you are doing.

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I've been considering putting a Ranch Hand or Westin on my Tundra. Last season I had a few close calls with deer and I pretty much know a hit at 65-70mph would destroy the front end.

I'm just curious for those with grill guards or even the replacement bumpers, did they protect your front end from deer or even wrecks?
I'm not too aware of other brands, but any rec's on other manufacturers?
Did it drop your front end at all?

I'm also looking for a good used one if anyone has a lead.

Thanks.

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Had a grill guard on my last truck and it absolutely saved it when I hit a deer. I was going right around your 65-70mph speed. I had the chance to take my foot off the gas and that was it. No time to hit the brakes or swerve. The grill guard without a doubt saved my front end.

The aftermath looked like the scene from Carrie. Most of the front, hood and windshield was covered in blood and fur. Full bumper replacements are great. Ones that cover the grill and headlights too are even better.

I bought mine with the bumper so I couldn't say for sure. I would assume yes but not much. I added a heavy metal bumper on my new Jeep and it did drop the front but less than half an inch.

[This message has been edited by ag-guy (edited 7/2/2014 4:54p).]

Different truck... But I like the Frontier grille guard I had put on my new truck. I think it's a little heavier than the Ranch Hand grille guard, which I had on my 06 F150.
I did drop the front end about 1" or a little more, but I'm going to do a leveling kit and possibly air helper bags on the rear.
With my old truck I hit a 30' pine tree going about 30. It crumpled the brackets on the bumper. Had to have them replaced, but other than that it was good. The guys at Ranch Hand said the truck would have been totaled if the grill guard want there.... So I have always had one on my trucks.







[This message has been edited by ag-guy (edited 7/2/2014 4:55p).]

Check out ARB and Slee off-road for Tundra

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Frontiers & Ranch Hands are just too light duty to deter much body damage at highway speeds.

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I think my Ranch Hand front bumper was close to 300 lbs and the "frame" is made of schedule 80 steel pipe welded to 3/8" or 1/2" plate brackets that bolt to the frame. I'd hardly consider that light duty. Installing the thing was brutal due to the weight.

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I would also go with the receiver hitch on the front. It is cool for putting A&M emblems as a hitch cover AND the most important reason is you can "drive" a trailer into places you can't back one. If you have 2 wheel drive it will keep your tires out of the water on boat ramps plus you can see what you are doing.

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I agree that having a receiver hitch is good, but I would definitely NOT recommend using it at the boat ramp. Especially with a 2WD. Trying to back up a boat ramp with a boat (or even an empty trailer) with all the weight on the front axle and none on the rear axle would result in people pointing and laughing at you while you sit there and spin. Two wheel drive trucks don't do so well backing up hills on their own, much less pulling a trailer from the front.

Where the front receiver hitch really shines is if you have a portable winch or need a tow point or something like that. It's not really meant for trailering.

Grill guards a mostly worthless, there's a reason many refer to them as damage multipliers. Full replacement is the only way to go. ARB makes a good basic bumper made to withstand kangaroo incidents

My uncle hit two hogs last week in the same morning with his full replacement BodyGuard. Chipped the paint a little but no damage other than that.

I had a full Ranch Hand on my Silverado. Never hit anything with it, but small cars had more of a tendency to get out of my way on the roads. #WorthEveryPenny

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I had a full Ranch Hand on my Silverado. Never hit anything with it, but small cars had more of a tendency to get out of my way on the roads. #WorthEveryPenny

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Yes large tires and steel bumpers have an added bonus of being anti-tailgating devices and encourage drivers to stay out of your way.

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Grill guards a mostly worthless, there's a reason many refer to them as damage multipliers. Full replacement is the only way to go.

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I haven't found that to be the case with the heavier line of grille guards that are properly bolted to the frame. They're by no means the same as the full replacements, but they generally do well against deer on highways, bump gates on ranch roads, and keeping cattle from busting a hard plastic grille while driving around pastures.

http://www.southtexasoutfitters.com/category.php?item_id=MQ==

Learn from my mistake....

I added a brush guard to my 3/4 ton but failed to add it and other accessories to my insurance.

The brush guard saved some damage on my truck but the damaged guard wasn't covered.....

Bob_Ag, not that heavy. If a Chevy you can turn the bolts on the back of the A arms to raise the front. They also make "keys" for this, but I did not have any better lu with them than just "jacking" the suspension. Just get on level ground and measure both sides as you raise it.

I didn't add my brush guard , specifically to my insurance, and it was covered for replacemt.

I guess State Farm realizes there would have been a lot more to cover if I didn't have it when I hit the deer. There's a reason the major insurance companies cost just a little more.