Recommendations: heavy duty Full Brush Guard for Limited

Infinite_Karma · **Posted:** Tue Dec 17, 2013 11:01 pm

I started this Thread on the General Discussion forum section (viewtopic.php?f=1&t=77734), but realized it would probably be best if I continued it here, so I'm starting it again here.

____

Hello again LOSTJEEPS peeps!

I have been trying to find a good "heavy duty" Full Brush Guard for my 2005 Jeep Liberty Limited CRD for quite some time now, and I wanted to ask for feedback from everyone. Here is the shape of my 05 Jeep Liberty Limited bumper:

*disclaimer* I understand that Brush Guards are not intended to protect the vehicle in a accident, high speed impact, nor to push boulders around. They are intended to mitigate light to moderate "brush" impacts and the like.

The only one that has met my criteria is this one by Tomken Machine jeep specialists (http://www.tomken.com/):

Sooooo ... how many people out there with the 02-07 KJ have the "Limited" front bumper style have a Full front Brush Guard that they're happy with?

The only other Full Brush guard that I've seen that fits the Limited bumper style is the Aires brand version of the full Brush Guard, but it seems less heavy duty than the Tomken Machine one.

Aries Band full brush guard:

Lastly, I don't have the budget to go with a full ARB Bull Bar bumper replacement system yet (since that will also necessitate me upgrading the front shocks and suspension), and so I'm wondering what people's recommendations are.

What would you do?

Let me know .. THANKS!

Sarma.

lfhoward · **Posted:** Wed Dec 18, 2013 12:06 am

MoD had one of those for sale a while back. It might still be available. Here is his link:
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=76550

Infinite_Karma · **Posted:** Wed Dec 18, 2013 2:57 pm

Thanks for the direction to that seller of the Brush Guard ifhoward,

Sadly I'm being kind of picky.

I am struggling with the price differences at this point. The flimsier looking ones (see below) are surprisingly more expensive, the mid-range ones (see below) seem to have less wavey-bends along the guard & are one-piece through the uprights rather than bolted against the uprights, and of course the heavier duty ones like the Tomken (see below) or a custom fabricated one that are all single-piece heavy duty steel, welded and not bolted together at all.

Flimsy bolt-together?:

Mid-range sturdy/flimsy?:

seem to be more of a single continuous bar that goes through the uprights, & the welded top bar to reinforce it

Heavy Duty one-piece welded:

template custom fabrication - not for an actual jeep, but a good example

As I posted on the other thread, the expense of getting a truly durable and higher-end part is the challenging part for me. I might have to suck it up and either pay for the good stuff or simply go without.

I wonder what custom metal fabricators might charge to make something like the Tomken (TMG-1600-L) ... Anyone ever have a metal fabricator make or alter a per-existing Brush Guard for your vehicle? How much might the hourly rate run?

The Tomken TOM-1600-L really seems like the best one that fits my needs, and seems like a "heavy duty brush guard" that provides more headlight and front grill protection too.

Compared to the other ones, I think the Tomken seems like a stronger designed guard, in that the heavy steel tubing is more continuous (not wavey back and forth to follow the contours of the hood). The Tomken also looks like it is all welded as a single-piece construction, which tends to be sturdier than the bolt together types. And lastly the mounts for the Tomken utilize a solid-steel-towbar-bracket-arm installed into the Roadmaster's tow receivers (http://www.etrailer.com/Base-Plates/Roa ... fgodoC4AYQ) for its mounting points.

Any thoughts on this?

Any and all opinions are welcome.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Wed Dec 18, 2013 3:25 pm

Infinite_Karma wrote:

Hi WWDiesel.

Thanks for your recommendation, how strong are the headlight cover sections (meaning if you grab it with both hands and yank it back and forth, does it move or wiggle)?

I may be wrong, and so correct me if you know better ... that style of Brush Guard may not work on the Limited body-bumper-style that I have. I was worried about buying that one and then having to modify (cut grooves through) my straight bumper cover in order to make it fit. Also, it looks flimsy compared to many other types (with the wave sections of the steel tubing that bend down near the uprights).

Also, do you know if that is an Aries brand brush guard? Is the steel tubing either bolted into the vertical uprights or if it is all welded as a single-piece construction?

I can't find the details online.

I opted not to install the headlight covers as they just bolt in. All the rest of it is fully welded construction. I have a limited also and I did not have to cut any plastic to install. Don't think it was an Aries brand, one I found on EBay now says it is a Ram brand, 319 & free shipping. It is not super heavy duty, but it does not cost a bunch either...

Infinite_Karma · **Posted:** Wed Dec 18, 2013 3:49 pm

Hey again WWDiesel,

Thanks for the quick response, and for the information about what you did with your Brush Guard. I wish there was a good selection Brush Guards out there for our KJs that provided Full coverage around the headlight area that was one piece welded.

The bolt-together sections of these types of brush guards seem like the weakest points. Nice to hear that the rest is all welded one-piece. I'll look up the bran name "Ram" in ebay .. I think I've seen one on there before.

$320.00 + shipping isn't terribly bad for that unit, yet if you check out the price for the Tomken (a little over $350.00), and the fact that it can ship for free when buying it through the vendors who do free shipping, it seems like the best one for me.

Quote:

Liberty Full Brush Guard
Additional tow brakt kit required. Powder coated black.
Shipping cost will not be calculated on this site.
$350.12 TMG-1600-L

OR at sites like:
http://mudflaps.com/i-14336873-tomken-t ... 06-kj.html
http://jabberspot854.wordpress.com/2013 ... le-guards/

How many people who have KJs would be willing to spend $350-$400 for one of the heavy duty Tomken Brush Guards?

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Wed Dec 18, 2013 9:21 pm

Looks like there are some additional costs involved for that unit since you have to purchase the tow brackets in order to install it. What is the total price for all parts??? :?:

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Dec 18, 2013 9:26 pm

I have seen every available option there is over the years and if you think some are stronger than others, well you're pretty much way off base. They are all thin walled tubing, they will all fold up if hit, only way to have any real protection is with a bumper from ARB or Rock Lizard period. The rest are pretty much just for looks is all.
Hang around a body shop for a while and you'll see what I mean.

At The Helm · **Posted:** Thu Dec 19, 2013 12:36 am

I'd suggest a replacement bumper from Rock lizard or ARB too.

Infinite_Karma · **Posted:** Thu Dec 19, 2013 3:34 pm

You're right WWDiesel about the Roadmaster-tow-mounting-receivers being costly as well, they ran about $400.00 from what I can tell (luckily for me they had been installed by the previous owner so I didn't end up paying to have that done).

Thanks for the perspective tommud & Atthehelm. I'll have to go hang out at a metal fabricator's shop for bit and see what I can see. I loved watching these videos of ARB bumpers in the making: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncDNzgUELXQ

Sounds like the most durable option & most secure is the ARB/RockLizard Bumper replacement & Bull Bar addition. I would LOVE to have this done for my KJ ... sadly that will end up costing me over two thousand dollars if not more, given that I'll have to upgrade my front suspension in order to accommodate it.

I'll have to see what I can do.

Thanks again yall.

Recommendations: heavy duty Full Brush Guard for Limited

Who is online