Cuoutdoors
Executive Member
Lifetime Member
It's a great bumper and I won't discount any body's experience with them, but I haven't any confidence in the upper mounts. I think if I hit something with it, the bent straps would fold up and the bumper would slam into my Pioneer causing more damage than the impact would on a stock bumper. Maybe I'm totally wrong about that, but confidence is an individual perception and I just don't have any in the upper mounts.
This member's experience only validated my concerns:
The factory bumper has a crush zone built in. I hit a deer with my factory bumper and it smashed clear to the head lights. The crush zone collapsed and the bumper was ruined along with my front grill.
I understand your point about the tough country straps. My problem was with the 90 deg. End starting to straighten out. I really don't think what you're concerned about is likely to happen. It will take a very significant impact to bend the straps so much that the bumper then hits the machine. I would be more concerned about the crappy mount bolts breaking off and then sustaining more damage. If a strap on the TC bends its an easy fix. When the stock bumper bends you throw it in the garbage.
In any case, something has to give. Whether Its going to be the straps, bolts, frame, bumper, etc. If something doesn't give its going to be felt very strongly by the person behind the wheel.
Just my 2 cents.