should i install a brushguard and taillight guards on my 03 2wd X ?

The short answer to your question is "no."

The long version is... "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"

why not ? im not going to be doing off roading

it dont matter if you offroad or not..... if you hit anything you will be upet with the damage that somthing you paid 200+ did. where as if you didnt put it on and hit somthing or somthing hit you it would more than likley do less damage.....

i see thanx for the advise

welcome..... anytime just ask......many great minds on here.....

OK, i know that the brush guard catches a lot of flak on here, but i do have to say, i was in a wreck with my explorer (sandwiched), and my brush guard completely saved the front end of my truck. so perhaps it has to do with the front end of an X being made of pretty much all plastic (note: i love my X, not going all Kona).

OK, i know that the brush guard catches a lot of flak on here, but i do have to say, i was in a wreck with my explorer (sandwiched), and my brush guard completely saved the front end of my truck. so perhaps it has to do with the front end of an X being made of pretty much all plastic (note: i love my X, not going all Kona).

that is hilarious man, hi-fkn-larious

OK, i know that the brush guard catches a lot of flak on here, but i do have to say, i was in a wreck with my explorer (sandwiched), and my brush guard completely saved the front end of my truck. so perhaps it has to do with the front end of an X being made of pretty much all plastic

It doesn't really have to do with the plastic, but more the shape of the front end and where the brushguard mounts.

On some trucks (possibly your exploder) the brushguard is fairly upright, and probably mounts to the frame right behind the bumper. so in a front impact the brush guard might actually take the hit.

On the Xterra, the brush guard is curved AND mounts way down low. So in the event of an impact it acts a sort of lever, bending back and crushing everyhing behind it, actually amplifying the force of the impact - causing more damage than would have been done without it.

Where you may have just busted a headlight without it, you now have a busted headlight, fender, bumper, grill, and hood. AND a busted brush guard.


(note: i love my X, not going all Kona).

:auslachen2-big:

yep!!!! at first i wanted a guard but after doing reaserch i said hell no!!!!!!

what are those bumpers i see on those X's what kind and whats the price range for them

The best ones are from Shrockworks....they use the thickest steel, have the best approach and departure angles, have crazy tough powder coat, super strong recovery points that are actually plates of 3/8" thick steel running in one piece from your frame, all the way through the bumper (Welded on both sides....), to the recovery point it self, completely bracing and triangulating the frame itself, as well as the bumper....they also allow a 9.5K LB winch to be hidden inside, safe from prying eyes, and a mess of other advantages.

www.shrockworks.com


The others, who's shortcomings are more performance based than quality based, include Calmini, ARB, TJM and KMA. Calmini's rust like crazy, KMA has trouble welding it together straight, ARB uses thin 10 guage sheet metal instead of plate steel, and TJM and ARB seem to protrude into the wheel wells, so with 32's, they either can rip OFF the bumper parts, or require that you cut them off/unbolt them, to fit the tires....and none of them have a good approach angle....as they all stick out too far from your grill.

ALL of them are better than ANY Brush Guard though.

:D


Even the 10 ga ARB's have deflected deer strikes....even if they had to suffer to save the X.

My Shrock has hit too many deer to count (I live in NJ...), and made buckets of Venison Puree, with NO damage to the bumper, and none to the truck either...amazing protection.

like always just spend the money and get all shrocked up!!!!!!

when i bought my 04 se it had the brush guard on it already, so should i take it off and sell it for couple hundred bucks? isnt the reason for having a brush guard to protect your front end? why would it cause more damage than without it?i like the shrock works bumpers but im just a poor E-5 in the navy!!! are they easy to install? thanks chris

i'm just a poor E-4 in the army, so i'm just gonna save save save!!! shrock here i come!

from what i have heard they are easy to install and yes take the brushguarn off and sell it......

Jim's stuff (shrockworks) is top notch, and fairly straight forward to install. He installed my rear bumper, and sliders (took his guys about thirty minutes) but i installed the front bumper all by myself (I recommend having a friend help). His directions make it pretty easy.

Here are pics....
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e155/edwardwebb/DSC00290.jpg
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e155/edwardwebb/DSC00272.jpg

EYEGUY05
Noob

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: patuxent river md
Posts: 7

brush guard
when i bought my 04 se it had the brush guard on it already, so should i take it off and sell it for couple hundred bucks?

isnt the reason for having a brush guard to protect your front end? why would it cause more damage than without it?

i like the shrock works bumpers but im just a poor E-5 in the navy!!! are they easy to install? thanks chris
__________________
2004 SE 4X4






sigh.

Yeah - its confusing why a brush guard is not only NOT protecting you, but actually causes more damage...untill you look at the way they are attached.

The bumpers are designed to brace straight back to the frame horns...a brush guard MUST go UNDER the plastic and so forth, curve down, and then, back up, to reach the frame horns to mount.

No matter how well made they are, at least for X's and other trucks that have similar front ends...that giant loop down and back up to the frame...acts as a giant lever arm.

Even a moderate force on the bumper will twist it, and make it hit parts of the X that WOULD have been unscathed.

A brush guard is OK for brush...like tall grass, or bumping a gate open between grazing areas...but...

The giant loop under there KILLS your approach angle...so an X with a brush guard can't get over stuff a STOCK X could easily clear, etc.

Its essentially just a cosmetic device, that LOOKS like it should do SOMETHING protective...and they are sold that way, and most newbies assume that they are functional, or at least tough LOOKING.

So - a brush guard causes more damage than it prevents, and hurts performance off road by sticking down too far.

Thy sell quickly on E-bay to OTHER NEWBIES...who then find out about them, and RESELL them on E-bay...where they circulate like X-mas Fruit Cakes.

:D

So if you HAVE one, sell it, and use the $ to defray the costs for a Shrock.

If you DON'T have one...you're safe for now.

:D

The install is a breeze, even with a winch...if you have a floor jack, and/or a few freinds, to hold it in position while you slide a few bolts in.

I've installed bumpers now on old X's, and one new X so far...30 minutes or so...20 of which is unpacking the damn things.

:D

I am glad I read all this on the brush guards.

if you like go ahead and get it. people here and on other x forums always discourage people from having it. because they saw one pic of what it did and now they think whatever it's on will hurt it. if you hit anything pretty hard there will be damage,with or w/out it. not like we really meant to hit something right......or you can get that shrock bumper that weighs a ton and doesn't look good... imo.....flame on B@#$%&*

Uhmm.... Uhhhhh..... Hmmmmm !!!!!!

:zunge3-big: Maybe he is right... you should trust this one guys opinion. Especially when he even admits that everyone here and on all the other X forums will discourage you from buying one [brush guard].

This one guy is obviously more knowledgeable then all of the rest of the X community!

**As for the weight issue... if you add a brush guard you are retaining the weight of the stock bumper and adding the weight of the brush guard, If you buy an after market bumper you are taking off the weight of the stock bumper (which has a large metal beam behind the plastic). So the net weight gain would be about the same which ever you choose (believe it or not)!

if you like go ahead and get it. people here and on other x forums always discourage people from having it. because they saw one pic of what it did and now they think whatever it's on will hurt it. if you hit anything pretty hard there will be damage,with or w/out it. not like we really meant to hit something right......or you can get that shrock bumper that weighs a ton and doesn't look good... imo.....flame on B@#$%&*

Maybe YOU saw one pic...we've seen dozens of TRUCKS, and HUNDREDS of pics.

:D

So, you are completely uninformed, and making statements without any basis in fact.

The REASONS for the damage increases are explained quite clearly...not because of an unmentioned picture, but because of the giant loop the mount has to make, to get back around all the stock plastic and so forth.

The killed approach angle is also explained, by pointing out that the mount down there is in the way, and hits stuff a stock X can clear with ease.

Is doesn't add a ton either...its about 100 lbs, and you take OFF about 45 lbs to mount it...so it only adds about 60 lbs...making you wrong by about 97%.

As for whether or not you like Shrocks...you're on your own there...as its personal preference, no wrong answer at least, so you are 100% right in that you don't like it...probably explaining your ill informed/incorrect post, and misinterpretation of all related information. :D


IE: YOU saw one pic, thought that was it, and used that to justify, in your mind, all the conclusions that followed.

You didn't know about everyone else's experiences and knowledge on this issue....and assumed that YOUR knowledge was complete.

Anyone who assume they know everything is ALWAYS WRONG..including me...I don't know everything about the X, but THIS happens to be an area of personal experience.

So - As you were obviously trying to contribute to the forum with what you at least THOUGHT was correct, no harm/no foul.

Just chalk it up to experience, add it to your knowledge base...and don't post drivel if you can help it.

:D

because they saw one pic of what it did and now they think whatever it's on will hurt it.

1. I have seen many pictures of damage caused by brushguards (specifically on Xterras) and have also seen it in person.

if you hit anything pretty hard there will be damage,with or w/out it.

2. Yes, if you hit anything hard enough there will be damage, BUT -- the brush guard makes that damage worse, and increases the area and number of parts damaged.



-

Good point Ant. (Sexy - saw your post after, also good points)

:D

Yeah, and the FORCE required to DO the damge shifts upwards dramatically too...for example, a std deer strike on the left head light area, stock, damages the left headlight.

Same strike, with a brush guard, takes out the entire front clip and hood.

Same strike with (An ugly ugly) Shrock, makes venison puree, no damage to any part of the truck, or the bumper.

So - sure, go fast enough, and slam into a wall or a Mack truck, or any other impact in excess of the truck's FRAME's ability to withstand, and the truck will suffer damage, no duh.

:D

This probably would have been a busted bumper, maybe headlight, but instead its headlight, fender, bumper, grill, and hood, plus radiator and mounts (not to mention the guard itself and other damage we can't see)
http://www.xterra-adventures.com/xterra/sxfc/brian/5618.jpg
http://www.xterra-adventures.com/xterra/sxfc/brian/5620.jpg

This one may not have been any damage, maybe the bumper, but now its the fender, bumper and the hood, plus the guard itself.
http://www.pnwx.net/gallerytest/album04/04_Perrycrash3.sized.jpg

ETC, ETC, ETC...

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g76/ryanhudecki/Xterra04.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g76/ryanhudecki/Xterra07.jpg

http://xterrafirma.com/albums/album18/pathfinder_2.sized.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v647/James200319/IMG_0354.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v647/James200319/IMG_0350.jpg

http://i12.tinypic.com/454ixwm.jpg

yep mines coming off this weekend..how much should i try to sell it for??

a picture tells a thousand words and you can clearly see how much damage was just from the brush guard alone...

hey - I like how you took the one and only pic of brushguard damage, and made it almost look like a bunch of different X's.

You must be a Photoshop X-pert.

:D

hey - I like how you took the one and only pic of brushguard damage, and made it almost look like a bunch of different X's.

You must be a Photoshop X-pert.

:D


:auslachen2-big:

Hey Island...you can come back now, we don't bite....tons of newbies make dumb posts w/o realizing it, mostly from not searching first, etc...super common.

Hell, if we eliminated everyone who made a dumb post, this, and every other forum on the internet, would be empty white space.

:D

So - you got YOURS out of the way.

Welcome A Board!

:D

Hey Island...you can come back now, we don't bite....tons of newbies make dumb posts w/o realizing it, mostly from not searching first, etc...super common.

Hell, if we eliminated everyone who made a dumb post, this, and every other forum on the internet, would be empty white space.

:D

So - you got YOURS out of the way.

Welcome A Board!

:D

X2.... One year ago I didnt know squat about Xterras, hell i didnt know much about cars in general.... it took almost a full year to know what I know now (which isnt much). So dont be offended by our bashing.... hell i welcome you to bash me any day of the week.

x2 just keep in mind before you post comment like that just make sure that you search them out first....... this forum is a great place with great people that know alot about the X....... good luck and take your time on your posts

what I was trying to say is that if the guy likes it let him get it...don't discourage him from it because you think or it will do damage, accidents do happen and we don't want to be in one. he may like the way it looks everyone thinks different and has there opinions.

Hey Island...you can come back now, we don't bite....tons of newbies make dumb posts w/o realizing it, mostly from not searching first, etc...super common.

Hell, if we eliminated everyone who made a dumb post, this, and every other forum on the internet, would be empty white space.

:D

So - you got YOURS out of the way.

Welcome A Board!

:D
thanks for welcoming me aboard with all the other retards.

Check this one out also....

It would have probably been totaled anyway but it looks cool..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09My9tsmcKw

what I was trying to say is that if the guy likes it let him get it...don't discourage him from it because you think or it will do damage, accidents do happen and we don't want to be in one. he may like the way it looks everyone thinks different and has there opinions.

So, someone posts whether he should hit himself in the head with a hammer, and just because we KNOW it will hurt him, we should pretend its a good idea, because he might like it?

:D

OK.

Remember - the question was asking for opinions on whether to do it or not....that's what he asked, that's what we told him.

You are implying that somehow if we discourage someone from buying something, that its somehow politically incorrect, as ALL things should be bought, regardless of merit, so as not to discrimanate against harmful products?

It sounds like that's what you are saying.




Readers Digest Version of Thread:

1. (Original Post) Should I buy It?

2. (Answer) No

3. (OP) Why not?

4. (Answers) Because it causes the following problems yada yada yada

5. (OP) OK, thanks, I don't think I'll buy it.

6 (Your post) - You shouldn't discourage [people from buying something they thought they might like.

7. (Our response) - Yes we should.

8. (Your posts) - OK, but you people are retarded.

:D

you know if you want to express your feeling island671 then go right ahead on another board if you dont like this one..... im not trying to put you down or anything but im pretty sure there is a forum on bad advice and it has your name all over it!!!!!!!!!! im done with this one so if you have a brush guard on your x then leave it on and when you figure it out then i hope it aint to late...... good luck to ya....... any mods want to close the thread or shall we keep replying like retards like island said???????

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h255/jsongrl/jason/nutkick.gif http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h255/jsongrl/jason/bsflag.gif

Its still a discussion, however misguided, its still just opinions asked for...so, that's his opinion, and he's allowed to have it, even if there's lots of snickering going on, etc.

I think he'll see the light...right now, he's a bit defensive, he probably saw the infamous one pic he referred to in a thread on XOC or something...where, people with brush guards and no bad experiences yet, like a guy who smokes w/o a medical problem, yet....get grouchy when someone says anything bad about their accessories, or that smoking is bad for them, etc.

:D

I think some people confuse someone saying smoking is bad for them, with being told they are not allowed to smoke.

:D

true...... i see what you are saying cause i smoke..... and i guess the last post was uncalled for but oh well......

you know if you want to express your feeling island671 then go right ahead on another board if you dont like this one.....

nah, he's welcome to post his feelings/opinions here. just like we can post ours.

If the forum were just a bunch of people all with the same thoughts and opinions, it would be pretty darn boring.


As far as not discouraging someone from installing a brushgaurd, the analogy I use is this:

If a friend of mine told me they thought it would be cool to walk around everywhere with skiis on because it looked really cool, and they realized the risks (would fall down a lot, couldn't get up or down stairs, may be injured often, etc) then that's FINE. But if they said to me.. "Hey do you think I should walk around with skiis on? Why not?" I would tell them how stupid of an idea that would be.

Now if someone wants a brush guard, and they realize it will hinder their offroad performance, and will cause excess damage even in a minor collision, but they just HAVE to have the brush guard because it looks SO COOL, then FINE. But if they ASK whether or not to put it on, I will tell them NO.

you know if you want to express your feeling island671 then go right ahead on another board if you dont like this one..... im not trying to put you down or anything but im pretty sure there is a forum on bad advice and it has your name all over it!!!!!!!!!! im done with this one so if you have a brush guard on your x then leave it on and when you figure it out then i hope it aint to late...... good luck to ya....... any mods want to close the thread or shall we keep replying like retards like island said???????

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h255/jsongrl/jason/nutkick.gif http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h255/jsongrl/jason/bsflag.gif

wtf....something up your *** *****. I posted, you guy's flamed me I answered back and thought it ended there. now you come in with this ****.why don't you take the **** out your *** and have a coke....just so you'll I'm done now.

hey it all just fun and games!!!!!!!!! if you want to get mad over somthing someone said then so be it, alright i really dont care!!!!!!! now with that being said IM DONE!!!!!!!! just refrain from calling people retards and stuff like that and this probably wouldnt of happoned........ Get My Drift????????

wtf....something up your *** *****. I posted, you guy's flamed me I answered back and thought it ended there. now you come in with this ****.why don't you take the **** out your *** and have a coke....just so you'll I'm done now.

Wow, can we get any more immature?

yeah i know but oh well......

This is a good example of where NOT to take a thread. From here on, this thread is about why or why not to install a brushguard.

Thank you. :)

I'll summarize:

Whether or not to get a brush guard -


KNOWN INFORMATION:

Advantages:

1. They are cosmetically pleasing to some people


Disadvantages:

1. They cause more damage than they prevent,

2. Cost almost as much a a real bumper,

3. Add weight to the front end with no gain in performance,

4. They kill your approach angle.


RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. Get one if the cosmetic part is more important than the functional part.

2. Don't get one if the fuctional part is more important than the cosmetic part.



I think that's about it really...the rest of the thread is just supporting documentation, or people wrestling with the idea that other's don't agree with them....on either side.

:wink-big:

Nice summary TJ. :)


PS... and with that nice ending, this thread is locked