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Old 11-30-2018, 03:40 PM   #1
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New tow!

With everyone in the campgrounds and on the road telling me my 05 Dodge 2500 5.9L Cummins diesel tow vehicle was too big for my little TA...I’ve finally downsized. My new to me 2017 Nissan Titan XD 5.0L Cummins diesel! 30K on the odo, 3 more years and 70K left on the factory bumper to bumper warranty. Going smaller was never this fun!
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Old 11-30-2018, 03:57 PM   #2
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Looks like a very sturdy tug; that Moose catcher with led light bar is awesome!
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Old 11-30-2018, 04:01 PM   #3
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With everyone in the campgrounds and on the road telling me my 05 Dodge 2500 5.9L Cummins diesel tow vehicle was too big for my little TA...I’ve finally downsized. My new to me 2017 Nissan Titan XD 5.0L Cummins diesel! 30K on the odo, 3 more years and 70K left on the factory bumper to bumper warranty. Going smaller was never this fun!
Hi: Tford... If that truck ran into you... It'd make a major impression. Doesn't look that small either. Alf
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Old 11-30-2018, 05:17 PM   #4
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Looks like a very sturdy tug; that Moose catcher with led light bar is awesome!
I have to agree , the moose catcher is quite impressive !
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Old 11-30-2018, 05:29 PM   #5
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That moose catcher would balance out a WDH.
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Old 11-30-2018, 05:56 PM   #6
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Nice looking truck.
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Old 12-06-2018, 05:26 PM   #7
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I'd like to say that your new vehicle is nice looking and it would be, but that cow catcher front bumper would have to go. In Texas we call those Ranch Hand Bumpers and they do look good on 3/4 and 1 ton full size pickups. I'd be on Craigslist and see if anyone would like to trade for a stock front bumper, I hope there is not one on the rear to. I hope you really like it because when you pull into the camping ground, campers will be scratching there heads. I like your truck, but not that bumper.

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Old 12-06-2018, 05:51 PM   #8
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Well not that my opinion matters but I think that’s a good looking rig. One never knows how effective those big bumpers would be in a truck vs. critter collision from an economic damage
standpoint, but it would probably keep your radiator from being pushed in. I’ve never had a Nissan, my kids have had some and like them. I hope you have great luck with it and it does a great job for you. I like it. I’d rather see a camper scratching his head than anywhere else on his body.
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Old 12-06-2018, 06:40 PM   #9
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... In Texas we call those Ranch Hand Bumpers ...
That's probably because "Ranch Hand" is a registered trademark name for a replacement bumper manufacturing company located in Shiner, Texas. There are several other manufacturers of similar replacement bumpers, but for my money, those made by Ranch Hand, front and rear, are the most robust... https://www.ranchhand.com/
Rob's appears to be a "Steelcraft" Elevation replacement bumper, manufactured either in Schertz, Texas, and Corona, California... https://steelcraftautomotive.com/app...trear-bumpers/
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Old 12-07-2018, 06:49 AM   #10
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I’d rather see a camper scratching his head than anywhere else on his body.
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LOL.....now THAT was funny
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Old 12-07-2018, 06:59 AM   #11
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Rob's appears to be a "Steelcraft" Elevation replacement bumper, manufactured either in Schertz, Texas, and Corona, California... https://steelcraftautomotive.com/app...trear-bumpers/
We have a winner, you are correct! Yup, it’s a big old thing, but when you buy used ya get what comes on it! I’ve probably struck about 8 deer in my driving career in TX, but I’ve lived mostly down rural roads. I’ve put these things on a couple of vehicles early on but of all those deer, only one hit with a glancing blow to the right headlight of a Toyota Camry, and no protection was there. All the rest more or less hit ME while either slowing or 2 at a complete stop who just continued to run and smacked into a side panel or door. It’s just a good thing the deer down here in the hill country are relatively small! It has a receiver hitch in it, I guess I could put a bike rack or cargo carrier up there! Hah!
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Old 12-07-2018, 08:26 AM   #12
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As a retired body shop manger for over 35 years for a large DFW dealer (Chevrolet) I can tell you when you have a front end accident and you have one of those type bumpers on impact they tend to damage the frame of the vehicle more then a normal impact. The reason is the bumper is stronger then the vehicle frame and the vehicle frame is damaged in some cases beyond repair, where under normal collisions the vehicle collapses as designed by the manufacture. When you alter the design of a vehicle, you change its safety features under impact, why do you think they crash test vehicles. All being said, people are going to do what they think is right for them, it's pretty hard to change there minds.

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Old 12-07-2018, 09:12 AM   #13
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Now that you mention it, the air bags also maybe impacted by the steel cage up front and may not function as designed.
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Old 12-07-2018, 11:30 AM   #14
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Airbags are triggered by acceleration, not crushing of the bumper or any other part of the structure, so a different bumper will not prevent the airbags from working. The lack of energy absorption in the bumper system will increase the severity of deceleration in a crash, so the airbag should trigger more readily... but that reinforces a problem with these bumpers, in that the occupants are not protected by the bumper but instead are subjected to a more severe collision.
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Old 12-07-2018, 06:08 PM   #15
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As a retired body shop manger for over 35 years for a large DFW dealer (Chevrolet) I can tell you when you have a front end accident and you have one of those type bumpers on impact they tend to damage the frame of the vehicle more then a normal impact.
trainman

I was considering getting one of those bumper guards to minimize damage from colliding with a deer. But now I guess not. Is there anything one can do to minimize damage from deer collisions? Well, yeah, drive slower. But otherwise?
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Old 12-07-2018, 06:36 PM   #16
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Just a bit of common sense here....when you see the deer, you’re naturally gonna slow down and that will lessen the impact a lot. If it completely comes out of nowhere on a tree lined road and you’re going 60, then maybe take into account the thing you’re hitting, unless it’s a moose or a big mule deer, will maybe be 200 lbs tops. Do you want your bumper taking the brunt or something more substantial like a grill guard? Also anything higher and more substantial than a bumper lessens the chances of the animal coming up the hood. Cars lose in collisions, trucks and SUV’s fair better. Better being described as you walking away. Recognize your environment, if the field/roadside edges are close and deer seem to be out, slow down.....
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Old 12-07-2018, 06:42 PM   #17
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Three times on my Big Trip I had to slam on the brakes to prevent hitting deer. Late morning (10:30am-ish) all three times. No hits, everyone/thing survived.


My parents lost a good friend when she hit a deer, it came up over the hood and the hooves went through the windshield and slit her throat....
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Old 12-07-2018, 07:31 PM   #18
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The heck with the grill guards, we need something like the BackRack, only mounted in front of the windshield. Wonder if that'd pass inspection.

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