Which Bumper Is the best for 2003 discovery?
Which Bumper Is the best for 2003 discovery?
I was going to pick from tactical rovers, ARB, or the platinum bumper. Any thoughts? Always heard the ARB mounting is terrible so that was pushing me to a tactical rovers bumper. Anyone hear otherwise?
Recovery Vehicle
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From: Tampa, FL
Camel Trophy
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What are your objectives, and what are your limitations?
I had an ARB on my truck for many years and grew to dislike it. An accident (my son got rear ended and pushed into the car in front of him) damaged the ARB crush cans and gave me the opportunity and incentive to sell the ARB. I then chose the Terrafirma.
ARB pros - No cutting of the grill or support structure needed to mount the bumper or the bumper and a winch.
ARB cons - The ARB extends further forward than other bumpers, which hurts the approach angle, and which frankly, to me, ended up looking goofy from other than a head-on angle after a few years (the vertical support structure of the ARB is by far the best looking from head-on IMO. It integrates with the vertical lines of the grill instead of introducing diagonal lines.)
The factory crush cans can and do deform with hard winching and with even a moderate frontal impact. (Specific examples are my son's rear-ended incident and another local owner who hit a deer on the way to work earlier this year. Both incidents not only deformed the crush cans but the bumper flexed enough that the light mount brackets on the top of the ARB brush guard made four dimples in the hood.)
Tactical Rovers - When I decided to dump (sell) the ARB, the Tactical Rovers bumper was on my short list. To me it's in between the ARB and the Terrafirma. It extends forward less than the ARB but further than the Terrafirma. That gives more protection to the front end than the TF, which may be an important consideration for some. It gives good clearance and better approach angles than the ARB and is, to me at least, better looking than the ARB (except for the straight on view mentioned above).
Platinum - I didn't look carefully at the Platinum.
Terrafirma - I ended up going with the Terrafirma due largely to its relatively "minimalist" looks and it offering the best approach angle I know of. (Approach angle may be less important to many than other considerations). In the end I am happy with the Terrafirma although its quality control was a BIG, BIG problem (see another thread started by me Summer 2015 for details) as was the vendor's complete and utter dismissal of my problems (also detailed in my Summer 2015 Terrafirma thread). In fact, my problems with the company from which I bought the Terrafirma gives me great pause about buying the Platinum or any other product from them.
The downsides of the Terrafirma (assuming its basic fitment isn't a problem; no small issue IMO) are that it requires cutting of the grill to be fitted at all (on '99-'02 DIIs, not on '03-'04s) and that it requires cutting of the grill to mount and use a winch (on all DIIs). Its most positive attribute is its looks. It simply hugs the front end of the DII much as the stock bumper does, but it therefore doesn't appear to offer as much protection as the other bumpers that extend further from the DII hood.
Good luck making a good decision based on your needs and circumstances. And please, please come back to us with your decision and rationales. Help us learn.
I had an ARB on my truck for many years and grew to dislike it. An accident (my son got rear ended and pushed into the car in front of him) damaged the ARB crush cans and gave me the opportunity and incentive to sell the ARB. I then chose the Terrafirma.
ARB pros - No cutting of the grill or support structure needed to mount the bumper or the bumper and a winch.
ARB cons - The ARB extends further forward than other bumpers, which hurts the approach angle, and which frankly, to me, ended up looking goofy from other than a head-on angle after a few years (the vertical support structure of the ARB is by far the best looking from head-on IMO. It integrates with the vertical lines of the grill instead of introducing diagonal lines.)
The factory crush cans can and do deform with hard winching and with even a moderate frontal impact. (Specific examples are my son's rear-ended incident and another local owner who hit a deer on the way to work earlier this year. Both incidents not only deformed the crush cans but the bumper flexed enough that the light mount brackets on the top of the ARB brush guard made four dimples in the hood.)
Tactical Rovers - When I decided to dump (sell) the ARB, the Tactical Rovers bumper was on my short list. To me it's in between the ARB and the Terrafirma. It extends forward less than the ARB but further than the Terrafirma. That gives more protection to the front end than the TF, which may be an important consideration for some. It gives good clearance and better approach angles than the ARB and is, to me at least, better looking than the ARB (except for the straight on view mentioned above).
Platinum - I didn't look carefully at the Platinum.
Terrafirma - I ended up going with the Terrafirma due largely to its relatively "minimalist" looks and it offering the best approach angle I know of. (Approach angle may be less important to many than other considerations). In the end I am happy with the Terrafirma although its quality control was a BIG, BIG problem (see another thread started by me Summer 2015 for details) as was the vendor's complete and utter dismissal of my problems (also detailed in my Summer 2015 Terrafirma thread). In fact, my problems with the company from which I bought the Terrafirma gives me great pause about buying the Platinum or any other product from them.
The downsides of the Terrafirma (assuming its basic fitment isn't a problem; no small issue IMO) are that it requires cutting of the grill to be fitted at all (on '99-'02 DIIs, not on '03-'04s) and that it requires cutting of the grill to mount and use a winch (on all DIIs). Its most positive attribute is its looks. It simply hugs the front end of the DII much as the stock bumper does, but it therefore doesn't appear to offer as much protection as the other bumpers that extend further from the DII hood.
Good luck making a good decision based on your needs and circumstances. And please, please come back to us with your decision and rationales. Help us learn.
Last edited by mln01; May 27, 2016 at 06:51 PM.
Baja
Joined: Feb 2011
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From: Boston Strong
the issue i had with the TF bumper is no place for lights and the below average power coating.
I did see Rovers North has one quite similar to the TF bumper with adjustable Led driving/flood lights , cut out for headlight washers, jack and recovery point for under $600
I did see Rovers North has one quite similar to the TF bumper with adjustable Led driving/flood lights , cut out for headlight washers, jack and recovery point for under $600
I do admit, I love the look of ARB the only thing turning me away from it is the mounting. I don't like the crush can system they use, a ton of people say they warp and bend.