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OT... Truck / deer collision damage

C

Chris in SK

Member
After hitting a deer, I’m going to be repairing the front end of my truck. While I’m at it, since deer hits here are fairly common around here, I was thinking about beefing it up, or fitting a nudge bar, bull bar etc. Anyone got any experience? If I go to heavy on the front protection, and hit another 200lb deer at 100K (60mph), will I possibly transfer more damage to the frame? Truck is a 4x4 Ram.
I won’t be doing it yet as I broke my arm last week, but that’s another story! Be careful out there.
Thanks,
Chris
 
Saw one of the sheriff's cars recently. Had the pushbar/deer gard bent right down over the grille, destroying hood, grille, both headlights....
 
(quoted from post at 15:22:21 12/05/08) Saw one of the sheriff's cars recently. Had the pushbar/deer gard bent right down over the grille, destroying hood, grille, both headlights....
Click to expand...

Sherrif car grille guards are not meant to bounce deer off of, they are to push around other cars (like in PITT manouvers)

I have one on both my trucks, the people that say they do more harm than good by getting pushed into the sheetmetal behind them on a hard hit forget to think that it would happen anyway. I figure if nothing else it will save the radiatior so I am not stuck out in the middle of nowhere in the dark of the night.

I made the one for my old Ranger out of some 3/8" plate and some tubing, the one on my F-150 is a Westin Sportsman.
 
They make guards for that type of problem but they do cost a far bit of $$. I built one years ago after I hit a deer which in turn messed up my truck pretty good. Never did hit another one with that truck and have been thinking about adding it to my 1980 Chev. It was on a 1969 Chev
Hobby farm
 
I was deer hunting two weeks ago and a buck ran into my truck. $2500 but mostly broken plastic. I would think a brush guard would reduce liklihood of damage. I was doing about 30. If I'd had a brushguard probably would've been no damage except on the deer's end. I don't see how protection could make it worse. I guess if he bounces up and goes though the window , but I think that is always possible , brush guard or not.
 
add it to the frame the only damage a deer would do is sheet metal and plastic the frame would hold up against a deer. If you plan on building it yourself make sure you follow state laws. I would build it as light as possible putting gussets and struts.
 
I have seen many pickup collisions up close and in detail. It seems to me that the solid grill guards merely transfer the damage to another part of the vehicle. The front end is designed to collapse to lessen injury to occupants. I have seen 3/4 ton pickups bent downward at the frame, at the cab-bed junction which can easily total a really nice truck. I still think grill guards look really cool.
 
wilsonfire has it right. as a body shop owner i see quite a few deer hits, and the brush guard equipped one do a real good job at creating extra damage. because the brush guard bolts directly to the frame rail ends, it transfers extra impact energy directly in that area, insted of allowing the vehicle to absorb this impact as designed. here is a link to my shops website if ya wanna take a peek
my shop
 
I had one on an 89 F150 four wheel drive,
I hit a deer on the freeway at 75+ mph,
The guard protected the radiator, I was
able to continue on the first/last date
with a woman, who I later found was a
Bambi lover.

Win some/Lose some!
 
Look at it this way, least you did not have alot of time and money tied up in her if it was a first date.

Dave
 
Go with the guard, Have one on my Tacoma and hit a very large buck at 55 MPH, jumped out from a soccer field and I never saw him till we hit. Never touched the brakes, did $3000 worth of damage, but the truck was still drivable to get me home and back to work till I took it for repairs. Without it I would have had a long walk home on a cold wet night.
 
after you put a deer guard on, you will not hit another deer. And for 10 years or more you will pay more for the extra gasoline (for carrying a load) than you save on crash expenses. That being said, I rate it a toss up. Do what you feel is best for you.
 
Thanks for all the comments. I have a few weeks to consider what to do now. My damage was limited to the grill, bumper, and one bumper bracket. The most annoying thing is not the cost of chromed metal bumper, but all the plastic bits that clip on to it!
Chris
 
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