1. Welcome to Tundras.com!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tundra discussion topics
    • Transfer over your build thread from a different forum to this one
    • Communicate privately with other Tundra owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Lift + wheels/tires or... Bumpers/armor???

Discussion in 'General Tundra Discussion' started by SoCal.Tundra.Guy, Nov 8, 2018.

  1. Nov 8, 2018 at 1:21 AM
    #1
    SoCal.Tundra.Guy

    SoCal.Tundra.Guy [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2018
    Member:
    #21051
    Messages:
    16
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2018 Quicksand TRD
    Looking for bumpers, winch, etc
    So here's the thing I'm stuck on right now... both are highly situational, neither "need" to be done right away.

    Lift makes the truck look better (purely subjective opinion)
    Winch bumper (plus the WARN winch) is going to be extremely rare to need/use (also looks cool!)

    At this point they are both cosmetic, however I can say with absolute 100% certainty that last year when I drove my BMW X5 out to Ohio to go deer hunting last year I was seriously paranoid about smacking a deer on the highway, roadkill was EVERYWHERE!

    Both are going to be a drain on fuel economy of an already bad fuel efficient truck (no surprise there) but I am willing to give up the 1mpg trade off for either of them, unfortunately, I can't afford both upgrades right now, so I must choose only 1 :(

    So the question is... which would you do? the lift/tires or the bumper/winch mount?

    I'm leaning towards bumper/winch because I do plan more OH and AZ hunts in 2019 so having that huge bumper on the front end is a big peace of mind that even if Bambi runs into the highway I'm still driving away from it... that lift kit won't help very much in that event, 100+ lbs of deer is still going to blow through the plastic grill and destroy a bunch of probably really important stuff, like fans, radiators, etc....

    which would you do?
     
    Last edited: Nov 8, 2018
  2. Nov 8, 2018 at 9:06 AM
    #2
    Ostrich

    Ostrich One bit me once.

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2018
    Member:
    #19807
    Messages:
    684
    Gender:
    Female
    First Name:
    Nikki
    Marion, Texas
    Vehicle:
    2014 MGM Crewmax SR5 4x4
    3/1 level, black leather, raptor style grille
    I think you answered your own question. You justified the bumper/winch in your post, but didn't hardly even bring up the lift. Go with the bumper. Plus, depending on the bumper, you'll be able to fit bigger tires to fill out your lift. That's a win win in my eyes :)
     
    SoCal.Tundra.Guy[OP] likes this.
  3. Nov 8, 2018 at 9:20 AM
    #3
    Trd307

    Trd307 New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2018
    Member:
    #20197
    Messages:
    313
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Jared
    Vehicle:
    2013 white tundra grade tundra

    The bumper. With lots of lights. I can tell you from experience if you don't roll your vehicle you can walk away from an accident with a animal. Plus. You don't want to take your beamer hunting if you get anything lol. I wouldn't at least. Threw a dead deer in the back of a older ford explorer once .it was just a ranch vehicle but it still smells.
     
  4. Nov 8, 2018 at 9:47 AM
    #4
    ToyotaTundraMike

    ToyotaTundraMike Not A New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2015
    Member:
    #2256
    Messages:
    2,153
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    Vehicle:
    2015 Tundra
    I always think trucks look funny with aftermarket bumpers on stock lift/tires. Would personally do lift/tires first as the functionality/cosmetic appeal would outweigh that of the bumper/winch IMO.
     
    SoCal.Tundra.Guy[OP] likes this.
  5. Nov 8, 2018 at 6:01 PM
    #5
    SoCal.Tundra.Guy

    SoCal.Tundra.Guy [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2018
    Member:
    #21051
    Messages:
    16
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2018 Quicksand TRD
    Looking for bumpers, winch, etc
    well, we used my buddies truck for hunting, I drove out because the cost of flying back with 3 coolers full of meat, a couple very oversized bags, a large dog... well, it wouldn't be the seat price that would get me it would be all those add-ons. Plus I actually wanted to drive across the country again, hadn't done it in a long time.

    But now with a truck again, yeah... hmm. decisions! and ToyotaTundra Mike makes a good point about the truck looking funny with a huge aftermarket bumper on a stock suspension/wheels setup, but if I do the lift I want to do the AMP running boards at the same time. It's going to get spendy!
     
  6. Nov 8, 2018 at 6:21 PM
    #6
    831Tun

    831Tun heartless Bastrd

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2016
    Member:
    #3549
    Messages:
    11,577
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Warren
    Santa Cruz
    Vehicle:
    '16 CM limited
    TC long travel. Deaver 420 SU leaf packs.
    I say do the lift first. That way, if you do hit Bambi, the insurance bill will pay for the new bumper.:rolleyes:
     
  7. Nov 8, 2018 at 9:42 PM
    #7
    SoCal.Tundra.Guy

    SoCal.Tundra.Guy [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2018
    Member:
    #21051
    Messages:
    16
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2018 Quicksand TRD
    Looking for bumpers, winch, etc
    to be honest the lift arguments are starting to sway me, especially with the comment that if I do smack bambi on the road to OH that subsidizes the new bumper LMAO!!!

    I have homework to do now :(

    I guess on the lift I have 2 options, hold all of the brand new parts in storage, because they are perfectly fine, or sell them to defray the cost, but then a question would be is there really a market for buying the TRD delivered OEM parts when I upgrade??? how much would I possibly get back?

    It seems like a stage 2 lift would be the way to go, a stage 1 is 100% fine for what limited off road I do in CA and it's fine for OH deer, but AZ elk is where that gets sketchy and I'd want the added performance, and a few hundred dollars seems like a bad place to cut corners when stuck in the mud out in the boonies.

    Now I need to figure out the best wheel tire combos and lift kits lol! I don't want to completely destroy mileage, but I want to make sure the lift would be adjustable to be able to compensate for the added weight of the new bumper + winch when that is bolted on.

    Suggestions are greatly appreciated, I've been looking at Pro-Comp so far and to be honest I do not really want or see any need for a 6" lift on my truck, I think a 3-4" lift would be fine, but then that means what tires fit? what happens to axle gearing? unsprung wheel weight is evil however steel wheels are going to help make this happen so I may go that route...

    New truck toys... LOL! I knew this was going to happen! :)
     
    831Tun likes this.
  8. Nov 8, 2018 at 9:45 PM
    #8
    speckmon

    speckmon Must. Have. Pow.

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2017
    Member:
    #9891
    Messages:
    1,120
    Gender:
    Male
    Thornton, CO
    Vehicle:
    '07 mountain road bomber
    This is what I was gonna say. Who gives a shit about bumpers :)
     

Products Discussed in

To Top