Buckstop Installed

[BSkinner]

I have my new Buckstop purchased through the group buy installed on my 2003 Quad. I don't have any pictures yet but will post in the reader's rigs when I get some. (Of course, my install looks just like everyone else's).



I'm very impressed with this bumper. The install on the 3rd generation was a little time consuming. Actually, it took just about as long to round up all of the tools needed as it did to install the bumper. There's a couple of really tight places around the intercooler that made it hard to get a wrench on a few nuts.



Another Wyoming group buy purchaser sent me a neat . wav file of the install on his truck. I was going to attach it to this message but notice there is a limit of 32K and the file is 1708KB. I need to figure out how to build a web site and then I could post it there. So much to do---so little time.



The addition of the Buckstop dropped the front end 1/4". Seat of the pants tell me that the addition of some different springs and shocks will help the ride. I'm going to check with T-Rex when I get time and check out the front spring and shock options.



I had a pretty good freight deal. My buddy who just bought a red, 1 ton, quad, dually 4x4 (with a little advice from me) drove out to the Portland area to visit his son and do some fishing. He had Buckstop install his bumper and loaded mine and two other guy's bumpers on his flat bed.



Watch out deer. I'm ready for you!



Bob

 

[DOUGMartin]

What do you mean group buy. I look at those bumpers and i think they look awsome but not 1,300 beans awsome

 

[dresslered]

Comparing the quality to the OEM bumper, it would be the best 1,300 beans you ever spent.

 

[BSkinner]

Originally posted by DOUGMartin

What do you mean group buy. I look at those bumpers and i think they look awsome but not 1,300 beans awsome

I put together a group buy in Jan. on the Buckstop bumpers.



$40,000 truck + 70 mph + deer= one heck of a costly accident.



$40,000 truck + 70 mph + Buckstop + deer= pink mist



How far would $1,300 go on a repair job? A new bumper, headlights and a couple of fender repairs? What about all of the heat exchangers: A/C, intercooler and radiator. Fan + 2 batteries? The list could be endless. I'd guess you could get to a $10,000 repair pretty easy. There are a lot of TDRer's who don't trust people to change their oil. Would you trust someone to do a complete rebuild on the front end of your new truck? I'd always wonder if it was put back together right. Who wants to be without their CTD for a few weeks?



I had $5,000 worth of damage on a new Honda a couple of years ago. For the next 20,000 miles, you wonder about reliability. I just didn't want to go through that with my beloved truck.



Bob

 

[CFAR]

I installed mine last Sat. Now I have to scrape up $300 for the PIAA 525's.

 

[BSkinner]

I ordered a set of Hella 500 from Summit for $66. 00 (includes switch, wiring, relay, etc. ) They have 55 watt H3 bulbs. If they're not bright enough, I may try the 100 or 130 watt H3 bulbs.



I'm not ready to spend the big bucks on stuff like PIAA. Heck, I think you could duct tape a couple of Mag lights in the bumper and they'd improve the lousy factory headlights.



Bob

 

[DOUGMartin]

Yeah i didnt think about the cost of deer the darn things are every where around here too. A couple of weeks ago i hit one right in town but i was only doing 30 and the push bar i have(grizzly) got the deer so thank fully nothing happend to the truck. Dont wana take chances. A group buy is that like a hole bunch of you get them and maybe get a better price?

 

[BSkinner]

Originally posted by DOUGMartin

A group buy is that like a hole bunch of you get them and maybe get a better price?

That's correct. There are now new rules posted at the tops of forums detailing how to proceed with group buys.



There was recently a group buy going on for another make of bumper. You might search around for that thread. I don't know if you can still get in on it or not.



Bob

 

[BSkinner]

I've added some pics of my Buckstop in the reader's rig section.



Bob



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[mgonske]

I've added pics to my Reader's Rigs "Installation Photos" gallery, but ah heck, here's half of them:

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Not nearly as nice a background as BSkinner's, though, and it was a rainy day to boot. I'm still waiting for delivery of the rear bumper (Dorian swore he'd ship it today).



I may have mounted it with too much space between the bumper and the grille & fenders--I need to live with it a while to decide.

 

[BSkinner]

I left what might look like too large of a gap so I could get a socket on the lower bolt so I could remove the headlight assembly when needed. I think a narrow gap would prevent getting a socket on the bolt.



I picked that background just to class up the pictures This place is just west of my house.



Bob

 

[mgonske]

Yeah, I was looking at the headlight adjusters, and also thinking about getting my hand under the hood release (duh, I forgot it pops up some when you release it from inside )

 

[Boomer II]

Mark, why don't you get me one of those for my Birthday, I'll pick it up in Moab!

 

[mgonske]

Originally posted by Boomer II

Mark, why don't you get me one of those for my Birthday, I'll pick it up in Moab!

Gee, I don't think it would fit on your 2nd gen, Mike

 

[TBrennan]

Sweet, I have a silver front and rear for my truck on the way so now I know what they will look like!



The more I look at these, the more I think they actually look better than the road armors. The road armors are very nice, but they look a little too overdesigned if you know what I mean. They don't seem to flow as well with the rest of the truck, IMO.



If you look at that head on picture above, you can hardly tell it's not a stock bumper!

 

[mgonske]

Originally posted by TBrennan

Sweet, I have a silver front and rear for my truck on the way so now I know what they will look like!



The more I look at these, the more I think they actually look better than the road armors. The road armors are very nice, but they look a little too overdesigned if you know what I mean. They don't seem to flow as well with the rest of the truck, IMO.



If you look at that head on picture above, you can hardly tell it's not a stock bumper!

That's exactly why I took it from so far away. The first day I drove it to work after the installation, I was parked a way out from the door, directly in line and facing it. As I walked out, I was surprised at how well the grill guard lined up with the factory grille and crosshair. That is an awfully big flat surface up front, though. I need a TDR license plate to break it up



When I ordered, I asked Dorian about color-matching the silver, and he said they didn't match, but their silver was close. You have to look really closely to convince yourself it's not identical, and without knowing it, it wouldn't even occur to you.

 

[Jengle]

Those silver trucks look nice. I didn't think so at first, but now, the more I see them, the better they look. I have one of the last of the green ones, and got my bumpers coated in a gold metallic. Now I need some fender flares painted to match, to really set it off.

 

[DHayden]

I had mine painted white since my truck is a sport, I was very suprised with how well it turned out. Havent taken pics yet but I will soon.



Mgonske you dont need a lecense plate you need a winch

 

[BSkinner]

Originally posted by mgonske



Not nearly as nice a background as BSkinner's, though, and it was a rainy day to boot. I'm still waiting for delivery of the rear bumper (Dorian swore he'd ship it today).



I may have mounted it with too much space between the bumper and the grille & fenders--I need to live with it a while to decide.

Mark,



I think your pictures are great. It's nice to see some moisture & green things. I used to travel to Florida every April to Lakeland for the EAA fly-in. After going through Nebraska and Wyoming winters, it was a nice place to be. I flew the airplaine I built to the Sun & Fun Fly-in a couple of times. Nine hours from central NE to Lakeland. A lot faster than the CTD would be.



I was installing my Hella 500 lights the other day and I think you could get to the bottom headlight housing bolts from underneath so you could mount the bumper closer to the body. But, a gap between body and fender gives a little "wiggle room" in case of a hard impact and might possibly save crunching metal if the bumper should move toward the body.



Bob

 

[mgonske]

Originally posted by BSkinner

... you could mount the bumper closer to the body. But, a gap between body and fender gives a little "wiggle room" in case of a hard impact and might possibly save crunching metal if the bumper should move toward the body.

That's a good point--at the very least, I can use it for a good rationalization for being too lazy to go change it



My rear bumper finally showed up yesterday--I'll have to scramble to install it after work tomorrow. I need to make up my mind whether to temporarily install the diamond-plate step pads before heading off on my two-week trip Monday.



As soon as I looked at them, I decided I need to have them Rhino-lined in silver (like the bed). Even though you can't tell (except by the grille surround) it's a Sport without the stock bumpers, I just don't need that shiny aluminum on there--I think the silver Rhino-lining will work great, but it will have to wait until I get back from Moab.



You can sort of see the effect on the bed rails here:

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