where can i get a decent bull guard with plate?

[Coucoui6]

okay, need a bull guard with plate but don't want to spend a fortune on it.

i've been all over the web... on ebay and craig's and 4x4 parts.com. the only thing i found is a very expensive ARB for about $850 with winch mounts or bush/grill guard for about $275. i like the price of the bush/grill guard but i'm afraid that the grill or bush portion of the guard will smash into the hood or light if i hit it during a steep angle decent.

 

my bumper is dented pretty bad now without protection. i don't care about the bumper but i'm concerned about my radiator or A/C radiator next time i'm on a steep angle.

 

i've search this forum and read some of the other treads but so far the suggestions have not panned out. most of the manufactures are doing it all for jeeps. even samari's have more support than our pathy.

 

i have a 95 pathfinder. please help.

thanks,

coucoui 6

Edited April 19, 2008 by Coucoui6

[packie88]

you could make your own????

[Slick]

do what i did.... buy a smittybuilt for a yota (mid 80's) and "modify" it to make it uber strong... hehe

 

[Coucoui6]

do what i did.... buy a smittybuilt for a yota (mid 80's) and "modify" it to make it uber strong... hehe

 

sorry, what is a mid 80's yota?

 

thanks,

coucoui 6

[Coucoui6]

you could make your own????

 

 

i started to call all the weld shop to see if any one would do custom fabrication. around here .... nissan's are not accepted! everyone like domestic trucks or very custom sand rails. hopefully i can get one made cheap.

[Slick]

sorry, what is a mid 80's yota?

 

thanks,

coucoui 6

 

 

 

mid 1980's toyota pick up truck

 

i picked my bumper up for $100 and cut off some shanks from a push bar and welded them to the frame and the smittybuilt... i have used it to push trucks and other things around allt he time.. i even used it to knock over a concrete pole

[Nissyota88]

i got smitty built rock sliders, and was gonna put on that same exact bumper on my old yota... you can see it on the groudn in front of the truck

 

Edited April 20, 2008 by Nissyota88

[jitterymonkey]

i started to call all the weld shop to see if any one would do custom fabrication. around here .... nissan's are not accepted! everyone like domestic trucks or very custom sand rails. hopefully i can get one made cheap.

 

Your kidding right?

 

I thought you couldn't throw a rock in Southern California without hitting a 4X4 fab shop.

Try livin' in Ohio........ or Russia.

With all that competition out there I'm sure you can find a good fabricator

that's not going to care whether it's a Nissan or a Radio flyer wagon go-kart.

 

BUT,I also don't think you'll be able to get one custom made cheaper than what you can get an ARB bar for.

 

But I could be wrong

Edited April 20, 2008 by jitterymonkey

[Coucoui6]

Your kidding right?

 

I thought you couldn't throw a rock in Southern California without hitting a 4X4 fab shop.

Try livin' in Ohio........ or Russia.

With all that competition out there I'm sure you can find a good fabricator

that's not going to care whether it's a Nissan or a Radio flyer wagon go-kart.

 

BUT,I also don't think you'll be able to get one custom made cheaper than what you can get an ARB bar for.

 

But I could be wrong

 

 

nope!... yes, i do live in socal. but i'm in riverside county. and in my city. it is known for all the custom hot rods... alot of very nice custom shops focus only on harley, sand rails, hot rods, or motocross stuff. i have to drive at least 45 min. to be in san diego were the scene is different.

 

here is another example.... my other passion is BMWs. i have a very modified Dinan supercharged M3. well, the 1st gen supercharger for Dinan is the Powerdyne charger... currently Dinan uses the Vortex charger. but the powerdyne is still used on tons of mustangs. well i needed to rebuilt my supercharger, the internal belt broke. i call atleast 6 shops and got no where. then i just ask if anyone worked on a Powerdyne... i got 3 additional shop to say "Yes, we do!" well, i eventually drove my M3 to one of the "Yes, we do" places. once the saw the BMW.... no, I've never worked on a BMW and don't want to attempt to try it. and then replied try going to San Diego.

 

i eventually just rebuilding it myself and did a write up on it .... and posted it on the bimmerforms. so Nissan's not so loved around here. This morning i called 3 very popular 4x4 shops. they all directed me to each other. no service at all. they didn't even try to earn my business. they're busy enough with the current demands.

 

i really enjoy my Nissan but its hard with no support groups. but i will keep digging... i'm sure some one needs my business.

 

thanks,

coucoui 6

Edited April 20, 2008 by Coucoui6

[Coucoui6]

sorry, what is a mid 80's yota?

 

thanks,

coucoui 6

mid 1980's toyota pick up truck

 

i picked my bumper up for $100 and cut off some shanks from a push bar and welded them to the frame and the smittybuilt... i have used it to push trucks and other things around allt he time.. i even used it to knock over a concrete pole

 

 

 

i did read your posting on your bumper mod but i did not know it was a toyota... i just thought yota was a brand name and i was not able to find it on the web... but thanks... i will search differently now.

[crazyhayseed]

If you're just up the 5 from D'ego, then I recomend just making the trip. It's going to save you in the long run.

I mean, do you realize what it's going to cost to ship a heavy-duty bumper?

 

You have sooooo many options in SoCal. You really need to keep looking.

 

Search the net. Call some of the bigger Nissans names in the area (Like Mossy Nissan and Jim Wolf). Also, you're not far from 4-Wheel Parts and ORW.

Why don't you call/visit these guys and ask what's available localy.

 

No, you're not going to get as much support as Toyota or the Domestic trucks, but that's the nature of the beast.

You're going to have to be creative. It's not that folks hate or "don't accept" Nissan, they just aren't as visable as the million and a half lifted Chevys running around.

Edited April 20, 2008 by crazyhayseed

[Slick]

if yer in so cal, hit up rugged rocks off road (steve).. he's a member here and RROR is his company...... he knows everyone

[Coucoui6]

if yer in so cal, hit up rugged rocks off road (steve).. he's a member here and RROR is his company...... he knows everyone

 

 

just found steve on the web. yes! i will ask him. thanks

[dougdavis]

I got a Kennesaw Mountain bumper without the brush guard for my '95. It was about $550 with shipping to NJ but probably a lot more shipping to CA because it has to be shipped on common carrier.

 

The up sides: A nicely built bumper with lots of custom options available. Fit and quality were very good.

 

Down: Had to wait a long time for it (7 weeks!). Welding required to install. The way it mounts is a little weak on the top because it uses some pretty small stock bolt locations that I worry about when winching, but hasn't failed yet. I've winched pretty hard on it too so I guess it's OK.

 

 

http://www.kenmtnac.com/WiNissan.html is the web address.

 

Doug

[nige]

get an ARB. no welding unless you have a body lift and don't like unsightly gaps. They look much better than the KMA one too

 

4 wheel parts

 

You can pick it up from one of their stores to avoid shipping costs. there are a pile of them in California

Edited April 22, 2008 by skrillaguerilla

[LandShark]

I got a Kennesaw Mountain bumper without the brush guard for my '95. It was about $550 with shipping to NJ but probably a lot more shipping to CA because it has to be shipped on common carrier.

 

The up sides: A nicely built bumper with lots of custom options available. Fit and quality were very good.

 

Down: Had to wait a long time for it (7 weeks!). Welding required to install. The way it mounts is a little weak on the top because it uses some pretty small stock bolt locations that I worry about when winching, but hasn't failed yet. I've winched pretty hard on it too so I guess it's OK.

http://www.kenmtnac.com/WiNissan.html is the web address.

 

Doug

 

Doug, what welding did ya have to do for install, and can you get us some more pics. Would like to see how it looks aside from the one pic on the website.

[boothill2008]

Hi, I live in So Cal as well in Ontario, you might try a company called Manik 4X4 in Asuza, California. Checking around, I have seen the front brush guard combo go for around $400 and under, and it is specifically made for the WD21 Pathfinder. It directly bolts to the front and will protect your bumper. A lot of the off road accessory sites carry Manik products.

 

Since your local, you might try 4 wheelin' out of Fawnskin, CA (Next to the City of Big Bear Lake), there is some fun mountain stuff in the pine trees out by Holcomb Valley (Trail 3N16 to 3N54 that leads to a lookout point off the trail that looks down to the Lucerne Valley, good place to have lunch), after that, you can head back out to the 18 to Cactus Flats, which is right off of Highway 18. It is a medium difficulty trail that goes down into the Lucerne Valley (some black diamond stuff off the main trail occasionally), you can then follow trailmarker 3N03 which eventually will become 2N02, and then in the area of the Red Rose Mine, there is a turnoff onto 2N01 which leads you back to Highway 38. The whole excursion is good for about 6 to 8 hours total, going from the mountains to the desert, then back home. I would pick up a map of the area at your local REI, Sport Chalet, or the like.

 

Have fun, hope to see ya on the trail sometime,

 

Boot

[GrimGreg]

Manik products.

 

 

He is looking for usefull, not pretty. I had a Mank guard once, looks good, but completely worthless for anything but knocking down tall weeds and mounting lights on. If you hit anything larger than a weed with a Manik guard, first thing it will do is collapse into the grill and hood.

[MikeV]

1. ARB

2. Steve-o

3. buy a Welder!-)

 

I took option 3

[GrimGreg]

1. ARB

2. Steve-o

3. buy a Welder!-)

 

I took option 3

 

Me too for my 88.

[boothill2008]

 

He is looking for usefull, not pretty. I had a Mank guard once, looks good, but completely worthless for anything but knocking down tall weeds and mounting lights on. If you hit anything larger than a weed with a Manik guard, first thing it will do is collapse into the grill and hood.

 

'Preciate your feedback, never had one myself....so no skin off my nose. Some other Pathy owners told me about the Manik guard.

[Coucoui6]

i have great news.... i recently found two new 4x4 shops at was willing to do some custom fabrication work on my pathfinder. both of them have never worked on a nissan before but i'm willing to take the risk. one guy was cheaper and one was more but i felt was able to deliver what i wanted.

 

so now the new bumper will only cost me for $300.00, i will have a C channel welded to my frame and a very nice and wide skid plate to protect my front end. this thing is very stong. my radiator will now be well protected. my pathfinder should be ready by tomorrow. i can't wait. i will only have black spray paint but i think that is just fine.

 

this thing should be as strong as an ARB... i also will have 2 bolts welded on top of the new bumper for future jack placement. i don't have any room on my spare tire swing arm because of my gas can mount.

 

so i'm very excited. next time i hit a steep decent angle, i will be very well protected.

Edited April 25, 2008 by Coucoui6

[Coucoui6]

i think my next project will be to add side armor. i would love to have a metal 2" tube or a smaller c channel welded to the frame and sitting just under my doors.

 

how cool will that be!

[LandShark]

i have great news.... i recently found two new 4x4 shops at was willing to do some custom fabrication work on my pathfinder. both of them have never worked on a nissan before but i'm willing to take the risk. one guy was cheaper and one was more but i felt was able to deliver what i wanted.

 

so now the new bumper will only cost me for $300.00, i will have a C channel welded to my frame and a very nice and wide skid plate to protect my front end. this thing is very stong. my radiator will now be well protected. my pathfinder should be ready by tomorrow. i can't wait. i will only have black spray paint but i think that is just fine.

 

this thing should be as strong as an ARB... i also will have 2 bolts welded on top of the new bumper for future jack placement. i don't have any room on my spare tire swing arm because of my gas can mount.

 

so i'm very excited. next time i hit a steep decent angle, i will be very well protected.

 

Make sure you shows us pics bud.

[LandShark]

i have great news.... i recently found two new 4x4 shops at was willing to do some custom fabrication work on my pathfinder. both of them have never worked on a nissan before but i'm willing to take the risk. one guy was cheaper and one was more but i felt was able to deliver what i wanted.

 

so now the new bumper will only cost me for $300.00, i will have a C channel welded to my frame and a very nice and wide skid plate to protect my front end. this thing is very stong. my radiator will now be well protected. my pathfinder should be ready by tomorrow. i can't wait. i will only have black spray paint but i think that is just fine.

 

this thing should be as strong as an ARB... i also will have 2 bolts welded on top of the new bumper for future jack placement. i don't have any room on my spare tire swing arm because of my gas can mount.

 

so i'm very excited. next time i hit a steep decent angle, i will be very well protected.

 

Make sure you shows us pics bud.