5th Gen 4runner Bumpers: The Pros & Cons of Installation

If you’re considering swapping your plastic factory bumpers for something altogether more sturdy – like 5th Gen 4runner bumpers – then you might have quite a few questions you’d like answering before you take the plunge and make your purchase. Well, you’re in the right place, as that’s exactly what we look here in more detail.

The truth is that bumpers installed at the Toyota factory are quite flimsy and not at all suitable for heavy-duty use or for those off-roading days that you bought the vehicle for in the first place. On top of this, they offer much less in the way of function too, as you’re going to have a lot of trouble trying to fit a winch to a plastic bumper from the factory!

The solution to this common problem is an aftermarket bumper made from steel. Now, here’s where the questions start, so with this in mind, we’re now going to examine some of the advantages and disadvantages of having one installed on your vehicle. Like any product in any industry, there’s a con to go along with the pros.

5th Gen 4Runner Bumpers – The Pros

Pro #1 – Durability

So, the first pro of steel bumpers is that they’re way more durable than their plastic counterparts, meaning that if you were to bump into a post or push into another car, you won’t get the damage you would with a plastic bumper. 5th Gen 4Runner bumpers are manufactured from heavy gauge steel, so you’re going to have to go some to make any kind of dent.

In fact, even if you do somehow end up bending your steel bumper, the overall strength is not affected and invariably won’t result in a major problem being caused.

Pro #2 – Aesthetics

The next benefit of steel bumpers is that they look good. Whilst the Tacamo is a nice-looking vehicle straight out of the factory, an aftermarket steel bumper does add a certain something. It makes it look much more rugged and robust than factory bumpers and it shows that the driver means business!

Pro #3 – Versatility

As we briefly mentioned earlier, when you have steel bumpers, you get the option of adding extra functions like winches, lights and parking sensors, which when compared to factory bumpers is starkly improved, as they don’t offer any kind of customization features.

5th Gen 4Runner Bumpers – The Cons

So, now to the cons of adding aftermarket steel bumpers to your 4Runner or should we say the con – as we can only really think of one drawback to having them installed.

Con #1 – The Extra Weight

Ok, so whichever way you slice it, steel bumpers weigh more than plastic ones and this can have an impact on handling. So, if you’re going off-road, you may have to think about upgrading your shocks or springs to take account of the extra weight that comes along with them.

Even this one con has an upside though, as the extra weight can help to improve the vehicle’s centre of gravity and the technology in manufacturing has improved a lot in recent years, with steel bumpers being much stronger and lighter than they used to be.

Are Steel Bumpers For You?

Whether to install 5th Gen 4Runner bumpers is the prerogative of the vehicle owner, of course, but as we’ve seen, the cost associated really does come with a range of benefits to the user.

Steel bumpers are not just more robust and better looking, but also add to the function and robustness of the vehicle in general, so in our mind, it’s an investment very much worth making if you’re wanting to add some character and extra features to your ride.

Sure, they’re heavier, but that’s easy enough to counteract with a shock or spring upgrade and then you’ve got the best of both worlds. We think that the benefits speak for themselves – the question you need to ask yourself – are they for me?

Our answer would most certainly be affirmative.