10-13 4runner bumper option: retrofit LFD GX hybrid bumper.

Dear OG 5th gen owners, I'm stoked to share that I found a great, no mod, winch bumper retrofit for our red-headed stepchildren of the 5Gs... if you're lucky enough to find one. I bolted on a LFD hybrid front bumper for the 03-09 GX470. It is really close, I wouldn't say it's perfect like you'd expect from a mini bumper in the $800 range. I could probably use another 1/8 inch spacer still, and there's a little manufactured small cut line that shows. It could definitely be taller, the top line falls in the middle of the lower air dam. It's pretty damn good though. I don't even know what other low profile style GX bumpers were out there, but this could work for others, too. I'm sure this can be made to work on a Limited/ SE/ TE bumper- also, with the right depth of spacers. I had to use spacers for my rig, the GX bumper was 1/2 in too far in for the 4R profile- more below. The important part, is the width, all the post-facelift 5G bumpers are too wide and run into our turn signals. This bumper is as narrow as one can be and line up to frame horn mounts. Probably similar to the original CBI bumper in width I'd guess.

I hadn't seen anyone who had tried, found one on Marketplace... stalked it to a price drop and bought it. I paid $350. The powder coat was just starting to fail. I was able to clean it up and do a decent 2k paint job and 2k satin clear on it. Took my time and dressed all the welds - I normally do that with metal anyway.

My rig is a 13 Limited with the Canadian SR5 front bumper- it's the same as the 10-13 Trail Edition bumper, without the holes where the front bash guard garnish thing snaps on. Someone hit my rig while parked in front of my house. The truck probably would have been totaled in normal times, but this was when used car prices were high from covid. I had them it put back together with pre-facelift Trail Edition exterior trim. I didn't want just a hidden winch mount, front recovery points are crucial for me building a family hauler/ Costco queen/ light overland/ camping rig for Colorado, Wyoming, Utah type stuff.. After looking for a long time for a used hybrid type bumper, I was considering just buying a full price bumper, cutting some of the fascia width off, and having plate welded back in. Glad I tried this instead, best mod yet. Easy install, and I fit the Badlands 12k winch without moving the power steering line. The worst part honestly was trying to find a center point on the bumper and measuring accurately without any kind of template. My first test fit, I could tell it was going to work great. My first cut was spot on, but I had to temporarily use oversized large construction nuts as spacers between the frame horn and rear of the bumper to get the space right. A local metal shop sheared off (four) 1/4" plates, 4 1/2" x 5". I nipped off the frame horn connection from the discarded sub bumper to use as a template and drilled out 4 holes in my new 1/4 inch stock. Bolted it back up. I could already tell from the dry fit that I could easily install the bumper first, and put the winch on after- much easier than holding it all up together for a by yourself install. I think I covered the basics, not much else to say. Good luck finding a used bumper!

 

I already asked this question in the 5G section, but I will probably get more views here. Does anyone know what the lower bolt size and pitches for the frame bumper- the horizontal bolt?

 

Didn't have to cut much off. Also, kept the lower grill insert mesh thing in case I decide to take the winch out for any reason, even for seasonal storage.

 

And - sorry, I'm not active on here and just realized there is a 5G specific armor section. Feel free to move this post if that's a better place.