Arc-Rite brand Grill/Brush Guard

[NickPic83]

no u will go right over the miata, u cant push it. the truck is too high and the car is too low.

 

[verytalonted]

PICS, I have PICS!!!!!

Ok so I have to spend some money to get em.... but hell I have pics!!!

I think it looks Zombie Apocalypse mode ready now!
Woody would be proud!

 

[blockdoc]

I think it looks decent.

Kinda looks like your truck has on a catcher's mask.

 

[Rookie]

Looks good. Not my style but I like it. Any complaints thus far?

 

[mouldman1]

Damn!!! Loooks Cool!

 

[verytalonted]

Looks good. Not my style but I like it. Any complaints thus far?

Only complaint... That the Raptor hole in the bumper that the tow hooks protrude from are too small for the grill guard's mounting assembly to go through, so some dremeling was in order....

 

[Yukon Joe]

Was it an easy install?
How is the fit?
Does it tie in any where other than at the recovery hooks?

Yukon Joe
Buffalo Run Support Raptor
http://www.fordraptorforum.com/showthread.php?p=364119

 

[linexsa]

looks good! arc rite builds good stuff. i use their products from time to time.

 

[Humvee21]

Does it come in chrome?

 

[cage1993]

To OP, looks great, I'm sure you see a bunch of those in the Angelo area!

I would just spend the money with ADD or another vendor before I got that. If you hit something with that, looks like more damage to your truck when it bends over and tears up the hood and everything else. Just my opinion though. Get what you like

I worked at Arc-Rite for a few years, I can tell you for a fact, if you hit something hard enough that the grill guard (an Arc-Rite grill guard) smashes back into your hood, then without the grill guard you would be missing a radiator, fan, etc! These grill guards are built by West Texans for West Texans, their purpose is to keep you from being stranded with a busted radiator. We have a lot of deer out here, and a deer thru your radiator, when your 200 miles from the nearest town is bad news. I have a buddy that hit a doe at 80+ MPH in an F-150 with an Arc-Rite, splattered it everywhere, and there was no damage to his truck or the grill guard. My sister rear ended a Focus and totaled it, the only damage she had was she had to repaint her grill guard! So while nothing is indestructible, these things serve their intended purpose rather well. The only weak point on these things are the sides. If you hit something hard enough on the "wraps" (the portion that wraps around the headlights on either side) they tend to bounce back and do slight damage to the fenders. Two things to keep in mind there, these are butt welds and they are sleeved (one pipe inside another for a few inches), so while Arc-Rites may bend at these outside points, other brands tend to totally shear off (most other brands are either bolted together at these points, or the uprights are a flat plate with pipes welded flatly against said plate). So an Arc-Rite grill guard is going to reduce damage(versus no grill guard or many other brands), but of course it might not be able to totally prevent damage. As for Arc-Rite being a vendor, I spoke to Clay (the owner) about it when we built my bumper (pics below). He's very interested, but he is too busy to deal with it. Hopefully one of these days he gets on here.

Was it an easy install?
How is the fit?
Does it tie in any where other than at the recovery hooks?

Yukon Joe
Buffalo Run Support Raptor
RPG and WSI present The South Dakota Buffalo Run - FORD RAPTOR FORUM - Ford SVT Raptor Forums - Ford Raptor

These things are pretty easy to install. I know Clay doesn't have written instructions for all models, but if you call them up they will walk you thru it. Now my opinion is obviously biased, as I used to work there, but I think the Arc-Rite grill guards fit better than anything else out there. Granted a full grill guard might not be your style, but if it is, the styling of these is hard to beat. All grill guards they make from 2000 year model and up, bolt straight to the frame (usually requires removal of tow hooks) and then have a second bracket that attaches to the top of the frame. If you look at the first picture of OP's truck (head on) the second bracket runs from the cross tube above the license plate.

Does it come in chrome?

Standard is black powder coat (some colors also available), Arc-Rite is also a Line-X dealer, so they will Line-X, custom paint is available for exact matches - they can do chrome, but they will highly, highly recommend against it! Everything else they do in house, but due to EPA regs there are very few companies out there able to chrome these things. These are one piece (except upper brackets), and its hard to find chrome companies willing and able. The ones out there will NOT warranty the chrome, and it will eventually peel. When electroplating large curved items such as these, the current tends to arc (no pun intended) over the curves and welds. The chrome plating is weak in these areas and will come off eventually. Besides that, it takes months upon months to ship these out, get them chromed, and then to the customer.

Below is the bumper I had Arc-Rite build for my truck (I skipped a grill guard on this one, first truck I've ever owned without one! I feel a bit naked!) I had posted these on another thread a few months back, and never followed up. This bumper is now Line-Xed. The license plate is mounted on a receiver hitch and slides out in case I need the receiver.