Wow!
Just got back from a week skiing Blackcomb/Whistler, and found this "interesting" discussion!
FWIW:
ARB's are engineered to meet Auzzy on-road requiremets, and must be "impact-friendly". They are built well, and designed well, and work with air-bag equipted vehicles. I wouldn't throw one away.
Unfortunately Mitsu USA/Canada were required by the Govt to modify the front bumper mount extension from the frame, and that mod means the ARB's are no longer a direct bolt-on for us, they must be modified somewhat to fit. Increasing their cost even further beyond shipping across the Pacific.
My front bumper is basicly a modified section of 5" channel iron, shaped and fitted to the front of a Mitsu. No engineering, no PR dept (...well, maybe Joe!), no "on-road" certification. These are meant to be, and built as, OFF-ROAD armour. No idea what they do to airbag deployment.
And since many of us have some degree of body lift, and all of us differ on opinions as to how high on the body, or how far foward the bumper should be mounted, I make them so you can drill your own mounting holes to fit them wherever you want on your rig, lifted or not. And since it's all pretty much 1/4 inch steel, you can add and remove whatever you want at any future date. Just weld over any bolt holes you don't want! Or add any brackets anywhere. Just weld them on. Anywhere.
I think the ARB needs a special add-on to accomodate a winch (not sure anymore), whereas I integrated a winch plate right into the basic design. So nothing more to add.
ARB's come painted and ready to go (other than the frame mount nuisance), mine come as cleaned shiny steel, you get to coat it with whatever wunder-coat you want! Whatever works best in your area. I just used Rustoleum primer and then flat-black. Goes on easy, doesn't fall off easy, and retouches and blends in really well. To each their own!
The ARB uses 8 bolts (both sides of the frame extensions), whereas I use 4 bolts (using only the outside frame bolt holes). Since the steel on min is 1/4", 4 bolts is plenty, especially if you drill out the old welded on nuts and move up a few sizes in diameter, and use Gr8's. Either way, you could hang the truck by either ARB or mine. No big difference.
I did have trouble matching holes on the ones I've tried it on: apparently my rig may be "trail-adjusted" aleady!
The front bumpers are just different animals.
...try using a hi-lift jack directly on an ARB!
Thnks for the positive feed-back!
Don
