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Old 12-08-2003, 11:02 PM   #1
a1cchad
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Default Lightweight bumper beam

Other than not being quite as protected during a crash, what do you guys feel is good and bad about using the lightweight bumper beam for front and back when I convert to the newer style bumper covers?
lightweight beams are cheaper and lighter and i don't think any cops are going to take my bumper off to see whats under it (like they would know the difference between the 2 anyway). But i wanted more input before i spent my money so if its worth it to spend the money on the bigger support then i will do it.
thanks,
chad
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Old 12-09-2003, 12:10 AM   #2
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How about after a crash. When you do need to report to insurance and they find that the you modified a somewhat crucial safety feature on the car.

Now think of your future of obtaining another insurance, let alone the new cost. Now that you have this history of removing bumper beams

Removing a protective part of the car and replacing it with something inferior just for a weights savings is not worth it in my opinion, especially when potentially, your life depends on it, and the lives of others (if applicable).

I would say it's better to mod the bumper than change the beams.

-paK +2
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Old 12-09-2003, 02:56 AM   #3
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Despite popular belief, it is not a "crucial" saftey feature of the car. Its only for 5mph type bumps. They come stock on alot of JDM cars, and really they do nothing for high speed accidents where crush zones and the real saftey designs of the car come into play.

If I swaped to a newer bumper I would do it (besides, our MY95 cars arent worth much anyway If we get in an accident, its likely the car is going to be totalled cause of the cars value vs. repair cost)
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Old 12-09-2003, 11:12 AM   #4
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Quote:
cheaper
not cheeper
modifing your front bumper with a hack saw is cheeper

and half a usdm bumper x100 more sturdy than a lightweight

why change the rear bumper again?
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Old 12-09-2003, 12:12 PM   #5
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narg.

i have it on my front end. at a 5mph collision, my car bounced back 4 feet or so from parked (friends mom backed into it)

im still running it, just bent it back into shape and had my bumper repainted. id do it again if given the choice. 25 lbs of weight on the fronn end makes your turn-in much better. id keeep it on the rear though. stupid people are always wanting to poke my arse. and i can stop much better than pretty much anything on the street, so im figureing ill stop and get smashed from behind more than ill hit somone.


narg.
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Old 12-10-2003, 12:21 AM   #6
Kostamojen
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Plus by loosing the weight off the front and keeping the rear one equates to a better f/r weight ratio
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Old 02-03-2005, 03:05 PM   #7
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where can i get one
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Old 02-03-2005, 03:52 PM   #8
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If weight or lap times matter, I'd consider it. However, if either of those were true, you could probably classify the vehicle as a "serious race vehicle". Sine SRVs are generally huge pains in the a$$ to drive on the street, you usually don't, and thus cops are moot, crashes are moot, insurance is moot.

If this is for a street car, I see fewer genuine applications.

On my car (which I have corner weighted) my f/r weight ratio would go from 56.7% front to 56.2% front by losing 35 pounds in the front. As part of an ongoing weight reduction plan for a rally car, it's progress. For a street car? 0.5%? I would imagine you would see more results from more practice driving, or spending the same money on a driving school.

Cheers,
Anders
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Old 02-03-2005, 03:53 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DyeOwnsMe
where can i get one
You can order from Subaru. It's a factory part.

Anders
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Old 02-03-2005, 04:17 PM   #10
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You're L style double beam bumper is fairly light as it is. The RS style USDM one is nearly twice as heavy as it is a perimeter frame & has a heavy bar along the bottom. (I had both to compare)

I have the lightweight bumper now & the only thing it does for me is remind me never to rear end anyone. I keep the standard one around just in case.

A near no cost improvement to weight distribution would be to relocate the Battery to the trunk. It weighs a ton & is about as far forward as you can get. By moving it behind the rear wheels you are doubling the effect since the weight is removed from the front and duplicated in the rear. And it costs you what, a set of wires & a box?
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Old 02-03-2005, 07:06 PM   #11
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where can i order one online???
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Old 02-03-2005, 11:56 PM   #12
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Any dealer should be able to find it. Jaime at AllSubaru.com might know specifically what to look for since she's familiar w/ most mods. Shipping would'nt be that bad since you'd be paying mostly for dimensions. (long) It doesn't weigh much; something like 5 lbs, very flimsy.

Last edited by tbd; 02-04-2005 at 10:27 AM.
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Old 02-08-2005, 01:03 PM   #13
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I've had the experince of being rear-ended with a light wieght rear beam on my old 00rs-t. Notice I said "old" because I doing have it any longer. It was really nice watching the guy come in my rear view mirrior for about 50ft at 60mph. Then it happened, however it really didnt hurt. But it hurt the car. After I was hit I looked at my back seat and the spare was pushed through the seat and I could literally touch it. So yea, its not a good idea. The front I could see if you would using a FMIC, when, if you hit something then its your fault. But its no use putting the rear on and having someone else hit you. Its not worth it.

J
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Old 02-15-2005, 11:07 AM   #14
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Like Kostamojen said it wouldn't had made a difference due to the fact that bumper beams are for low speed hits.

You really think a solid I beam in the back would slow a 60mph hit?
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Old 02-15-2005, 11:15 AM   #15
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IIRC jamie at allsubaru WON'T SELL them
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Old 02-15-2005, 01:23 PM   #16
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go to subaruwrxparts.com they have the front and rear. i just put one of these beams on my front end plus an aluminum hood, it feels a little different, or that could just be from me not driving my car for the month it was in the shop. but yeah that thing is as flimsy as a coke can, but i needed it for my version 4 bumper so oh well, knock on wood i don't cream anyone or my engine is done for.
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Old 02-15-2005, 06:42 PM   #17
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The front corner of my car got hit when an idiot merged into me abruptly. At the last second, they decided to make a left hand turn from the center lane of a 3 lane road. I had a lightweight bumper beam. To fix, I replaced the bumper, hood, fender, headlight, and bent the lightweight bumper beam back to shape. If I had the stock heavy bumper beam on there the whole thing would have shifted to the left and caused who knows how much more damage to the frame rather than just giving way by itself.

The car is fine with the lightweight beams, it was designed to be safe with it as that is what it's sold with in Japan. Like other's have said, our larger beams are just in place to pass the US 5 mph test.
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Old 02-21-2005, 05:40 PM   #18
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You guys know that the insurance company will neither know about, or give a flying crap about the lightweight bumper beam right?


Why do you people keep spouting crap about insurance laws anyway? None of you have ever known what you are talking about. The insurance company doesnt care what is done to your car as long as it is registered an insured.
They arent any more likely to drop you, and they arent going to not cover the accident because of it.


Where do you people even come up with this crap

Also, in a bad accident, that beam is going to do exactly dick. Any impact hard enough to damage the beam like you guys are talking about is going to bend the frame anyway.
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Old 02-22-2005, 11:03 AM   #19
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Agreed
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Old 02-22-2005, 06:14 PM   #20
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I definitely agree with the insurance and lack of support a bumper beam has on high speed crashes arguments (whether USDM or JDM), but aside from that i have two other questions that searches didn't answer. This first, and probably most important to me, is whether a low speed crash thats enough to bend the jdm bumper (like a parking accident) is enough to set off the airbags. I'm a newb, so I don't know where the airbag sensors are located so I don't know if a JDM beam would affect this, i've heard its located in the fenders, in which case a JDM bumper beam wouldn't affect the deployment of the airbags, am i right? Also, I have my car lowered and am getting the V-Limited lip most likely, so there is the possibility of having the bumper bottom out. Would this cause the lip to bend just from bottoming out?? Thanks,

~Matt
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Old 02-22-2005, 06:30 PM   #21
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also, wat would be stronger, a jdm bumper beam or cut up stock bumper beam, the reason i am asking all of this is that i think i am going to replace my tiny stock fog lights with JDM ones, and i'll either need the JDM bumper beam or cut the stocker, thanks,

~Matt
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Old 02-22-2005, 07:36 PM   #22
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When you take the bumper cover off you'll see that the stock beam is basically 2 parallel beams, the mod is cutting off the bottom beam. The JDM beam is basically just a strip of sheet metal. So the cut stock beam is definitely more sturdy. The airbag sensors are in the fenders ahead of the wheel well. With the JDM beam you should be alright in minor accidents. I had an accident at about 5-10mph with all the force hitting the right front corner of the car and the damage didn't come close to protruding into the airbag sensor.
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Old 02-22-2005, 10:19 PM   #23
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alright, thats what i thought, any idea on stability when front bumper bottoms out?
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Old 02-24-2005, 02:02 AM   #24
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anyone?
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Old 02-24-2005, 06:46 AM   #25
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It would just depend on the force of the impact. If you're just slowly nudging up into a curb or something when parking you'll be alright. Anything faster, who knows, I'd say you're more likely to rip off the lip than damage the beam though.
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