Aftermarket bumpers are a great way to add additional protection and functionality to the front end of your Tacoma.
There are a ton of different ones out there, but if you want to keep the OEM look and perform minimal cutting, the All-Pro Off-Road Low-Profile is an excellent option.
A standout option, these have a design that features the shell separate from the winch cradle. Also, it comes in steel AND aluminum varieties. You don’t really see many aluminum varieties.
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- Aluminum Shell: Check Price
- Steel Shell: Check Price
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Table Of Contents
Features & Specs
This bumper is a great choice that both looks good and adds some much-needed functionality to the otherwise boring front end of the Tacoma. It comes with a steel winch plate, giving you the ability to mount a winch and built-in easy access 3/4″ recovery points that are attached to the frame.
For the face plate, you have the choice of either an aluminum or steel that features mounting holes for a fairlead and cut out for a 30″ light bar. I chose to go with the aluminum face plate to save weight since my truck is my daily driver. If you want even more protection, steel is your best bet. You also have the choice of adding a center hoop, like the one pictured above, which also adds two mounting tabs for pod lights or an antenna. You can order with powder coat, or in bare steel.
Installation
Tools Required
- Allen Keys (9/64 and 5/16)
- Sockets (11mm, 12mm, 13mm, 14mm, and 17mm)
- Ratchet Wrench
- Dremel (or cutting tool)
Step 1. Remove Front Valance
Start with removing the front lower plastic trim piece by simply popping out the clips. If you still have the front air dam on your Tacoma, you will need to remove this by unscrewing the multiple 10mm bolts first.
If you plan on reusing the trim piece in the future, make sure to be careful while taking out the clips as they are flimsy plastic and easy to break.
Step 2. Remove Plastic Portion
Remove the plastic crash structure by unclipping it from the crash bar. Keep in mind that they are clips on the top, bottom, and sides and it should come off without any force.
Step 3. Trimming
Now for the fun part, trimming the front plastic. I would suggest marking your cut line beforehand with a marker. You will want to mark your line a 1/2″ away from the holes where your plastic trim piece clipped in. Mark a straight line across the top lip then follow the curves down the side and straight down underneath.
Once you have cut, it should leave a large gap in the front and leave the skid plate exposed. Don’t worry too much about making the cut big enough on the first try as you can always adjust and trim later after seeing the winch plate and face plate installed.
Step 4. Lower Screws
On the driver and passenger side of your truck, there will be one bolt on each side that holds the fender liner and plastic together. Remove these two bolts with a 10mm socket.
Step 5. Remove Bar & Hook
Unscrew the six bolts that hold the crash metal to the frame with a 14mm socket. With the crash bar loose, maneuver it through the hole you cut out. You may need to pull the sides to create some wiggle room on one side of the crash bar to get it out since there are metal “wings” on both ends of the crash bar.
With the crash bar removed and set aside, remove the six nuts (three on each crash bar support) from the stand-offs using a 14mm socket. Set these aside as you will need to reuse them later.
Finally, use a 17mm socket to remove the two bolts holding the factory recovery hook on the frame.
Step 6. Remove Cap Bolts
Use a 17mm socket to remove the two bolts (one on each side) from the subframe extensions. Leave these extensions in place as we will be replacing the bolts when we put the new bumper on. You do have the option of leaving these out if you’re okay with the frame end being open.
Step 7. Relocate Power Steering Cooler
This part took me a little bit longer due to having to maneuver the transmission cooler and hoses.
First, remove the two bolts holding the transmission cooler to the frame using a 12mm socket. Next, using the two Allen bolts, washer, and nut that were provided in the kit, mount the transmission cooler to the back hole on the extensions that were provided.
Move over to the passenger wheel well and remove the two bottom plastic clips holding the mud flap in place. You should see a bolt in the frame that is holding a bracket and hose in place. Remove the bolt using a 12mm socket.
I would keep this bolt somewhere in case you want to replace it but you will not need to reuse it for the bumper.
With the bolt removed, go back to the front of the truck and push back on the power steering cooler to relocate it to where the front holes on the new extension bracket line up with the factory holes and reinstall the factory bolts.
The power steering cooler should now sit closer to the radiator. If needed, you can use a pry bar or similar tool to bend up the brackets to minimize rubbing on the frame or winch plate.
Installing Winch/Light Bar
I did not have a light bar or winch to install but if you do, use their provided hardware for mounting to the All-Pro winch plate. Install these now as you will not be able to install them later without removing the face plate.
Step 8. Install New Cover Bolts
Using the two bolts, washers, and nuts provided, insert the screw and washer into the side holes through the bumper and fender liner and tighten the nut to secure them together. Snug tight with a 13mm socket.
If you have larger tires like I do, this returns the fender liner to the factory location so you may need to leave these bolts out and push the fender liner back further to eliminate rubbing.
Step 9. Mount Winch Plate
Place the winch plate onto the frame and align the holes with the six bolts where crash bar was previously located. Secure it by reusing the six nuts you removed previously with a 14mm socket.
After it is secured, make sure that the winch plate is not making contact with any important components such as the transmission cooler.
Step 10. Mount Shell
Line up the holes on the face plate with the eight holes in the winch plate and loosely install the supplied bolts in by hand. Next, push up the face plate to its final position and then tighten the screws with a 5/16 Allen key.
Step 11. Adjust & Tighten
With the faceplate and winch plate installed, make sure all of the new bolts are tightened. Insert the two bolts you removed from the subframe extensions back into place and tighten using a 17mm socket.
Shake the bumper around to check for any loose bolts or if it makes contact with anything that it shouldn’t. If it does, you may need to make adjustments by cutting more plastic or adjusting the transmission cooler back further.
Final Thoughts
I am beyond excited and love the aggressive look and high-quality features it adds. Prior to installing, I was a little concerned with the strength of the aluminum face plate compared to steel. After installing it, however, I was pleasantly surprised with how stout it felt.
With such an easy installation process, I think that everyone with a Tacoma should consider a low-profile front bumper to help protect the front end. It only took me roughly 2 hours (taking pictures and notes for this article included) and very minimal cutting. Plus, you can convert the truck back to stock if you choose to do so.
I can’t wait to build out with a winch and light bar to complete the look and I’m excited to put it all to the test on the trails!
