Cowcatchers

Bucky1320 wrote:

rgatijnet1 wrote:
Making it strong enough should not be a problem if you have plenty of steel. Just cut slots through the fiberglass and attach to the main frame members. You see these guards on many trucks out West, including pick-ups, panel delivery trucks, box trucks, and semi's.
The problem is with a DP's that has a front mounted diesel generator and the added weight hanging out in front of the front axle on any type of RV. Maybe just a basic steel bumper out front may be better than nothing.

Well, if cutting a permanant hole in the fiberglass isn't off limits, that helps. But as far as making it strong: Try hitting a 600 lb anything at 50 mph, and see what holds up. That is a bunch of force.

600 pounds is a lightweight animal. Here is a sample of animals that we have seen running loose out West and in some parts of the East. I have come close but never hit one. Naturally deer are smaller but it is not unusual to see them leaping across the roads, at windshield height. A steel bumper may help but depending on the size of the animal, you could still have a very bad day if you hit one, which people do every year.
Elk...up to 1100 pounds
Moose....up to 1500 pounds
Buffalo.....up to 2200 pounds
Cattle....average 2000 pounds
Mule......1100 pounds
Horse......average 1200 pounds
Mule deer....200-450 pounds
Prong Horns.....150+ pounds and can run over 50 mph
White tail deer.....up to 400 pounds
Smart car.....1600 pounds

Informative link: Animal vehicle accidents