Ex-Guard launches the MAX, its strongest grille guard yet
- Ex-Guard recently released it's newest grille guard, the Ex-Guard MAX
- The grille guard is strong, designed to be light, and UN ECE R93 certified to protect against underrun accidents
- The guard also includes three new features: The VISR Bar, Front Underrun Mitigation System, and Steer Tire Defender 3.0
Ex-Guard has released its latest addition to its line of front-end truck protection, the Ex-Guard MAX. Touted as the company’s “most advanced front-end protection system yet,” the grille guard is designed for Classes 6-8 trucks.
Ex-Guard MAX’s new features
The Ex-Guard MAX comes with three new features: The VISR Bar (vehicle Illumination Safety Reinforcement), Front Underrun Mitigation System, and Steer Tire Defender 3.0.
The VISR Bar is an 8-gauge high-tensile steel low bar that’s been added to the grille guard. Featuring steel plate gusseting for reinforcement, the VISR Bar is meant to provide more protection for collision mitigation system radars, fog lamps, and steer tires.
“The VISR Bar was developed in direct response to feedback from fleets and OEM partners,” explained Jeremy Drever, director of engineering for Ex-Guard. “It strengthens the guard in some of the most impact-prone areas while helping ensure compatibility with advanced vehicle systems. The result is added durability and confidence for fleets looking to protect critical components without compromising performance.”
The second new addition is the Front Underrun Mitigation System, which is meant to help prevent other vehicles from sliding beneath a truck in certain scenarios. The Front Underrun Mitigation System is validated by the UN ECE R93 standard that help prevent underrun accidents from trucks with mismatched bumper heights.
“We’ve independently tested the MAX to be the strongest, most protective grille guard we’ve ever built,” Drever said.
He added the MAX is effective at "mitigating front-end damage caused by wildlife and other vehicles, as well as frequent, minor incidents that often occur around the yard or at truck stops."
Finally, the last new feature is the Steer Tire Defender 3.0, which is the company’s newest and highest protection rating among its line of grille guards. This level of defense is currently only available through the Ex-Guard MAX.
“Steer tires are among the most critical components on any truck,” Drever explained. “Damage to this area can create major risks for equipment and operations. With the Ex-Guard MAX and its Steer Tire Defender 3.0 rating, we’ve engineered our strongest protection yet to help fleets safeguard this vulnerable area and reduce the potential for costly repairs and downtime.”
According to Drever, Ex-Guard developed the new guard with a high protection-to-weight ratio so that it could defend collision mitigation systems, bumpers, and lighting at half its weight.
“We have a strong customer base that are particularly looking for a guard that protects as well as a full bumper replacement—sometimes known as a moose bumper—without the extra weight, extra expense and the long install times of a moose bumper,” Drever noted. “The features of Ex-Guard MAX only add about 50 lbs. to the overall weight of the guard, meaning a very, very small impact to load weight and fuel economy.”
But for all its impact (or lack thereof) on a truck’s load weight, Drever said the Ex-Guard MAX will hold to the same standards as its other products. The company’s other guards are able to withstand large animal collisions like moose, elk, and bear, as well as other objects like bollards, posts, and other vehicles, and Ex-Guard MAX is meant to “take this up several notches,” Drever added.
“While no two incidents are ever the same and impacts vary immensely based on opposing speed, angles, height and even weather conditions, we can say this guard has been tested and engineered so that if it were possible, you could balance the weight of four or more passenger cars on the wing of the guard without the integrity of the guard failing,” he asserted.
The company also noted that each Ex-Guard MAX model has been tailored to align with OEM specs and collision mitigation system compatibility, and comes with Ex-Guards standard features:
- ClearZone CMS Compatible Design
- XERO-G Lift Assist
- 8-gauge high-tensile steel coated with 3mm of EVRCoat PVC finish
- LEVRLock dual latches
- License plate bracket
About the Author
Alex Keenan
Alex Keenan is an Associate Editor for Fleet Maintenance magazine. She has written on a variety of topics for the past several years and recently joined the transportation industry, reviewing content covering technician challenges and breaking industry news. She holds a bachelor's degree in English from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado.