The Best Ford Ranger Brush Guards and Grille Guards

Updated on May 5, 2025

Off-road truck with brush and grille guards on dirt trail.

There’s no such thing as too much protection—as the adage goes, you can’t ever be too careful. Whether you use your Fifth-gen Ford Ranger for work, play, or daily driving duties, one of the best precautions to preserve your truck’s good looks, structural integrity, and overall mechanical condition is installing a premium Grille Guard from RealTruck®. 

At RealTruck, we offer a massive selection of grille guards, also called brush guards, from all the leading manufacturers, including Ranch Hand, Steelcraft, and Westin. Which product is right for you? In this RealSource feature, we’re covering the top Ford Ranger brush guards and grille guards, ensuring you make the right selection for your truck. 

If you’re looking to outfit your truck with high-quality front-end protection, follow along for our experts’ top products for the Ford Ranger.

Grille Guard and Brush Guard Benefits

Front view of a blue Ford SUV with a black grille guard on a rural road.

So, why install a grille guard or brush guard anyway? These heavy-duty accessories pack several benefits, though the most notable is the comprehensive protection they offer to your Ranger’s front end. Durable, impact-resistant alloy constructions provide unmatched protection for your Ranger’s front fascia, bumper, hood, and the crucial mechanical components positioned just behind the grille. Most brush guards and grille guards also feature wrap-around headlight guards, protecting your Ranger’s expensive headlight housings against impacts and abrasions.

In addition to boosting front-end protection, grille guards and brush guards also boost your Ranger’s aesthetics. These accessories are as stylish as they are durable, offering rugged good looks that’ll surely draw attention to your truck. Most grille guards and brush guards feature sleek tubular designs and come in various finishes, ranging from lustrous chrome plating to stealthy black powder coat, to complement your Ranger. 

As if these benefits weren’t enough, most grille guards also accommodate various accessories, like off-road lighting, winches, and recovery shackles. Ultimately, the debate isn’t whether or not your Ranger needs a grille guard—it’s why you haven’t ordered one sooner.

The Top Ford Ranger Grille Guards and Brush Guards

With some benefits outlined, it’s time to get into our experts’ top product picks. Our experts have carefully selected each of the following products for their premium build quality, rugged looks, and even tougher protection.


Armordillo AR2 Pre Runner Guard

Armored bumper guard for vehicle protection.

Beef up your Ranger’s front end with the Armordillo AR2 Pre Runner Guard, offering unique pre-runner-inspired aesthetics, heavy-duty construction, and a modular design for easy installation. 

The Armordillo AR2 Pre Runner Guard features a robust, hexagonal steel tube construction for exceptional strength and unique styling. A rugged black powder coat finish provides superior corrosion resistance for years of reliable service. 

Mount auxiliary lights with ease with two pre-drilled mounting tabs. Installation is quick and easy with the AR2’s modular, bolt-on design—no drilling is required. The Armordillo AR2 Pre Runner guard comes backed by a limited 1-year warranty. 

Features: 

  • Stylish front-end guard offering comprehensive protection

  • Heavy-duty all-steel construction offers maximum front-end protection

  • Corrosion-resistant black powder coat finish

  • Two pre-drilled tabs provide secure mounting options for auxiliary lights (not included)

  • 3.5-in.-diameter hex-style push bar with 1.5-in.-diameter hex-style pre-runner bar 

  • Modular design offers easy installation

  • Simple bolt-on mounting

  • 1-year limited warranty


Black Horse Rugged Grille Guard

Black metal grille guard for a vehicle.

With “Rugged” in the name, the Black Horse Rugged Grille Guard had to offer protection worthy of its title. Luckily, Black Horse came through on its promise, delivering one of the most durable, feature-packed grille guards for the Ford Ranger. 

Whether on or off-road, the Black Horse Rugged Grille Guard provides comprehensive front-end protection with its high-strength steel construction, including a punch-plate steel grille insert, bolt-on headlight cages, and a 2.5-in. heavy-wall tube structure. It's finished in a semi-gloss black powder coat for exceptional corrosion resistance, ensuring years of reliable performance. 

The Black Horse Rugged Grille Guard offers several lighting options, accepting your choice of a 20-in. LED light bar or a pair of 5–7-in. round LED lights. Installation is a breeze with simple bolt-on brackets that require no drilling. The Black Horse Rugged Grille Guard is covered by the manufacturer's 3-year warranty. 

Features:

  • High-strength steel construction

  • Semi-gloss black powder coat finish

  • Vehicle-specific hardware and mount kit included

  • Simple no-drill installation

  • Removable headlight cages

  • Heavy-duty punch-plate grille insert

  • Several lighting options are available

  • Limited 3-year warranty


Black Horse Classic Black Grille Guard

A black metal front bumper guard with horizontal bars, isolated on a white background.

Outfit your Ford Ranger with the traditional tubular styling of the Black Horse Classic Black Grille Guard. Featuring a durable tubular construction with 16-gauge plate steel uprights, the Black Horse Classic offers exceptional strength. A semi-gloss black powder coat finish boosts corrosion resistance for years of reliable service. 

Most applications feature a simple bolt-on installation, requiring no cutting, trimming, drilling, or other extensive modifications. The Black Horse Classic also features two pre-drilled mounting tabs for the auxiliary lighting of your choice, or select the optional five or 7-in. auxiliary LED lights at checkout.

The Black Horse Classic Black Grille Guard comes backed by a limited 3-year warranty against manufacturing and material defects. 

Features: 

  • 16-gauge mild steel construction

  • Semi-gloss black powder coat finish

  • Vehicle-specific mounting kit, hardware, and instructions included

  • Simple, bolt-on installation for most applications

  • Removable wings/brush guards on most applications

  • Mounting tabs with pre-drilled holes for auxiliary lighting

  • Optional pair of 5 or 7-in. auxiliary LED lights available with red or black housing

  • Limited 3-year warranty


Ranch Hand Legend Series Grille Guard

Black metal vehicle grille guard with honeycomb center panel and "Ranch Hand" logo.

Get legendary styling and durability with the Ranch Hand Legend Series Grille Guard. Ranch Hand—a legendary manufacturer of Ranch-style brush guards and bumpers, has a reputation to live up to regarding quality and style, and the Legend Series Grille Guard lives up to this reputation. 

Featuring a heavy-duty, fully-welded, 12-gauge steel construction and frame-mounted design, the Ranch Hand Legend Series Grille Guard is more than capable of protecting your Ranger. This product will look great for years with a corrosion-resistant black powder coat finish. 

The Ranch Hand Legend Series Grille Guard is proudly manufactured in the USA. Each order comes backed by a limited 1-year warranty. 

Features: 

  • Heavy-duty, ranch-style grille guard

  • Secure, frame-mounted design

  • Durable 12-gauge steel construction

  • Fully-welded

  • Corrosion-resistant black powder coat finish

  • Made in the USA

  • Simple bolt-on installation

  • 1-year warranty


Steelcraft HD Grille Guard

A black snowmobile rescue rack with handlebars and a mesh center panel.

Invest in the unmatched protection of the Steelcraft HD Grille Guard, featuring a one-piece welded steel construction, two-stage textured black powder coat finish, and effortless mounting with the included vehicle-specific installation kit. 

Standout features of the Steelcraft HD include its impact-resistance wrap-around headlight guards, puncture-resistant punch-plate grille, and a removable front panel to accept factory front emblem cameras (if equipped). 

The Steelcraft HD Grille Guard features a simple no-drill installation. Each order comes backed by a limited 1-year warranty. 

Features: 

  • One-piece, fully-welded steel construction

  • Two-stage textured black powder coat finish

  • Includes vehicle-specific mounting kit

  • Removable front panel supports front emblem cameras

  • Puncture-resistant punch plate grille

  • Wrap-around headlight guards improve impact resistance

  • Simple no-drill installation

  • 1-year warranty

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