GMC Sierra 1500 Brush Guards & Grille Guards Overview

Brush guards or grille guards are metal, tubular structures designed to protect the front end of your vehicle in the event of collision. Grille guards extend across the front end of your vehicle and wrap around your Sierra’s grille and headlamps. 

• Protects front panel, hood, and headlights in the event of a low-speed collision 
• Protects engine components and radiator from collisions
• Adds an aggressive style and look to your Sierra
• Bolts right onto the frame and serves as a solid base where tow hooks can be attached 

Brush guards are available with mesh that shields the radiator against brush without restricting its airflow. Some brush guards even offer built-in winches where tow hooks can easily be attached to get your Sierra out of trouble when needed most. Brush guards can extend the life of precious engine components by filtering and preventing debris and brush from entering its air intake system. 

Bull bars are tubular metal or aluminum pieces that fit onto the front-end of your vehicle and protect the middle of your Sierra, just below the grille. Bull bars are designed to limit the impact and damage from a front-end collision and prevent small animals from flipping over the hood. Generally cheaper than brush guards, they only offer protection to the center of your front-end and bumper and do not protect headlamps or any other front-end accessories. 

Brush guards take their design from bull bars, but offer complete front-end protection. They offer headlamp and radiator protection from brush and debris unlike bullbars. Brush guards could be considered a massive upgrade from a basic bull bar on your GMC Sierra 1500.

Brush guards do not affect visibility from your headlamps in anyway. They are designed to extend the life of headlamps by protecting them from debris and brush while off-roading. Also, brush guards do not interfere with airbag sensors. 

Full Grille Guards offer complete protection to your Sierra’s front fascia as well as its headlights. Full grille guards typically extend to cover the grille, headlights, and bumper of your Sierra.

Center Grille Guards do not extend to protect headlights from roving debris. They still cover the grille and all other major components of your Sierra’s front fascia and offer more protection than a bull bar.

Push Bars are generally the same as bull bars, but made with weaker materials and do not protect the front bumper. These are designed to give other vehicles a gentle push at low speeds when they are trapped in mud or other precipitous conditions.

Finish: Brush guards are available in three different styles, polished stainless steel, black powder coating, and chrome plated. Powder coating is the cheapest finish available, but also the most susceptible to corrosion, and scratches cannot be buffed out. On the other hand, stainless steel scratches can be re-polished. It remains the strongest material.

Style: Consider what you think will give your Sierra the best look and protect the parts you deem necessary. Brush guards offer total protection, but if you don’t care about preserving your headlights than a bull bar will work just fine on your truck. 

Budget: How much are you willing to pay for a brush guard? Some feature mesh nets that are more expensive, but offer more coverage than standard full-size brush guards. 

Remember that working on your truck may be more difficult with a brush guard attached. There are also skid bars that offer protection for undercarriage components, such as your oil pan, from debris and collisions. 

Grille guards offer mounting ports to attach fog lights and auxiliary lights. Use mounting brackets or drill holes to attach fog lights directly to your aftermarket Sierra’s brush guard. Grille guards can also serve as an excellent winching bar so you can be towed without having to attach a tow hook directly to the frame or bumper of your Sierra.

Brush guards are vehicle specific and most Sierra trucks have pre-existing holes to directly bolt on an aftermarket brush guard. If not, measure the width of the brush guard and drill the holes yourself. Line up the mounting brackets and tighten the brush guard in place directly to the frame. You’ll need someone to help you hold the brush guard as they are fairly heavy.