One Hit, $9,500 in Parts: Ex-Guard Brings Class 8 Protection to Pickups and Vans as Deer Season Peaks

DES MOINES — With deer season at its peak, Ex-Guard Industries, North America's leader in heavy-duty front-end protection, is urging fleets and work-truck owners to do the math on front-end damage. Replacement parts alone for a single front-end collision on an unprotected truck average $9,515.68, before labor, paint and downtime. That is more than three times the $2,640 MSRP of most Ex-Guard kits (guard and mounting brackets packaged together). The company's HX, FX and CV Series bring the protection that has shielded semi-trucks across more than 200 billion miles to the most popular truck and van models, from the Ford F-150 and RAM 1500 to the Ford Super Duty, Silverado HD, RAM HD, Ford Transit, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and RAM ProMaster.

The timing matters. Fall is the most dangerous season for animal strikes, and today's pickups and vans carry cameras, sensors and lane-keep systems right behind the grille. One deer can turn into a near-$10,000 parts bill and days in the shop. Ex-Guard is urging fleets to protect their vehicles now, while deer activity is at its height.

Semi-truck engineering for the vehicles that keep businesses moving

For nearly two decades, Ex-Guard has protected Class 8 fleets from front-end collisions, animal strikes and other road hazards. Fleet managers using Ex-Guard have reduced front-end replacement part costs by up to 97% and towable accidents by up to 80%. The HX, FX and CV Series bring those same results to the pickups, chassis cabs and vans that contractors, utilities, ambulance services and delivery fleets rely on every day. "Ex-Guard has redefined durability and design for Class 8 semi-truck protection in North America for nearly 20 years," said Jeremy Drever, director of engineering for Ex-Guard. "Now we're bringing that same level of protection to heavy-duty pickup trucks and chassis. It's Class 8 protection for Class 2-5 vehicles." The line was built in response to demand. "After tens of thousands of requests, today is the day we begin production on Ex-Guard for the most popular heavy-duty truck models in America's fleets," Drever said when production started in April 2025.

What one hit really costs

Headlights (2) $3,750.00; Hood, lane-keep assist/ACC camera $2,160.25; Radiator $1,150.00; Bumper $1,048.33; Grille $945.50; Parking sensors (4) $461.60; Total $9,515.68 (excludes labor, paint, installation and downtime). The math is simple. A $2,640 Ex-Guard kit costs less than a third of that parts bill, so one avoided hit pays for the guard more than three times over. Ex-Guard customers have reduced front-end replacement part costs by up to 97%; at that rate, a $9,515.68 parts bill would drop to about $285. For fleets, the savings multiply with every vehicle and every season. One 330-truck fleet that tracked its repairs cut its front-end costs from $647,000 to $96,247 after installing Ex-Guard, including $250,000 in towing that fell to $76,000. Animal strikes are only part of the risk: Ex-Guard reports that fleets have nine times more front-end accidents with fixed objects such as bollards, poles and posts than with deer.

Deer season is here

Deer are most active in the fall, and the numbers show it. State Farm counted more than 1.6 million animal-collision claims between July 2025 and June 2026, costing $1.9 billion. Nationally, drivers face 1-in-145 odds of an animal-collision claim, rising to 1-in-46 in West Virginia, 1-in-54 in Montana and 1-in-62 in Wisconsin, according to Carrier Management. For a business, the bill doesn't stop at the bumper. A damaged radiator, headlight or radar sensor takes a vehicle off the road until parts arrive, and every day in the shop is a missed job or route.

One lineup, three series

HX Series, half-ton pickups: Ford F-150, RAM 1500, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500. FX Series, heavy-duty pickups and chassis cabs: Ford F-250 to F-600 Super Duty, RAM 2500 to 5500, Chevrolet Silverado 2500/3500 HD, GMC Sierra 2500/3500 HD. CV Series, commercial cargo vans: Ford Transit, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, RAM ProMaster. CV Series van guards come in two designs: a full-coverage 50 model and a lighter 25 model that covers the lower front end. The RAM ProMaster is offered in the 25 design.

Built like a semi-truck guard

11-gauge high-tensile steel, the same tubing approach Ex-Guard has refined over 10 years in its LT series guards. EVRCoat PVC coating, a layer more than 1/8 inch thick that resists UV, rust, salt and road debris, and self-heals from minor damage. ClearZone compatible: HX and FX guards are designed to work with collision-mitigation systems and adaptive cruise control, though guards may interfere with front parking sensors on some vehicles. About one hour to install: every kit ships with the guard and a vehicle-specific mounting bracket. Owners can install it themselves or use an authorized Ex-Guard upfitter. Work-ready accessories: the two winch box options accept many low-profile winches, including models from Warn, Ramsey, Superwinch and Smittybilt, and include heavy-duty vehicle recovery points. Stainless steel tow hooks are also available, separately. Made in USA: designed, built and finished in Des Moines, IA and Kalispell, MT with U.S.-sourced materials.

Vehicle coverage

The HX Series fits the 2021-newer Ford F-150 and 2019-newer RAM 1500, Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500. The FX Series fits 2017-newer Ford F-250 through F-600 Super Duty, 2010-newer RAM 2500 and 3500, 2019-newer RAM 4500 and 5500, and 2020-newer Silverado and Sierra 2500/3500 HD, while the CV Series fits the 2013-newer Ford Transit, 2014-newer Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and 2014-newer RAM ProMaster. Some trims are excluded, including the Silverado ZR2 Bison, Transit Connect, Mercedes-Benz Metris and ProMaster City, so buyers should confirm fitment at ex-guard.com or (888) 902-2777.

Pricing and availability

HX, FX and CV kits are available to order now. Manufacturer's suggested retail prices start at $2,310 for the 25 series kits, while the larger 50 series kits start at $2,640, including the guard and the vehicle-specific mounting bracket. That is less than a third of the average parts bill for one front-end collision on an unprotected truck. Fleets should work with an authorized Ex-Guard distributor or upfitter for volume pricing, fitment confirmation and professional installation. Individual owners can order online at ex-guard.com/pickups and ex-guard.com/van-grille-guards. Fleet managers can estimate their savings with the Ex-Guard ROI Calculator or call (888) 902-2777.