Bull bars, steel vs alloy vs plastic

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Personally I have always had steel. I think they are stronger and they take a far better punishing than the others if you use them as I do, scrub clearers he he
However in this day and age with GVM and GCM issues the others really do need consideration.
If the weight can be justified on your vehicle then steel every time for me.
Keeping alloy bars looking smart and plastic bars not looking cheap is a handful.

GT :)
 
Very true, down side is really the weight issue really.
Much easier to modify and fix once you hit that 6 footer!
 
i have alloy on mine
reason is got it at a good price (free)
have hit 3 roos with it at about 60 to 70km an hour no damage that a tree and a chain didnt fix
as for keeping them looking smart i dont worry as its a bush veh not a town veh
but to do a quote "Even decent heavy steel bars will, bend that much hitting a skippy doing a dollar!" unquote at that speed there will be lots bent mate lol
 
There has been a few misunderstanding of strength of steel vs alloy.
steel is far superior to alloy.
BUT !.....
If you had a given weight build of say 50kg to build both from. You will get a stronger bar made of 50kg off alloy as apposed to steel given the same design.
 
I did drive a taxi for a couple of years, a ford fitted with one of those white plastic bars. Cant remember the brand, but had a gold kangaroo logo on it.
and tell you what! Light as, didn't affect ride height or handling. I did give a few drunken idiots a good nudge at times, but hit a small skippy doing about 80kmph
I thought it would of been a throw away event. Not a dent or permanent mark on it. Just $2 at the car wash to hose the scuff off.
So very impressed with that brand for cars etc.
I have seen some other variants on cars.... most where super hideous to look at, sheer ugly!
 
Jaros said:
I haven't seen an alloy bar that can support a 12000lb winch with any strength.

As far as I am aware there is no alloy bar produced that is designed to be used without the addition of a winch cradle. .
But then one should also clarify .................. a winch bar and a bull bar is two different items.
 
Even my TJM steel bar (on Prado) is only rated for a 9000lb winch. I will just be mindful of this and be careful not to stress it the wrong way when using the 12,000lb winch is fitted!

However, colour coded steel bulbar was the only way to go - and it looks great!
 
Oh nah wire core composite bars are far better.
Strength of the steel flexible inner core and the outer composite that flexes in a prang, they work like shock absorbers, but if push comes to shove they have the inner strength.
 
With some 4x4 vehicles the steel bull bars can be a detrimental to the car. Drive it on a bit of corrigation and you get bad body cracking.
Extra battery and winch makes it worse.
Certain Hilux's crack around headlight support panel to inner gaurd, have also seen cracking near fire wall,
Earlier prados crack at fire wall,
Navaras crack at fire wall. Mazda and holden also.
Could name more. I did have my own business and saw my fair share of issues, hushed up by the bigger manufacturer's.
I have had both alloy and steel on my 4x4s and now do not have one on latest car. Extra weight and just figure if i hit a roo ect insurance will cover anyway. Still cheaper when you look at excess.
Another point, if i was hit by a car i would not like to be hit with one with a bull bar as my injury's would be worse. That many 'toorak' farmers in the city that have these vehicles would never see the outer burbs or the bush. Just my point of view.
 
Ok, I wil try explain without facts on hand. But it will help understand the trade off.
lets say a 1m long peice off black steel of 30mm od (out side diameter) x 3mm BMT ( base metal thickness) weighs 3kg a meter mass weight.

And a peice of alloy pipe, 30mm od ( same) could be around 9mm BMT ( instead of only being 3mm that of steel) and weighing in at the same 3kg per meter mass weight.
Now you have 9mm bmt alloy vs 3mm steel. At same weight per meter.
so in essence it's kind of a eg.... half the strength of steel, but a third the weight steel.
trade off....
 
My B&M super charger on my 308 Torana was a real chassis cracker!
But gee.... good at the time gettings 6"s of wheels off the ground! Running consistent 10.9s on the quarter felt worthy! :p
 
just figure if i hit a roo ect insurance will cover anyway.

As opinions go, and we know every one with a :poop: hole has one ........................ I think bars are fitted to minimise the damage. ie Gives you a better chance of being left with a mobile vehicle after impacting wildlife. It's fine to let your insurance handle it ..................... but could be a damn long walk before one has phone reception to do so ;)

Think that there is no one answer to it as the environment you operate the vehicle in really dictates the for and against of it all.
 
Yes they have a totally justified valid reason in rural areas. Daily Im on the anchors! Even with the steel bar I dont want to hit one.
But nice to know I can most likely get back without a smashed in radiator and it in the panel beaters for a month.
 
Cracked the back end on my HD Holden.
Right across the rear hog leg.
Water injection, With Metho Spirits,
Nice little glow switch on dash that every one thought was very cool.
Had "Boost" written under it. LOL
Hp 179 bored out,
Stage 3 Yella Terra head,
Balanced,
60/40 Cam,
Original 186s Dual Carbies,
Original Headers, Extended,
2 1/2 inch system out the back,
3.36 Diff,
Kmac 1 inch stabilizers both front, And rear,
Tramp racks, Rear springs,
Idled with a cup of water on top of the motor,
Man that thing could get.
clocked at 130 Miles an hour.
Till a bit of cork clogged a cam journal.
Split the block in half at 70 mph under full noise.
I was a bit upset and never rebuilt it. 8.(
 
Alloy is light but stays bent

Steel is heavy but takes a flogging , arb is honestly the best built bar with extra gussets and pipe that runs through other components then facewelded to surface, the reason i mention this is where the top bars meet the main body there are major differences , the cheap b bars actually only have bolts holding the the bars on . The bulk of b bars have the top bars welded directly to main bar body which is better but arb are drilled through main body and welded down low as well as on top plus gusset brakets.

Smart bars are light and flex back into shape , i had one for 15 years hit 80 odd roos from 20kph upto 140kph ]:D hit them too high and the smart bar flexes and can damage the panels , hit them just right and floor it straight after and the plastic springs the roo foward and you can hit it twice :Y:

The biggest key is to mount your b bar up all square and neat , tighten all mounts, then cross drill the plates that have sliding adjustment slots and put a bolt through, failing to do this will let the bolts slip on impact and cause the b bar to move back and damage the bonnet headlights etc.

So....
If the b bar is for looks or mounting lights etc and you care about feul consumption go alloy,
If you have a lighter built 4x4 with more road type suspension like a triton or vw (no offense :eek: ) go a smart bar ,more so with torsion bar suspension.
If you have a tuff truck like a hilux , crusier etc go steel , spend 2000 or upwards and go steel.
If you dont leave the city after dark a cheap steel bar would be fine .

I now run a arb premium bar and love it :perfect:
 

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