Defender Bullbars - Pros & Cons

If you don't have the necessary armour plating, then expect your soft aluminium body to get dents and scratches

So far:

ARB Steel Bull bar 2 - Roo's 0 ( Two medium sized roos committed suicide in seperate incidents by jumping right in front of me when on a recent trip up north.
Rock sliders 0 ( three paint chips) Car doors 3 art least including one woman who said it was my fault her door got damaged when she pushed it full force getting out of her tin box. She hit the rock slider so hard that it bent the edge of her door over. I just drove away with a big smile after telling her to be more careful.
Rear bumpers 0 ( white paint scratch) - White Ute 1 long bent/scratch down the side of his car..

Finally, Large black cow lying on a dark road near Moranbah 0 - Hella Rallye 4000 with HID inserts picked him about 500m away and I was able to stop safely - Cow did not move until I got right up to it.

If you are not properly equipped for outback travel - stay in the suburbs

Have to agree completely with those saying go the steel bar... I've got the TJM type 13, so far in 18 months out here I've managed to "hit" 6 roos. Nothing bigger than about 1.5m, but only damage in that time was to crack the two plastic mounting tabs on the built-in indicators ($60 to replace both light fittings). I'd hate to think how much damage these would have done without the bar.

Also got to agree with Iain good lights up front are vital!

Quote:

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Large black cow lying on a dark road near Moranbah 0 - Hella Rallye 4000 with HID inserts picked him about 500m away and I was able to stop safely - Cow did not move until I got right up to it.

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Needless to say I believe a good bar is just as important as the rubber on your wheels!
Ant

Ps. Out here is 400km NW of Mt Isa

I have the ARB bull bar with TJM side steps and brush bars connected to the front. Awesome protection, but very heavy. The side brush bars have saved my bacon numerous times in tight tracks. I gotta say the tube A frame bars from the UK look the best. Unless your driving regularly on country roads, then go with what looks tough.

I've got the Frontrunner one:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/06/655.jpg



In hindsight, I would have gone for one of the Terrafirma tubular one such as this:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

ive held my tongue on this one but the makers mark is talking now ~ if your not sure whether you should really stump up a gorilla for frontal protection. Well chances are you dont need really need it?

I stopped bothering to count roo strikes at 20. More than half have been daytime hits either out of the grader grass or off the cut ins? Side rails and bars make the winch more rigid too.

S

Steel bar 100%. Had my fair share of animal, vehicle, tree and immoveable object (garage wall) strikes over the years in many different 4wd vehicles. Allie bars defiantly come off second best. Better that nothing at all, but not as good as a steel bar. Weight, yes you front end will sag a little. You can up rate your springs, install spacers or just live with it. I’m living with mine slightly nose heave. Yes you notice it, but it’s no big deal. I'll do my suspension modes down the track.
PS. Allie bars go dull after a couple of years and their a bugger to polish up again (mine did anyway). Steel bars, slap a bit of paint on em.

x another on the steel bar.

My ARB bar has held up to a couple of roos, an idiot in a camry, and a 6" coppice log (that one was my fault). Because I galvanised my bar I haven't even needed to touch up any paint.

I would have lost about 3 radiators and 10 guards over the years had I not always had a bullbar fitted.

Thanks for all the feedback - I think the evidence is overwhelming!:)

Dave G

Steel bar for sure. A Defender, at least for us, is the vehicle we go out to see Australia in, and Australia is full of Roos and other "furs" that will cause big frontal damage if you hit one without a bar.

A stock ARB bar, by itself, does not require suspension mods. As for the Defender "look" - personally I think a Defender without one looks odd!

And Plastic bull bars are for plastic bulls. ;)

OK since the FrontRunner bar is no longer available (can be ordered on back order at about $1800, 3 month lead time), the choice comes down to ARB or TJM.

Any opinions? Also if anyone can point me to galleries with pics of both fitted to their Deefer it would be appreciated.:)

Some say the TJM suits the Defender better appearance-wise but the ARB has more features.

Any advice welcome!:)

Dave G