Bullbars: do they work, and are they necessary?

[discomarsh]

I'm interested to know if bars are effective in a frontal collision with a large animal.

Who's had a collision with one a roo, ruminant, or bovine creature (or witnessed one) and what was the damage to the bar, the front of the car, and chassis?

Is the impact force successfully redirected away from the vulnerable bits of the car, and what damage does it do, once redirected?

Many of us fit bullbars, but I'm curious as to whether ACTUAL impacts with animals justify their purchase and fitting; or perhaps we just regard them as insurance IN CASE we hit an animal. See the poll with this post, and let us know.

Cheers.

[BigJon]

If you do any country road driving then a bullbar is a worthwhile addition, in my opinion.

Not just in the event of an animal strike, but also as a place for mounting driving lights and aerials.

I have hit a small roo in my Rangie with no damage.
I have hit medium size roos in my work LandCruiser and two different trucks. All were fitted with bullbars and all would have sustained damage if they weren't.
Both roos I hit in trucks I didn't even get a chance to lift off the throttle (limited to 100kph) and they were quite major impacts.

I have had bullbars fitted to all of my vehicles since I was 17 and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I think it is important to remember that a bullbar could well be the difference between driving away from an impact and being stranded. That is an important consideration when you are travelling in remote areas (I do for work).

[waz]

SCORE
Steel ARB bar - 2 : Roos - 0

no damage either time both with the front-right.

Waz

[VladTepes]

On many occasions a collision with an animal will destroy a bull bar - as I saw at a local re-seller of ARB bars this one had collected a large roo on one side, and was bent a dair bit beyond repair.

BUT if that means it hasn't destroyed your engine (radiator etc) and you can still drive away well, that's a good thing.

[Basil135]

For the answer to your question, check out Toombies Cannonball run pics :eek:

[JohnF]

I have had several near misses in the past with Cows that escaped the asylum and were suicidally standing in the middle of the road at night waiting for me to run over them. Give me a bull bar any day.

[incisor]

yep, a "decent" bar is definitely worth every penny you spend on it IMHO

been in vehicles with no bar that have hit big roos and it wasnt pretty.

mate hit one without a bar and the roo slid up the bonnet, thru the screen and nearly decapitated him when kicking, he bled to death before he could be dragged from the vehicle.

been hit twice in vehicles with arb and tjm bars and they did an excellent job of minimising what could have been serious incidents.

been in a vehicle with a plastic style bar and was amazed how good a job it did when confronted with a decent size grey tho the speed wasnt that fast.

and not once was i the one driving at the time thanks :p

seen a guy in a cruiser with a massive homemade bar hit a beast just south of tambo at speed just on dusk and even tho the beast died it won...

totaled the cruiser and bits of the bar were scattered thru the vehicle.

the driver survived, but was crippled and badly disfigured.

buy a "decent" bar...

[Chucaro]

If you are using the LR as a shopping trolley in a big city and driving in the bush during the day, then no, but other ways get one ;)

[Tombie]

I'm interested to know if bars are effective in a frontal collision with a large animal.

Who's had a collision with one a roo, ruminant, or bovine creature (or witnessed one) and what was the damage to the bar, the front of the car, and chassis?

Is the impact force successfully redirected away from the vulnerable bits of the car, and what damage does it do, once redirected?

Many of us fit bullbars, but I'm curious as to whether ACTUAL impacts with animals justify their purchase and fitting; or perhaps we just regard them as insurance IN CASE we hit an animal. See the poll with this post, and let us know.

Cheers.

Mines hit more than I care to remember and its still going...

I'm fitting a new one, only because the small dent qualified a replacement by the insurance company.
Otherwise, it would stay on :cool:

Mines taken out at least 14+ decent size Roos...

The last one - 6' tall and 100km/h... The vehicle itself still intact. And was able to be driven the next 500km.... Other factors stopped that "CannonBall Run"

[JDNSW]

With the County - that I can remember, three roos and an emu have hit the bar, no damage on any of them except the emu spoilt the aim of the driving lights. On the other hand, the bullbar did nothing to protect the vehicle from the roo that hit the side behind the back wheel (didn't even see him!) or the galah that broke a wiper. And the bullbar failed to cope with a six inch ironbark, although it probably reduced body damage.

On previous vehicles (including company vehicles) with bullbars, probably collected as many as a dozen roos and a couple of emus over the years, the only damage I can recall was an emu wrecked the grille of a Rodeo - the bars were too far apart.

A couple of years ago (after the tree incident) I was talking to a panel beater in Dubbo. He reckoned that about 75% of his work was kangaroos (and said this would apply to all the local panelbeaters), and commented that it was very rare for him to have to repair roo damage on a vehicle with a bullbar. He commented that the drought had made the situation a lot worse, as the big roos had come in from the west, and often the best feed was along the edges of the bitumen where the water ran off when it rained.

John

[93greenrangie]

I hit a mid sized roo at 70k's and was lucky to have no damage to the rangie
or the Arb bull bar, but the cibbie super oscars were not so lucky !

[adonuff]

Hi I had a large Roo jump out in front of me while towing my van back from Alice Springs, The Landcruiser I had at the time had a Smart Bar (Plastic Bull Bar) That I fitted after talking to a few locals one night in a pub.

The Toyota and van was doing around 100-120 klm's per hour on a dead streight road and the roo hit the bar on the lhs. The bar flexed enough to come into contact with the front indicator resulting in a small crack in the lense and then went back to its origional shape.

No panel damage and the crack in the lense was not worth worring about I was really impressed and would get another one if they made them for Land Rovers.

Only prob they don't make a winch bar and the uhf ariel needed a earth wire.

Andrew

[discomarsh]

Other factors stopped that "CannonBall Run"

I couldn't find your photos from the CannonBall incident. Sounds like it was horrific.

[rick130]

Mines hit more than I care to remember and its still going...

[snip]

Ditto.

I really have lost count, it would be several score at least and the worst was a big Eastern Grey. (I never want to hit any of the big Wallaroos around here, they are built.
The worst hit was front and centre of a medium sized Eastern Grey at 90km/h and it was HARD. Luckily I hit him when he was at the very bottom of the hop.
No damage to the Defender chassis, wrecked my fancy little number plate sitting above the roller fairlead and dinged the steering damper as it went under the vehicle.
The bar is still fine.

Have hit nearly as many in the GU Patrol ute, but that aluminium bar is useless. I've pulled too many dents out of it, but at least the bodywork is still OK.
The old GQ one was just as bad, had a $4000 roo hit once in it as everything bent back into the grille/guard/etc but we could still continue driving, sans headlight and blnkers on the drivers side.


Bull bars are worth their weight where we live and drive.

[Tombie]

I couldn't find your photos from the CannonBall incident. Sounds like it was horrific.

Incident wasnt, the luck of the trip was horrific ;)

The impact was HAAAAARD... We hit across the entire bar and then over the top... Rear diff collecting the creature on the way over - lifting the rear wheels off the ground...

Skidded to a stop, checked the driveline / steering.

A bit of flesh and blood on the bar, steering bash plate (if it wasnt there the steering would be gone) and diff guards front and rear.

Everything shunted forward inside the cabin/draws/cargo area... Shook the vehicle hard... I've hit plenty before but this was different.

Wasnt the only hit that night either, including the ones that suicide into the side of the vehicle as you go past.. They're just stupid :mad:

[weeds]

umm, near hit an animal with my bar but thats probably because rarely drive at night on country roads

front bars are good for winches and ariels.............i only fitted my first of driving light last year as i got them very cheap, bar is handy for these as well

[Disco44]

Ditto.

I really have lost count, it would be several score at least and the worst was a big Eastern Grey. (I never want to hit any of the big Wallaroos around here, they are built.
The worst hit was front and centre of a medium sized Eastern Grey at 90km/h and it was HARD. Luckily I hit him when he was at the very bottom of the hop.
No damage to the Defender chassis, wrecked my fancy little number plate sitting above the roller fairlead and dinged the steering damper as it went under the vehicle.
The bar is still fine.

Have hit nearly as many in the GU Patrol ute, but that aluminium bar is useless. I've pulled too many dents out of it, but at least the bodywork is still OK.
The old GQ one was just as bad, had a $4000 roo hit once in it as everything bent back into the grille/guard/etc but we could still continue driving, sans headlight and blnkers on the drivers side.


Bull bars are worth their weight where we live and drive.

In the early 60's I belted a wallaroo in a 10 ton truck fitted with one of those old "Mack" steel bars,stopped the truck in it's tracks and the bloody wallaroo hopped away( probably to die later). Me I had a 14 mile walk back into town at 10PM .My advice is if you have a choice between a Wallaroo and a tree take the tree wallaroos are built like brick ****houses.
Cheers,
John.

[Chops]

I've hit a couple of roo's up around Corryong way and the High Country, both in the day and night,,, the bullbars worth its weight in gold,,, only moved the driving lights.

On a snow/ice covered dirt rd, (Omeo Hwy),, slid into the bank at what we considered walking pace,, took out the light, blinker, guard, has made the front panel (that the radiators attatched to) misaligned to the the bonet etc,,
If I'd had the bullbar on then, it'd be perfect still,,, (too bad about the scrub scratches/dents,,:eek: ;))

With any form of country driving, I think a well constructed bullbar is probably the single best investment you can add to your vehicle. Not to mention the fact extra lights, winch and arials etc, just go hand in hand with what we do for pleasure. Theres nothing like going away for a weekend with the peace of mind that you have it all up the front, and if it is needed, you've got a better chance of getting home,,,:D

[Shonky]

Collected a few in the old Patrol. Yet to christen the Rangie.

Have been lucky in the Falcons (sans bull bar) but my sister did hit the worlds biggest rabbit (it was fooking big!) in our current Falcon!

[Landy Smurf]

hey have hit a few big roos and no damage just a bit of a blood stain

[wardy1]

I've only been unlucky enough to hit 2 roo's in my life. One was in a Maxima....ooooh it was a mess. About $8k of damage and it was never the same again so I sold it soon after the repairs were finished. The one I hit recently in the Disco (with steel TJM) did no damage at all and we did hit him pretty hard.
I'd never have a 4wd without one.

[crash]

Only have hit 1 roo so far, and was in my Navara with a TJM alloy bar, only damage was a broken indicator lens. With the same vehicle I kissed a tree while 4wding and I bent the bar and had a bit of body damage, but the body damage would have been alot worse if I did not have the bull bar on. Winch, highlift jack, a big hammer, duct tape and silicone and a couple of hours work fixed it all. When I sold the vehicle their wasn't any sign of damage.

[Tombie]

100km/h + 6' Roo... Middle of the night...

Here is the result:
http://gallery.mac.com/rovertech/100287/RIMG0051/web.jpg'ver=12707191920001

See the little dent in the front near the numberplate?
http://gallery.mac.com/rovertech/100287/RIMG0053/web.jpg'ver=12707192010001

And if you look closely, you'll see the gap between the bar and the guard has closed up a bit too... (Left of image)
http://gallery.mac.com/rovertech/100287/RIMG0052/web.jpg'ver=12707191990001

That little dent got me a new bar on insurance :o and yet the mounts etc on this bar are fine...

[solmanic]

I try to limit my country driving to daylight hours but have a bar for peace of mind. Despite having not actually hit anything with it (it's only been on the vehicle for a month), I find bars are handy when off-roading for pushing scrub out of the way rather than scratching up the paintwork. Also when having to manoeuvre on narrow bush tracks, it is good to be able to nudge the bar up against scrub/trees etc going forward, then back into the scrub on the other side with the rear mounted spare wheel. Every inch counts in a Defender. No need for parking sensors.

[trev]

took out an emu at 80 Ks. shifted the bar back less than an inch or so,otherwise probably new grill and/or radiator.

Trev.

[Davek]

I Hit the back legs of a cow @100kmh. Cows ass then hit the bonnett and it flipped clear over car. Its hoof dented above the rear left brake light on its way down before slamming into my tinnie.

HID spotties were no good to me as there was a truck coming down the road. The BLACK cow decided to run between us at the last second. Didn't leave me much choice which way to swerve :eek:

The tow from Nanutarra to Karratha (300km) cost me $1200...because QBE was ringing around at 10pm on a sunday night trying find a towtruck in Perth to tow us to Karratha (Perth is 1200km the opposite direction)

Could have been worse tho, mother inlaw was sitting in the front passenger seat.:angel:

[LOVEMYRANGIE]

This is what happens when you don't have one after ordering it and it not making roadfreight coz some idiot forgot to place the order.....

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/10/133.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/10/132.jpg

Go the bullbar.
Had a Century Class at work that cleaned up a cow. Bar did it's job but still messy.

Cheers

Andrew

[discomarsh]

I think these photos demonstrate the great value of a bar in a collision with a large animal. I can only image how the front end would have looked without the bar. Sorry to hear about it though, Davek. Thanks for the details.

[discomarsh]

The poll indicates that those of us that have roo/bull-bars tend to need them. Thanks for the input, fellas.

[LOVEMYRANGIE]

Could have been worse tho, mother inlaw was sitting in the front passenger seat.:angel:

I thought you said it went over the top and hit the tinny, how she end up in the front seat?????? :Rolling::Rolling::Rolling::tease::tease::tease:

[HUE166]

All my vehicles have had bullbars and each bar has payed for itself time and time again. Through circumstance most of my driving is done at night and therefore presents high risk. During times of drought it is common to have multiple near misses if not animal strkes per week. A soft contact with a roo can cripple the most robust vehicle so anyone driving through the country areas without one is taking a fairly severe gamble. driving small cars (barinas, Getz, etc) on country roads is, in my eyes, just plain irresponsible. A roo will kill if it enters the windscreen and colides with the driver, passenger or both. With cars of this size, with or without bar protection, this is a likely outcome.

[ADMIRAL]

Hi Guys,

It seems this is not over by a longshot. As Australia is a signatory to ' another ' UN organisation destined to impose so called European standards on us, the Federal Government is considering adopting the current Euro standard for the construction and installation of vehicle protection devices. ( bullbars ) All about minimising the impact on pedestrians.
In the opinion of Australian manufacturer organisations, these standards cannot be met and still produce a bullbar to provide the level of protection currently given. ( if at all )
If the beaurocrats take this up we are in real trouble. I can't see how they can make it retrospective, but it would stop anyone with a new vehicle adding on a bullbar. God knows whether they will try to apply it to the trucks as well.
I would imagine the insurance industry would be against it, and once the premiums start to climb, mr average motorist may realise the argument for and against, is not black & white.

[Tombie]

Put simply - Wont happen

[ADMIRAL]

Put simply - Wont happen



A year ago I would have agreed with you. Since then we have had the NSW transport minister try to ban any modifications raising 4WD's. The W.A. Government introduced compulsory testing for any modification effecting emissions. ( with only one facility available in W.A. that could even conduct testing ) Both are on hold after strong representations from industry & 4Wd associations , pending hopefully more sane outcomes.

The government is also looking at banning modification of any nature to vehicles fitted with ESC. ( even changing tyre type/size ? )

If you want a peek at our potential future, google VSB14.

If we are informed as to what is going on, we have a better chance of contributing to debate on these issues.

Everyone that could be affected, should at least make an effort to lift their awareness.

[Buncha]

I've done a lot of night driving in nearly 40 years and only hit 2 roos, one with a TJM steel bar, the other with an ARB. No damage to the bar in either case.

It should be made clear that if you are getting a bar for protection then only get a STEEL one from a quality manufacturer. Aluminium ones are just 'bling' and something to mount accessories on. I saw a Falcon panel van that had a home made bar on it in Mildura. He had hit a big red on the Sturt Highway. The bar was pretty straight, but the car was buckled in front of the windscreen. He told me the bar was boiler pipe filled with concrete!

I have visited the plastic Smart Bar manufacturers and was impressed with their product. Their main business is big plastic water tanks for farms, and they were nailing a lot of wildlife in their delivery trucks in the outback, which was causing a lot of insurance claims. So seeing as they had the equipment, they made a plastic bar for their trucks. They told me that their claims, and premiums, went down immediately. That gave them the idea to supply them for 4x4's, utes etc.

[djam1]

In the last 30 years I have hit dozens of Roos and Emus I have always been able to drive home with minimal damage.
I wouldnt have driven home if I didnt have one.

[BMKal]

[QUOTE=Buncha;1265538]It should be made clear that if you are getting a bar for protection then only get a STEEL one from a quality manufacturer. Aluminium ones are just 'bling' and something to mount accessories on. /QUOTE]

Sorry mate, but this is crap.

There are plenty of decent alloy bars out there that offer good protection.

Yes - there are some pretty shoddy ones too (there are also some pretty ordinary steel ones about) - but if you fit a decent alloy bar properly, they offer pretty good protection from roo strike. They won't help much if you hit a bull (some people believe that this is what a "Bullbar" is for), but neither will a steel bar.

I've had alloy bars on my F100, Disco 1 and the current Disco 2 - have hit more than one or two roos in all of them, with never any damage to the vehicle. The brands of the three bars were Irvin (WA made) on the Ford, Bocar (Qld made) on the Disco 1 and ECB (also Qld made) on the current one.

The ECB "Big Tube" alloy bar has a good reputation as being a strong bar.

[ozscott]

Yep - ECB - East Coast Bullbars are not cheap but there is a reason for that.

I have the TJM Steel and its stronger than the good alloy bars but not by much.

Cheers

[Missy_E]

Hiya I am new to the forum and found this one interesting - I have to say that yes I have a wrap around Roo Bar on the front of my car and even though no I have had the luck not to hit an animal (knock on wood) I have however run into the side of a truck due to the ignorance of another driver and whilst doing $10,000 damage to the truck I simply only broke my indicator light cover - I believe in Roo Bars and always have after many years travelling the outback of Australia such as the amazing Canning Stock Route and seeing what happens when you don't have one.

Missy E :)

[sanddweller]

Is a RAV4 an animal?
My son tried to park my D2 in the back of a RAV4 at a roundabout. Naturally it didn't fit, but the bullbar did minimise the damage to just the bullbar a bent hood on the Disco. I expect it would have been a lot worse, and more expensive repair without it.

[BMKal]

Is a RAV4 an animal?
My son tried to park my D2 in the back of a RAV4 at a roundabout. Naturally it didn't fit, but the bullbar did minimise the damage to just the bullbar a bent hood on the Disco. I expect it would have been a lot worse, and more expensive repair without it.

I dunno if you could classify a RAV4 as an animal without someone taking offence ......................

But if your son did the job properly on it, classifying it as "Road Kill" would be a fair call. :p :wasntme:

[Lotz-A-Landies]

I'm interested to know if bars are effective in a frontal collision with a large animal.

Who's had a collision with one a roo, ruminant, or bovine creature (or witnessed one) and what was the damage to the bar, the front of the car, and chassis?
<snip>Just a question, if you have hit a cow, do you score one for "bovine" and one for "ruminant" making it a score of two for the one incident?

Yes the ARB bar has prevented body damage from animals, large rocks and trees, it is also very useful for preventing damage from those who use the "Eastern Suburbs parking method". ESPM = Reverse into the space until you hit the car behind, drive forward till you hit the car ahead then move back sort of halfway between! This us usually performed in a Cayenne, Tuareg, X5 or Q5! :mad:

[greg smith]

I live in FNQ do mainly country driving and have had a few encounters with wildlife and larger domestic animals THE bullbar WORKS and is a neccesary addition to my 4wd.

[ADMIRAL]

28390

[ADMIRAL]

28391

[Fluids]

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwww :eek:

Imagine the surprise when they opened the bonnet :o

Some poor bastard mechanic's going to have to remove that! :(

YES ... bullbars are necessary.

.... ah. that was a skippy, right ?

Kev..

[JDNSW]

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwww :eek:

Imagine the surprise when they opened the bonnet :o

Some poor bastard mechanic's going to have to remove that! :(

YES ... bullbars are necessary.

.... ah. that was a skippy, right ?

Kev..

Deer, I think.

John

[Amigo]

Deer, I think.

John

Expensive, I'd say!


[Looks like French plates, so you're probably spot on]


Amigo (I've got 3 mates)

[JDNSW]

Expensive, I'd say!


[Looks like French plates, so you're probably spot on]


Amigo (I've got 3 mates)

Write-off I suspect!

John

[ADMIRAL]

Most of us have to drive through access gates at some point of our driving careers.
We have had numerous incidents with gates swinging in the wind and hitting vehicles.
This guy caught a gate that was probably hidden by the tree line as he rounded the corner.

Share the following pictures as you see fit with your work groups.
Look at all four pictures to see how lucky this guy really was.



28422

28423

28424
I bet the first thing the driver checked was to see if Mr. Wiggles and his two neighbours were still there.

[ADMIRAL]

28425

[Landie_Addict]

Bullbars necessary? Definitely! :o