Defender Winch Bars

[D9Oh..]

Hi Folks, proud owner of an new 2012 D90, looking at fitting a winch bar but not keen on the great big options like ARB, TJM, very bulky looking. I like the tubular style winch bars with just the centre grill loop but told they are not ADR compliant. Has anyone ever really had trouble insurance companies for fitting a front bar that hasn't been through the full certification process ? Cheers

[Beckford]

My best insurance policy when I go bush is my winch if I get stuck.

[Summiitt]

I would go for an arb/tjm full steel bar, purely for their protection value, the arb winch bar on my 130 puma has taken many serious hits including a cow, with minimal damage, having said that, I think the tubular winch bars from opposite lock look very smart, and have seen one on a new 90..

[tuffrangie]

I love the protection and looks of my ARB bar on the puma, but I'm also partial to the looks of the Terrafirma tubular bars:

Terrafirma Defender tubular winch bumpers | Bumpers - Winch Bumpers Accessories for Land Rover Vehicles (http://www.terrafirma4x4.com/products_php.php?cat=14&grp=116)

[Drover]

I have had an ARB winch bar on for a couple of years now, good bar, but very big and I think it takes away from the unique look of the D'fer.

I am leaning towards the Rova-Craft tube bar as a replacement.

[SVX37]

This is what I like.....particulalry suited to all limited edition models but I think look great on all Defenders. The benefits outweigh the negatives for my purposes.

Nigel

[D9Oh..]

Thanks SVX37, I think that looks great, did you have any concerns over insurance with the Rovacraft tubular bar or did you just go for it. Cheers D9Oh..

[carlschmid2002]

I just bought a tubular Rovacraft from Mulgo at the Expedition Centre on my new D90 .it looks awesome and don't foget you save $300 and about 30kg over all the others.

[Drover]

Thanks SVX37, I think that looks great, did you have any concerns over insurance with the Rovacraft tubular bar or did you just go for it. Cheers D9Oh..


X 2,

This is best looking bar on the market at the moment.

Thanks for the pic's Nigel, looks great.....green eyed monster has got me.:mrgreen:

[LARO]

Hi Folks, proud owner of an new 2012 D90, looking at fitting a winch bar but not keen on the great big options like ARB, TJM, very bulky looking. I like the tubular style winch bars with just the centre grill loop but told they are not ADR compliant. Has anyone ever really had trouble insurance companies for fitting a front bar that hasn't been through the full certification process ? Cheers

As a bike rider I was also looking for something "soft" that somebody I hit might survive. After much research I went with the stock winch bar with a stock A-frame protector.... bloody expensive, but light and "soft".

[Loubrey]

Hi Folks, proud owner of an new 2012 D90, looking at fitting a winch bar but not keen on the great big options like ARB, TJM, very bulky looking. I like the tubular style winch bars with just the centre grill loop but told they are not ADR compliant. Has anyone ever really had trouble insurance companies for fitting a front bar that hasn't been through the full certification process ? Cheers

Hi D90h, welcome and very nice truck! There are many guys on the forum with tubular winch bumpers (new and old trucks) and they all seem to be legal and insured, so worth a double check. If the info came from your dealer, you would be safe to disregard in total!

In Perth your best option for a tubular bumper is going to be Rovacraft in Bassendean. They will also stock the matching steering guards and diff guards if you like to keep to the same design in future. The vendors on the forum are all great chaps and they'll help you with any problem, but I think the weight of the bumper will kill any option of buying it from the Eastern states...

Obviously they offer very little in the form of frontal protection over the standard bumber, but as a winch and driving light mount they are absolutely perfect.

[Mulgo]

This tubular bar is ADR approved.

http://www.expeditioncentre.com.au/online-store/vehicle-protection/rovacraft-land-rover-defender-tubular-winch-bull-bar.html

Cheers,
Daniel




-----------------------
Mulgo Pty Ltd
Expedition Vehicles & Equipment
69 Anderson Road, Mortdale NSW 2223
P 0438183507 - www.mulgo.com.au

purchase your 4WD equipment online:
www.expeditioncentre.com.au

Family Off Road Trailer:
www.missiontrailers.com.au

[Chops]

Does anyone know if there's a bar available to suit a High mount? I've been searching for one for our new Puma, and have found nothing so far.
I do like the new bars below, but SWMBO wants something that protects the guards/lights more, plus I might want to have brush bars too, which the comp type bars don't look like they'd accomadate.

[Nera Donna]

I have had an ARB winch bar on for a couple of years now, good bar, but very big and I think it takes away from the unique look of the D'fer.

I am leaning towards the Rova-Craft tube bar as a replacement.

Drover, I bought and tried to fit a Rova-craft bar to mine a few years back and it didn't fit.
The top bars (out riggers) hit on the standard driving lights surrounds before the bolt holes would line up. Sorry I cant post any photo's, there at home on another computer.
From the photo of Nigels, it looks like the top bars are shorter therefore fit the SVX front grill.
The guys at Rova-craft in Perth were great, they let me return the bar no problem.
In the end after tring four differant bars I gave up and just bought a TJM type 13. I got sick of mucking about.

[Drover]

Drover, I bought and tried to fit a Rova-craft bar to mine a few years back and it didn't fit.
The top bars (out riggers) hit on the standard driving lights surrounds before the bolt holes would line up. Sorry I cant post any photo's, there at home on another computer.
From the photo of Nigels, it looks like the top bars are shorter therefore fit the SVX front grill.
The guys at Rova-craft in Perth were great, they let me return the bar no problem.
In the end after tring four differant bars I gave up and just bought a TJM type 13. I got sick of mucking about.

Mulgo's is modifying the Rova-craft bar to fit the SVX/X-Tech fronts ends. I think Daniel is cutting the out riggers off and moving them to more suited position, then having the full bar re-powder coated.

The bar seem to sit very close to the front of the vehicle. I was thinking that, if I go ahead, of bending up some new mounting brackets to move the bar out 50 or 60mm, that should also negate the need to modify the out riggers.

[Nera Donna]

Cool. Daniel is a legend, never say ‘cant do’ sort of guy.
The bottom bar ‘should’ fit without interfering with grill/headlight surround? I think from memory the mounting holes in the bar where about and 1 ½” out from lining up with the hole in the chassis rail?
Good luck

[PAT303]

I bought my winch bar from MM land rover in the UK,straight bolt up fit. Pat

[Drover]

Hi Pat,

Do you have a pic ??

Cheers

[Loubrey]

Does anyone know if there's a bar available to suit a High mount? I've been searching for one for our new Puma, and have found nothing so far.
I do like the new bars below, but SWMBO wants something that protects the guards/lights more, plus I might want to have brush bars too, which the comp type bars don't look like they'd accomadate.

Can someone please explain the "high mount and low mount" conceps/terms? I've mounted and used winches all over the world and AULRO is the first place I've ever heard the term used...

Cheers

[isuzutoo-eh]

A High Mount winch only refers to the Warn 8274 (and the 8274-50), which has a vertical spur gear train with the motor mounted over and parrallel to the drum. Google Warn 8274 for images.
Effectively all other electric winches are low mounts where the motor is in line and hanging off the end of the drum.

Edit: Pics
Hi Mount
http://www.warn.com/truck/winches/src/images/59/M8274-50-Winch.jpg

Low mount
http://img.dinkos.com.au/images/01/0138266208.jpg

[Loubrey]

Cheers Mark!

Land Rover Experience Eastnor Castle had a 2008 90 with an OEM winch bumper and an 8274 fitted, but there was obvious significant surgery to the grill to fit it all in.

I reccon there's a chancethat Daniel's SVX modified bulbar fitted to a non-SVX Puma might have enough space for an 8274's moving parts...

[isuzutoo-eh]

This is my bar:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/04/1136.jpg

If Daniel's SVX modded bar is the same as my ****(rhymes with Brit)part bar that Rovacraft sells and Daniel helped install, it won't fit an 8274 without serious modifications. The mounting bolts for the 8274 are further apart than those of the low mounts by about an inch, and face the front where a low mount's bolts can be rotated to face any direction. The bar is set up to have the winch bolted down, not forward like the 8274 requires.

To fit an 8274 means cutting the centre section of the bar out and welding in a new cradle. Then cutting your front grill up if you have the extended nosecone like mine does.

When I bought the bar, the company that sold it were definite the 8274 winch would fit with the extended nose cone but they didn't even check the mounting holes, just took the money and sent the item. Now I have a bar that doesn't fit my winch. It looks rubbish without a winch but I don't want to downgrade to a low mount winch.

And that is why I have an ARB bar to replace the ****part item.


Also the powder coating on the bars is rubbish, flakes off easily and has gaps around weld seams. They should come with a tin of black spray paint.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

...
Now I have a bar that doesn't fit my winch. It looks rubbish without a winch but I don't want to downgrade to a low mount winch.
...What sort of winch do you have mark? ;)

Will it fit the bar?

http://nixons.com.au/images/products/preview/thomas.jpg

[isuzutoo-eh]

Hi mount for the moment...pending upgrade :D

I think it'll fit the ARB style* bar without much more than a few holes drilled but the Rovacraft one...big problem.
Really need to see it before knowing though.


*Think its a genuine LR bar but is set up for low or hi mounts, no maker's marks on it anywhere just serial numbers

[Chops]

Thanks for the info guys,,

Isuzutoo-eh, your current bar looks really good, but yes it does look like it needs a winch.
We want to have a bar with a bit more protection on it, around the lights etc, and will probably want brush bars as well, it will after all be more of a touring unit, so I guess I'll just have to make my own :( . I'm thinking everybodies going to want to see pics if I do that,, (haha,, cant weld and take pics at the same time,,;))

Cheers Chops