Bull bar

[mark a]

Hi all
l am having a new bull bar installed on my brand new x dynamic the dealership have told me that after removing my front end have found that bull bar won’t fit and are waiting for new parts now 10 days has anyone have same problem
thanks
mark

[Sweetpea]

Believe the X needs a modified section of plastic compared to the SE version. Has been posts about it on FB groups. I think its a section of trim.

[SKL]

Can you please tell me who and where I can get a bull bar made and fitted for my 2021 D240 S Defender in Queensland.

[Summiitt]

Can you please tell me who and where I can get a bull bar made and fitted for my 2021 D240 S Defender in Queensland.

As far as I know the genuine LR bar is the only option-There is the same bar available through new defender mods-but they have been sold out for some time.
My ARB shop said they will be developing one for the new defenders, so Im going to hold out for a bit.

[JessicaTam]

Can you please tell me who and where I can get a bull bar made and fitted for my 2021 D240 S Defender in Queensland.
Rhino 4x4 are Melbourne based, but worth a call. I have one on order with a delivery of about Sept.

SUITABLE FOR LANDROVER - Rhino4x4 (https://www.rhino4x4.com.au/86-suitable-for-landrover)

[trout1105]

Rhino 4x4 are Melbourne based, but worth a call. I have one on order with a delivery of about Sept.

SUITABLE FOR LANDROVER - Rhino4x4 (https://www.rhino4x4.com.au/86-suitable-for-landrover)

That thing from rhino is pretty much useless, Waiting for the ARB version with hopefully more "meat" on the bar is probably a better option [thumbsupbig]l

[scarry]

That thing from rhino is pretty much useless, Waiting for the ARB version with hopefully more "meat" on the bar is probably a better option [thumbsupbig]l

Yes,without the hoops,definitely a large reduction in vehicle protection,which is what a bar is for.

But if thats all that is available,one has to compromise,it certainly seems better than the factory bar,and probably half the price.

[chuck]

Better than anything we have now for new defender.

Would protect coolers mounted on either side and provide winch & light mounts.

[trout1105]

Yes,without the hoops,definitely a large reduction in vehicle protection,which is what a bar is for.

But if thats all that is available,one has to compromise,it certainly seems better than the factory bar,and probably half the price.

This is a new 4WD on the roads and it may take a while before ARB or other reputable companies decide to put the R&D into making a decent bar for it So at the moment it is the case of grabbing whatever is available or being a bit patiant and waiting until something fit for purpose becomes available.

My advice is to wait until something that is "Fit for purpose" becomes available Before spending your hard earned Quids[thumbsupbig]

[Summiitt]

Better than anything we have now for new defender.

Would protect coolers mounted on either side and provide winch & light mounts.

My thoughts exactly, first thing I noticed was the intercooler location below the headlights on either side, and imaging how much damage a roo would do to it. Between my 3 130s, unfortunately we hit around 10-15 animals a week..Im going to be nervous driving this new defender out to our jobs until I can get a decent bar.

[Samblers]

unfortunately we hit around 10-15 animals a week..

Wow.

I was contemplating my current bull bar (ARB issue plough, on my 12yo 110) ... and wether I'll bother with same if/when the new 110 arrives. It's main purpose seems to be holding onto the license plate, adding weight/ drag, and making further accessories more difficult to fit. I've never hit an animal (touch-wood). Yes, a city car, but many trips.

Furthermore, my experiences from carelessly driving into stationary inanimate objects have told me that, rather than damage the bodywork, a direct hit on body protection transfers straight to the chassis... which then sucks the bodywork in with it anyway.

Looking at the LR item for the new Def, I have doubts about it's ability to stop animal body parts from doing significant damage to lights and bodywork behind the bar, given the size of it's openings.

Anyway, these are my thoughts, though i'm reading the experience of others with interest

Sam

[trout1105]

ARB have incorporated crush cans into the design of their bars for nearly 20 years now So if you are traveling at a reasonable speed the chassis won't suffer. on impact [thumbsupbig]

[one_iota]

ARB have incorporated crush cans into the design of their bars for nearly 20 years now So if you are traveling at a reasonable speed the chassis won't suffer. on impact [thumbsupbig]

The new defender has a monocoque chassis as opposed to a ladder frame horse and buggy chassis so Im not sure what the engineering challenges are there. I'm sure ARB will be on the case....there's a whole USA market to sell to unlike the previous Defender.

[scarry]

The new defender has a monocoque chassis as opposed to a ladder frame horse and buggy chassis so Im not sure what the engineering challenges are there. I'm sure ARB will be on the case....there's a whole USA market to sell to unlike the previous Defender.

ECB are usually the first to supply a bar for a new model,but i dont believe they have one for Defender.
They made the only ugly looking alloy light duty bar for the D5.

I asked ARB 14 months ago,and they said there was nothing in the pipeline.Things may have changed.

You have hit the nail on the head,there are probably huge engineering challenges.

On another note Long Ranger have an aftermarket fuel tank for D5,so hopefully one may appear for Defender.

[Samblers]

ARB have incorporated crush cans into the design of their bars for nearly 20 years now

If mine has these, it's not obvious where. What's the benefit of "crush cans"? Genuine question.

A cow is hit - and what? Bull bar crushes a little, and ... ? The car is unscathed? BB goes in the bin? Or is fixed?

Sounds far-fetched - my bull bar looks more robust than the chassis if you ask me, and the sort of impact required for it to crush, i'd think we'd be several stages passed the point of worrying about which bits it would be preferable for the insurance company to have to fix.

I've no doubt that having a bull bar installed reduces the severity of damage from an impact (and keen to hear more from Summiitt and his experience here), but for those of us not hitting 10-15 roos a week, it's not so easy to justify. Also worth adding that it (my current bull bar) is also about 5mm clear of the front body panels, so i'm up for some front impact damage regardless.

[trout1105]

If mine has these, it's not obvious where. What's the benefit of "crush cans"? Genuine question.

A cow is hit - and what? Bull bar crushes a little... but? The car is unscathed? BB goes in the bin? Or is fixed?

Sounds far-fetched - my bull bar looks more robust than the chassis if you ask me, and the sort of impact required for it to crush, i'd think we'd be several stages passed the point of worrying about which bits it would be preferable for the insurance company to have to fix.

Crush cans are designed to crumple on impact which will lessen the inertia on the chassis during an animal strike/collision Google them.
IF the collision destroys the bullbar and leaves the car fit to travel then it is a small price to pay on a $100,000 plus 4WD.
IF you are unlucky enough to hit a bullock or a decent roo with an ARB bar YES you would have to replace it But like I have said it is much cheaper to replace the bar than the car.
A collision with the genuine JLR bar offering would not only destroy the bar But it would also leave the vehicle inoperative.

[one_iota]

AFIK the monocoque construction of the new defender is designed like most modern vehicles to protect the occupants in the event of a collision (within reasonable parameters)...crumple zones, airbag activation etc.

The one I drive now would fail.

So the bull bar should be seen as a sacrificial item...just enough to keep you mobile after hitting a small roo at a moderate speed such that it doesn't occupy the front seats with you as a consequence of the coming together.

The other way to reduce the impact of animal strike is to avoid driving at dusk.[tonguewink]

[JessicaTam]

That thing from rhino is pretty much useless, Waiting for the ARB version with hopefully more "meat" on the bar is probably a better option [thumbsupbig]l
The Rhino bar protects the lower front of the vehicle a lot better than the JLR one would. Which is why I have chosen it. YMMV.

<snip>

On another note Long Ranger have an aftermarket fuel tank for D5,so hopefully one may appear for Defender.
They now have one for the new Defender. Browns Davis also make one - but petrol only.

[Samblers]

Seems reasonable... i.e. that bullbar is there to protect the cars' vulnerable bits from incidental nudges and small animal strikes, and then as sacrificial protection in case of larger/ high energy strikes, where car doesn't necessarily escape significant damage, but the occupants (hopefully) do.

Thankful mine has never been used for it's intended purpose

[scarry]

Thankful mine has never been used for it's intended purpose

I had to race SWMBO to hospital not long ago,as she cut her hand very badly.
Happened to be at dusk.
Hospital 40 km away,Dirranbandi.Probably saw over 100 Roos,and hit a big one very hard.
The ARB bar is what saved us.Without it,the hit would have been a showstopper.
I didn’t even see it,until it was too late,but she screamed and luckily I hit the anchors,which reduced the impact.

So you never know when you might need one,particularly if travelling in rural areas.
I have since hit another two smaller ones during the day.

On the subject of crush cans,the D2 came with crush cans,which are replaced when a Bar is fitted by the Bar manufacturer.

[scarry]

They now have one for the new Defender. Browns Davis also make one - but petrol only.

Thats a good sized tank,and would be one of the first mods i would do.Once you have had a large tank in a touring vehicle,its hard to go back to a smallish one.[biggrin]
In the pic on the site it looks like it hangs down very low,but they say ramp over hasnt changed,so its probably the angle the picture was taken.

[Samblers]

I had to race SWMBO to hospital not long ago,as she cut her hand very badly.
Happened to be at dusk.
Hospital 40 km away,Dirranbandi.Probably saw over 100 Roos,and hit a big one very hard.
The ARB bar is what saved us.Without it,the hit would have been a showstopper.
I didn’t even see it,until it was too late,but she screamed and luckily I hit the anchors,which reduced the impact.


Amen to that. Was there any damage to the car?

[SKL]

Thanks to all, I think I will hang off for a while and wait for a decent bull bar.

[scarry]

Amen to that. Was there any damage to the car?

Surprisingly no.

[simo2420]

That thing from rhino is pretty much useless, Waiting for the ARB version with hopefully more "meat" on the bar is probably a better option [thumbsupbig]l

Why do you say the Rhino item is pretty much useless?

Metal thickness?
Fabrication?
Design? ie no gussetting or closed box sections
Design? the lack of protection above the bumper, ie no hoops. I have doodled a version of theirs with hoops, must send it to them for comment.

I did ask ARB a while ago but got no reply. Not sure what volume they need to justify the journey.

The majority of our native critters down here are a bit shorter than yours, tend to disappear underneath rather than over the bonnet, nonetheless less it petrifies me the amount of very sensitive kit below the bumper, just waiting for a wombats bum to total it.

cheers
S.

[trout1105]

Why do you say the Rhino item is pretty much useless?

Metal thickness?
Fabrication?
Design? ie no gussetting or closed box sections
Design? the lack of protection above the bumper, ie no hoops. I have doodled a version of theirs with hoops, must send it to them for comment.

I did ask ARB a while ago but got no reply. Not sure what volume they need to justify the journey.

The majority of our native critters down here are a bit shorter than yours, tend to disappear underneath rather than over the bonnet, nonetheless less it petrifies me the amount of very sensitive kit below the bumper, just waiting for a wombats bum to total it.

cheers
S.

The Rhino bar is only a 'Nudge" bar and as such it offers very little frontal protection above the bar itself, Even a small wallaby is higher than that bar.

[Vern]

Why do you say the Rhino item is pretty much useless?

Metal thickness?
Fabrication?
Design? ie no gussetting or closed box sections
Design? the lack of protection above the bumper, ie no hoops. I have doodled a version of theirs with hoops, must send it to them for comment.

I did ask ARB a while ago but got no reply. Not sure what volume they need to justify the journey.

The majority of our native critters down here are a bit shorter than yours, tend to disappear underneath rather than over the bonnet, nonetheless less it petrifies me the amount of very sensitive kit below the bumper, just waiting for a wombats bum to total it.

cheers
S.According to some, if it doesn't have hoops it's not a real bar, and has no protection values what so ever. [emoji848]
Now my raslarr bar doesn't have hoops, it's constructed of 6mm and 3mm thick steel plate, excellent approach angle, carries a winch, does what I want it to do.
I can't say that in over 30 years of driving I've actually needed a bullbar for anything other that having a winch and spot lights.

Get a bar that is fit for your purpose and you're happy to look at!

[trout1105]

According to some, if it doesn't have hoops it's not a real bar, and has no protection values what so ever. [emoji848]
Now my raslarr bar doesn't have hoops, it's constructed of 6mm and 3mm thick steel plate, excellent approach angle, carries a winch, does what I want it to do.
I can't say that in over 30 years of driving I've actually needed a bullbar for anything other that having a winch and spot lights.

Get a bar that is fit for your purpose and you're happy to look at!

In the last 30 years I have lost count of the number of animal strikes I have had Most of which without a decent bullbar on the 4WD would have definately left me stranded on the side of the road or worse badly injured.

I suppose that if you never intend to leave the city limits a bullbar is not needed But once you get out into the bush there are a multitude of differant animals that will seriously wreak your day if you hit them without decent frontal protection.

In NSW 1 in every 41 casualty crashes involve an animal strike.

[Vern]

In the last 30 years I have lost count of the number of animal strikes I have had Most of which without a decent bullbar on the 4WD would have definately left me stranded on the side of the road or worse badly injured.

I suppose that if you never intend to leave the city limits a bullbar is not needed But once you get out into the bush there are a multitude of differant animals that will seriously wreak your day if you hit them without decent frontal protection.

In NSW 1 in every 41 casualty crashes involve an animal strike.You must be a bad driver[emoji1]

I've lived rural/semi rural most of my life, probably 1/10th of my cars have had bullbars, I've hit birds, cats, wallabies, an emu, wombat, echidna, monitors etc..no real damage. (With or without bullbars)
Have swerved for roo's, cows, pigs, dogs and camels, guessing they would do more damage.
In saying all that, if you hit something sizeable, then yes, that will fo damage, but so far, after 30+ years, I haven't. You could go your whole life and not hit something, or you could hit something every other week.

Buy what ever bar YOU want.

[Homestar]

I used to live up a 50KM winding bush road - lost count of the amount of animals I hit in the 3 years up there. Even driving slowly with a good set of spotlights, I used to clean up all sorts. Would have been a long walk home without a bar on the front of the vehicle I had then. (A dunny door - yes they look stupid with a big bull bar and lights on them but it got me home every time.). My neighbour wasn’t as lucky and wrote of his and his missus car within a year living up there by cleaning up wildlife, but he drove like an idiot as well.

[trout1105]

You must be a bad driver[emoji1]

I've lived rural/semi rural most of my life, probably 1/10th of my cars have had bullbars, I've hit birds, cats, wallabies, an emu, wombat, echidna, monitors etc..no real damage. (With or without bullbars)
Have swerved for roo's, cows, pigs, dogs and camels, guessing they would do more damage.
In saying all that, if you hit something sizeable, then yes, that will fo damage, but so far, after 30+ years, I haven't. You could go your whole life and not hit something, or you could hit something every other week.

Buy what ever bar YOU want.

I have driven hundreds of thousands of K's in and out of remote minesites for work usually towing a couple of tons of tools in a trailer (swerving isn't an option when towing heavey).
I have also done hundreds of thousands of K's to very remote areas for recreation.
Most of these areas are not even rural with unfenced dirt roads So hitting the odd roo or bullock is just an occupational hazard.

That doesn't make me a bad driver considering that I have never written of a vehicle or injured anyone in all that travel.

Certainly buy the bar you want But don't whinge and moan when you car is toast because you made the wrong choice.

[simo2420]

I have driven hundreds of thousands of K's in and out of remote minesites for work usually towing a couple of tons of tools in a trailer (swerving isn't an option when towing heavey).
I have also done hundreds of thousands of K's to very remote areas for recreation.
Most of these areas are not even rural with unfenced dirt roads So hitting the odd roo or bullock is just an occupational hazard.

That doesn't make me a bad driver considering that I have never written of a vehicle or injured anyone in all that travel.

Certainly buy the bar you want But don't whinge and moan when you car is toast because you made the wrong choice.


Sorry I wasn't meaning to start a family feud. Sincere apologies if I have touched a nerve.

I hadn't heard of or even seen the Rhino bar so I was merely asking about the product, on paper (well photo) it looks good in my eyes, and yes it is a nudge bar style, but given that does it have the metal where its needed or is just a piece of metal origami.

As to whether its the right one from me thats why I am asking the question. I like the cleanness of the nudge style but my brain tells me a "full face" will offer more protection for a sensitive nose, and I am not only talking about animal strikes, Turning around on a tight track where you have to nudge (no pun intended) up to the undergrowth or squeeze threw overgrown shrubbery, knowing where your corners are, etc I am sure you have all been there,
My D1 has a full face ARB style and the "Hoops" have proven their worth from The Mitchell Plateau to Balfour, and no I'm not a clumsy driver, just find a few deadends and less travelled tracks I also live on a farm and sometimes Frontall protection gets used for some non designed uses. I must admit I think my bar has saved me more time from other vehicles, whence its been invaluable.

Interestingly when you take the original bumper of the D1 and replace it with a RooBAR there's a gaping chasm in there that seems to funnel all critters straight to the live axle and the diff.

I live out of town and up a dirt road in the bush and drive reasonably quickly, but do know where the critters lurk, have always had good lights so have managed to keep my animal strikes fairly low, Which is more than can be said for my neighbour who seems to have managed to clean up every wombat.

Thankyou all enjoy the drive and keep the shiny side up.
S.

[Arapiles]

just waiting for a wombats bum to total it.

We were staying near Wilson's Prom at Easter and it was staggering - and really quite sad - how much roadkill there was around and, incredibly, in, the Park. Particularly wombats, some with babies at foot.

Part of the problem appears to be people doing Melbourne to Tidal River as a day trip and belting through the park and environs at warp speed and there's no enforcement visible anywhere in the area.

Part of it's just stupidity - every time I turned into the lane that led to our accommodation we had wildlife throwing themselves at the car - wallabies, kangaroos, wombats, rabbits, foxes (apparently there are also deer in the area): I slowed to 40kms and didn't hit anything (bumped one kangaroo, but no damage to car or kangaroo), but just after that one of the other cars staying where we were came down the lane at warp speed - if he'd turned down the lane in front of us he'd definitely have hit something. Actually, multiple somethings, because the kangaroo I bumped was one of three in front of the car at the time.

[ramblingboy42]

I've had all sorts of combinations of lights and bull bars over 30 odd years and I must say I have hit my share of wildlife , funny thing though , it was always at night or approaching night.

Now I don't travel at night , but have superb lights , almost wasted......I plan now to stop before sunset , set up a camp , food , often a small fire and sleep under the stars and get up at sparrow, make a coffee , maybe some breakfast.

Its been 8yrs since I hit anything , except bird strikes , which broken 2 grilles , and 2 antennae.

I don't have a bar on this vehicle....I find it to be unnecessary now.

[trout1105]

I've had all sorts of combinations of lights and bull bars over 30 odd years and I must say I have hit my share of wildlife , funny thing though , it was always at night or approaching night.

Now I don't travel at night , but have superb lights , almost wasted......I plan now to stop before sunset , set up a camp , food , often a small fire and sleep under the stars and get up at sparrow, make a coffee , maybe some breakfast.

Its been 8yrs since I hit anything , except bird strikes , which broken 2 grilles , and 2 antennae.

I don't have a bar on this vehicle....I find it to be unnecessary now.

The worst time is in the twilight of dusk and dawn usually, I too try Not to be on the road at these times as it does help in avoiding the critters[thumbsupbig]

[Sol]

According to some, if it doesn't have hoops it's not a real bar, and has no protection values what so ever. [emoji848]
Now my raslarr bar doesn't have hoops, it's constructed of 6mm and 3mm thick steel plate, excellent approach angle, carries a winch, does what I want it to do.
I can't say that in over 30 years of driving I've actually needed a bullbar for anything other that having a winch and spot lights.

Get a bar that is fit for your purpose and you're happy to look at!

Indeed, and I am seriously considering the Rhino bar. Got to look at one close up and it's pretty robust, and IMHO not bad looking either. Integrates well into the front of the Defender. I'm also keen to have the bar to mount a winch. I know there is discussion elsewhere about the Warn being developed specifically for the L663 but does anyone know if there are issues fitting other winches? FYI - see attached for cost, including Runva winch and fitting.


178923

[Barraman]

AFIK the monocoque construction of the new defender is designed like most modern vehicles to protect the occupants in the event of a collision (within reasonable parameters)...crumple zones, airbag activation etc.
The one I drive now would fail.
So the bull bar should be seen as a sacrificial item...just enough to keep you mobile after hitting a small roo at a moderate speed such that it doesn't occupy the front seats with you as a consequence of the coming together.
The other way to reduce the impact of animal strike is to avoid driving at dusk.[tonguewink]

Yes! I have a D4, but the same principle applies. We hit a fair lump of a wallaroo last year in a very remote part of the NT. Broad daylight, no hope of missing it - it came out of a gully from behind a sign, we were only doing 90 kph.
Smashed the left headlight, both spot lights and the right hand fog light. Pushed the ECB bullbar back a bit, which cracked right mudguard flair. The airbags didn't go off and the car was not immobilised. Repaired under insurance ($1000 excess for hitting an animal) - new lights, new mudguard flair and new ECB bullbar - good as new!

[trout1105]

Yes! I have a D4, but the same principle applies. We hit a fair lump of a wallaroo last year in a very remote part of the NT. Broad daylight, no hope of missing it - it came out of a gully from behind a sign, we were only doing 90 kph.
Smashed the left headlight, both spot lights and the right hand fog light. Pushed the ECB bullbar back a bit, which cracked right mudguard flair. The airbags didn't go off and the car was not immobilised. Repaired under insurance ($1000 excess for hitting an animal) - new lights, new mudguard flair and new ECB bullbar - good as new!

Just imagine the damage to the D4 without the bar fitted.

[simo2420]

Thanks,
I think they have done a good job in matching the frontal style of the new Deefer.
Thats very interesting your thoughts on the product, appears to be a pricy little sucker but then I haven't priced a bull bar for a while, been lucky enough to be able to fabricate my own bars for my D1 and early defenders, an impossibility with any new vehicle now.

When I place my order I will contact Rhino and see if they can do a custom version and add a little more upper protection.

Any idea what is special about the warn model? is it just mounting? or just product endorsement.
Have I seen on on-line vids/threads that you need a bracket (depending on your deeper model) to facilitate the winch fitment.

cheers

Indeed, and I am seriously considering the Rhino bar. Got to look at one close up and it's pretty robust, and IMHO not bad looking either. Integrates well into the front of the Defender. I'm also keen to have the bar to mount a winch. I know there is discussion elsewhere about the Warn being developed specifically for the L663 but does anyone know if there are issues fitting other winches? FYI - see attached for cost, including Runva winch and fitting.


178923

[simo2420]

Patience is that still available today, or is that only a old farts thing (thats me)

cheers


This is a new 4WD on the roads and it may take a while before ARB or other reputable companies decide to put the R&D into making a decent bar for it So at the moment it is the case of grabbing whatever is available or being a bit patiant and waiting until something fit for purpose becomes available.

My advice is to wait until something that is "Fit for purpose" becomes available Before spending your hard earned Quids[thumbsupbig]

[Sol]

Any idea what is special about the warn model? is it just mounting? or just product endorsement.
Have I seen on on-line vids/threads that you need a bracket (depending on your deeper model) to facilitate the winch fitment.

cheers

There's a brief mention in another topic in this forum https://www.aulro.com/afvb/l663-defender/284587-defender-accessories-help.html?284587=#post3069966, "With regards to the Warn winch, it may look like the same winch but in reality it is significantly different from the retail pack. It includes a separate over current module given that it is connected to the bus bar and not the battery. It is also fused which warn does not recommend but specifically for the defender it was engineered by them this way. The wiring and the looms are precut and terminated etc."

In chatting to the fitter, they were more concerned that whatever which is used, it needs to fit into the tray in the Rhino bar but the quote above suggests there is much more to it than that. That said, they hadn't done a new Defender yet. I might contact Rhino and see what they have to say.

[trout1105]

Patience is that still available today, or is that only a old farts thing (thats me)

cheers

I was young once an can recall thinking that Patience was something that only hospitals had[bigwhistle]

[VillaDazzler]

Indeed, and I am seriously considering the Rhino bar. Got to look at one close up and it's pretty robust, and IMHO not bad looking either. Integrates well into the front of the Defender. I'm also keen to have the bar to mount a winch. I know there is discussion elsewhere about the Warn being developed specifically for the L663 but does anyone know if there are issues fitting other winches? FYI - see attached for cost, including Runva winch and fitting.


178923

I do like the look of the Rhino bar, especially the lower side protection from wombats on the intercoolers. The winch install price seems low, but I guess this is absorbed in the bar cost if fitted at the same time. I fitted a Warn Evo 12S to a bar/cradle supplied by New Defender Mods and although it took me 2 1/2 days I am very pleased with the result. I saved a lot of money this way and for a total of about $1800 I have an IP68 rated Warn winch with a wireless remote that I can also plug in a cable if the remote battery is flat, and with a Blue Seas 500A magnetic latching switch that I can switch on/off from inside my vehicle, (switch is in the glovebox), I don't have the worry of live 450A wiring to the front of my vehicle every time the ignition is on, with the added bonus that if I do need to use the winch when I am stuck in a deep boghole, I can activate it without opening the door to lift the bonnet. If you read the landrover instructions on the install, you'll see that they have a current overload interrupt on the positive lead, and the electrician needs to run a bunch of cables from near the winch itself up to the ignition. The instructions tell you to cut a spool to splice into the ignition and cranking signal. DO NOT CUT any spools, use a piggyback fuse instead. Also the reason for the cranking signal is cut supply to the winch in the very unlikely event that someone is trying to start the engine and winching at the same time as this will draw up to 1000 amps and cook your wiring under the seat. Actually, the battery only provides about 650 CCA so it probably wouldn't even crank over if the engine stalled and you tried winching under load while starting the car simultaneously. Anyway, I wouldn't recommend trying it. As mentioned above, the official install scenario provides 12V (up to 450A fused) power whenever the ignition is on as you won't be able to reach the button on the Warn Platinum Zeon once you put everything back together. I didn't want that so I fitted a remote (with manual override) switching isolator up near the terminal box. I also fused this lead with a 450A inline fuse, and conduited and wrapped in electrical tape both the positive and negative leads from the winch to the terminals. The official instructions are a good guide for routing, but you shouldn't need to remove the headlight. On my install, the only leads running to the winch tray are the two heavy gauge red and black (conduited and sealed in tape) leads and the only time these are live is when the ignition is on AND I have activated the switch. The remote switch gets its 12V from the ignition fuse (piggybacked) and the wiring is insulated and cable tied neatly in the channel duct from the bonnet fusebox through the open vent, under the cabin air filter and into the glovebox. If you shine a light into the fully opened glovebox you can squeeze a route around the cabin air filter that will not affect the sealing flap when the recirc button is switched on. No drilling or cutting required!
If you are undecided on a winch model, you can fit it at a later stage, however there is a lot to take off the front and some cutting of plastic. I considered a variety of winch makes and models instead of the recommended Zeon Platinum 10S and I settled on the Warn Evo 12S for the following reasons:
1) It's still a WARN
2) Wireless remote with wired cable option to plug in on right side of control box, same side as the clutch
3) IP68 rating
4) It doesn't have a switch on the control box
5) Dimensions - it's slightly smaller than the Platinum Zeon and fits better into the cradle
6) I sometimes tow a camper, for which 10000lb may not be enough
6) Reasonably priced

Some photos below.

179011179012179013179015179016179014179017

[SKL]

That thing from rhino is pretty much useless, Waiting for the ARB version with hopefully more "meat" on the bar is probably a better option [thumbsupbig]l

These guys now have the best BB for Defenders.

New Defender Accessories
– New Defender Mods (https://newdefendermods.com/)

AU Spec Winch Bullbar/BrushbarRegular price$3,125.00

[LRJim]

These guys now have the best BB for Defenders.

New Defender Accessories
– New Defender Mods (https://newdefendermods.com/)

AU Spec Winch Bullbar/BrushbarRegular price$3,125.00

IMO with a few exceptions if your not replacing the whole front bumper your just adding a brush or nudgebar to the vehicle. Withought the side bars that bar has no horizontal support for the hoops around the headlights and they would most likely bend at the slightest nudge, they should call it winchbar/brushbar not bullbar/brushbar. It does look nice though, reminds of the factory brushbars of the earlier discos.
Cheers

[SKL]

[QUOTE=LRJim;3152521]IMO with a few exceptions if your not replacing the whole front bumper your just adding a brush or nudgebar to the vehicle. Withought the side bars that bar has no horizontal support for the hoops around the headlights and they would most likely bend at the slightest nudge, they should call it winchbar/brushbar not bullbar/brushbar. It does look nice though, reminds of the factory brushbars of the earlier discos.
Cheers[/

Evidently it is the real deal.
This fantastic looking, high quality Bullbar is the only one that has been safety tested by Landrover, making it the best choice for you & your New Defender.

[LRJim]

Evidently it is the real deal.
This fantastic looking, high quality Bullbar is the only one that has been safety tested by Landrover, making it the best choice for you & your New Defender.

Tested at your local Coles maybe, it offers no lower protection in front of either of the wheels the factory bumper is completely exposed to animal strikes or offroad mishaps. It's also skinnier than the fenders so if you do hit an animal on the side of the bar it will most likely end up buckling the fender also (if the bar dosnt bend back causing more damage) you get better protection from one of those "roobars" fitted to VE commodores. Yes it looks great and yes I'm sure it's high quality but one thing it's not is a bull bar.

[Summiitt]

Tested at your local Coles maybe, it offers no lower protection in front of either of the wheels the factory bumper is completely exposed to animal strikes or offroad mishaps. It's also skinnier than the fenders so if you do hit an animal on the side of the bar it will most likely end up buckling the fender also (if the bar dosnt bend back causing more damage) you get better protection from one of those "roobars" fitted to VE commodores. Yes it looks great and yes I'm sure it's high quality but one thing it's not is a bull bar.

The failure in this bar and most comments is that the defenders have the intercoolers on the left and right hand guards below the lights..so it must have a solid bar and hoop integration..as per the new 300 cruiser TJM bars. the intercoolers are in identical locations to the defenders and TJM has made the bars work..

[Tombie]

These guys now have the best BB for Defenders.

New Defender Accessories
– New Defender Mods (https://newdefendermods.com/)

AU Spec Winch Bullbar/BrushbarRegular price$3,125.00



It’s just the factory offering… nothing spectacular there.

[DiscoDB]

It’s just the factory offering… nothing spectacular there.

Agreed - interesting that this reseller is shipping them into the US from Australia. Maybe LRA brought in too many and could not move them fast enough so now they are being exported as an AU spec bar - or did JLR get the bars manufactured here (or perhaps import them in from Asia).

Some of the photos are Australian Defenders as well.

I understand what we would consider as a Bull Bar in Australia is not legal in Europe for new cars - so was Land Rovers “Bull Bar” for the new Defender just for the Australian and South African markets?

[trout1105]

The thing is how on earth do you design a REAL Bullbar for a chassis that is designed to " crumple" on impact?
With a ladder frame chassis it isn't a problem to put a fair bit of "Beef" into a bullbar But with a monocoque chassis this becomes problematic.

My best advice for anyone that has new Defender is for gods sake don't hit anything [bigwhistle]

[scarry]

My best advice for anyone that has new Defender is for gods sake don't hit anything [bigwhistle]

So what you are saying is its only there for show[bigwhistle]

[trout1105]

So what you are saying is its only there for show[bigwhistle]

Spot on[thumbsupbig]

[DiscoDB]

Slightly off topic, but great to see Ford Australia partnered with ARB here in Melbourne to develop the accessories for the new Ranger, including a decent Bull Bar.

The top part of the new Ranger bar looks similar to the Defender bar (to meet ADR’s), but the centre and lower section is much more solid.

It is the difference between a “fashion design house” and a “engineering design house” when it comes to accessories.

[trout1105]

At the end of the day putting a decent Bullbar on a new Defender is like putting lipstick on a pig.
The chassis is NOT designed to withstand the inertia of an animal strike.

[scarry]

On the Defender topic,have a look at this,absolutely amazing.

Log in to Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=321771896810234)

Hopefully it will work

[100inch]

At the end of the day putting a decent Bullbar on a new Defender is like putting lipstick on a pig.
The chassis is NOT designed to withstand the inertia of an animal strike.
So much knowledge from someone with a 2004 D2....[bigwhistle]let me guess. Retired engineer?

[ramblingboy42]

7861:334

[loanrangie]

7861:3348675 309

[ramblingboy42]

what are those numbers loanrangie?

do you realise what mine represent?

[Summiitt]

FFS-Has this thread turned into a comp to see who has the biggest set of verniers..keep it on topic as some of us are actually looking for a bull bar for the new defender

[DiscoDB]

Not a bad write up on installing the AU spec “Roo Bar” to the Defender.

Self install winch and bull bar - Land Rover Forums - Land Rover Enthusiast Forum (https://landroverforums.com/forum/2020-defender-60/self-install-winch-bull-bar-103185/)

The ones for sale in the US are being shipped from LR Melbourne.

The winch mount looks decent. Pity the intercoolers remain unprotected, but they do look to be set well back in the bumper.

The LR bar is probably as good as you are going to get on the new Defender.

[JDNSW]

For what it is worth - in the last fortnight I have hit one roo and one emu. Both were in broad daylight (but overcast) and both below 60kph on narrow dirt road with thick bush right up to them, and both on roads I am very familiar with. (one in the 2a, one in the 110)

Both were very solid hits on the bullbar, but caused no damage. In both cases the animal crossed the road at right angles at high speed without being seen before impact, and was killed. Without a bullbar there would have been significant damage to the vehicles.

[DiscoJeffster]

At the end of the day putting a decent Bullbar on a new Defender is like putting lipstick on a pig.
The chassis is NOT designed to withstand the inertia of an animal strike.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220620/df2078318bbaa1afc1bd23f90e5c5035.jpg

[loanrangie]

what are those numbers loanrangie?

do you realise what mine represent?

Looked like some random number to me so i posted the line from a song.

[scarry]

Looked like some random number to me so i posted the line from a song.

I thought they were the LR part numbers of the bull bar kit…..[biggrin]

[RANDLOVER]

Looked like some random number to me so i posted the line from a song.

Which song the closest thing I can think of is 25 or 6 to 4 by Chicago?

Chicago - 25 or 6 to 4 - 7/21/1970 - Tanglewood (Official) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uAUoz7jimg)

Back on topic, I think as long as you're insured the the bull-bar just has to stop an animal going through the radiator or similar show stoppers, as once you pay your excess any damage will be fixed.

[JDNSW]

There are other inconveniences apart from $ with vehicle damage - round here for example, even minor repairs can take months, assuming that it doesn't take even more months to get parts, simply because of the workload of repairers and staff shortages. It would seem to make sense to try and avoid damage in the first place by having a roo bar that works.

[ramblingboy42]

well, I saw my first 663 with a bullbar on in the Beenleigh area, a white 90 black bar and to be honest it looked ****house.....I thought it. was a Mahindra at first. Possibly the Mahindra looks better and at 30% of the cost may well be a far better buy.

[one_iota]

I once passed a Mahindra that had been labelled with the green Land Rover oval but it read "Curry Rover".

Anyway for the record here is a photo of a Bull Bar with a Mahindra bolted to it:

https://www.aulro.com/app/data/1467/medium/curry_rover.jpg

and here is a new Defender (mine) with a bull bar bolted to it:

https://www.aulro.com/app/data/1467/medium/defbull.jpg

I'd have to say I'm impressed with both the design (it suits the Defender) and its engineering.

[frantic]

I once passed a Mahindra that had been labelled with the green Land Rover oval but it read "Curry Rover".

Anyway for the record here is a photo of a Bull Bar with a Mahindra bolted to it:

https://www.aulro.com/app/data/1467/medium/curry_rover.jpg

and here is a new Defender (mine) with a bull bar bolted to it:

https://www.aulro.com/app/data/1467/medium/defbull.jpg

I'd have to say I'm impressed with both the design (it suits the Defender) and its engineering.

IMHO, the JLR nudge bar looks like a plumber ,DUI, with a pvc pipe supply and a heat gun designed it, and is next to useless in preventing being immobilized by a roo, wombat or deer in an offset impact. Particularly compared to their previous defender factory bullbars, which where either ARB or TJM rebadged items.
A few comments on here about "insurance will fix it" make me laugh, as your now stopped, either in an outer country area or a very long way away from anyone. On top of that, a bullbar will at most be $3-4000 to replace, intercoolers, panels, etc will be 4-5X that amount and have your car off the road for week/s or forever, as JLR have shown even they cant figure out the wiring on certain defenders. Imagine you've got a person injured or ill, and you want to get to the nearest town/doc, 2hrs plus drive away, and your now unable to drive as the left or right intercooler is cracked open and a deer is stuck in it and the radiator.
ARB can and have made good bullbars for mono vehicles, ((prev models grand cherokee for example), and probably will for this, but the side intercoolers need protection as their height and the ease of the surrounding plastics fracturing into them will stop the car and need to be protected.
The other ones like "I've never hit anything" or "don't drive at dusk/dawn", are just plain funny. Most people dont have accidents, yet we have $10,000plus worth of safety/ accident aids on cars. Some of us work and need to go there/home at dusk/dawn, nice if you can choose not to work or your hours, but most of us cannot.
I've hit a deer coming home from work at dawn, doing 80kph, its lying in a dip in the road, jumps up and starts to run, impacts right side of my 02 defender (landrover bullbar). Paint was scratched, deer was dead, i drove home and 50c worth of black spray-paint and it was fine. With the nudge bar above on this new defender car, it would have been stopped and off the road for weeks, if not RIP.

[one_iota]

IMHO,.....

A lot of passion there! [smilebigeye]

Fortunately, you along with others here are not being forced to have either the car or the bullbar. It sounds like neither is an appropriate answer to your driving needs whereas it is for mine. My old Defender with its ARB bullbar no longer suits my needs.

While we are getting opinions on this thread about the suitability of the LR bar nowhere have I seen or heard of any direct experience with this bar in an animal strike incident nor have I come across a qualified engineer's opinion. So all we can do is speculate and in my case hope that if I do have an animal strike it won't be catastrophic. edit: It will be much better than no bar!

As for aesthetics ugliness is in the eye of the beholder.

[trout1105]

When fitting a bull bar to ANY vehicle it is important to fit one that will actually do the job.
It is pointless fitting an inadequate bar to ANY 4WD.

[Tombie]

When fitting a bull bar to ANY vehicle it is important to fit one that will actually do the job.
It is pointless fitting an inadequate bar to ANY 4WD.

Depends on scope of ‘adequate’ [emoji851]

Protect cooling system enough to limp home?
Protect lighting?
Protect panels?

Against what? Flora or Fauna? Foxes, Euros, Reds, Cows?

At what speeds?

And how much damage are you willing to take through the vehicles frame? I’ve seen plenty of bars take a hit but the frame of the vehicle has bent.

It really is a needs basis…

[jon3950]

And maintain the crash pulse within acceptable limits. No point in protecting the vehicle if the impact kills the occupants.

[one_iota]

The Defender bar is described by JLR as a "Protection Bar" without mentioning the species against which it protects....not a Bull bar, a Roo bar, a Wombat bar, or a Camel bar.

[trout1105]

Depends on scope of ‘adequate’ [emoji851]

Protect cooling system enough to limp home?
Protect lighting?
Protect panels?

Against what? Flora or Fauna? Foxes, Euros, Reds, Cows?

At what speeds?

And how much damage are you willing to take through the vehicles frame? I’ve seen plenty of bars take a hit but the frame of the vehicle has bent.

It really is a needs basis…


Arround here it is roos, emu's, sheep and cattle.
Not too many bars out there that will stop a cow from ruining your day But I have hit plenty of roos, emu's and sheep at varying speeds up to 100kph without any damage to the 4WD, ARB does the job nicely [thumbsupbig]
One of those flimsy nudge/protection bars would see my 4WD in the wreckers if I was silly enough to fit one.

[one_iota]

....One of those flimsy nudge/protection bars would see my 4WD in the wreckers if I was silly enough to fit one.

As far as I'm aware they don't make them for 79 series Land Cruisers only the new Defender so you are safe there. You won't be able to make that mistake.[thumbsupbig]

[trout1105]

As far as I'm aware they don't make them for 79 series Land Cruisers only the new Defender so you are safe there. You won't be able to make that mistake.[thumbsupbig]

I fitted an ARB bar to my D2a and hit Many critters with it without doing ANY damage whatsoever to the car.
The 79 series and the wifes triton both are fitted with ARB bars, So no I didn't make any mistakes there [bigwhistle]

[one_iota]

A couple of other considerations:

Further to Tombies previous post the decision about which bar or any bar also depends on risk exposure. Trout1105 is much more likely to encounter wildlife than me given where I live and the places I drive to and from. If I lived in Geraldton the answer to the question "which bull bar should I have" would most likely be the same as his. In 15 years of having the ARB on my old Defender only once have I hit a roo and the Defender mainly did country driving in daylight.

The weight of the bar needs to be included in the vehicle's payload (GVW-unladen weight). The L663 110 5 seater payload allowed is 815 kg. A full steel ARB-style bull bar can weigh over 80kg. The new Defender protection bar weighs 65kg. So there is a 15kg advantage in carrying capacity. That's 15 litres of water or nearly 20 litres of fuel. So it's a trade-off.

[trout1105]

A couple of other considerations:

Further to Tombies previous post the decision about which bar or any bar also depends on risk exposure. Trout1105 is much more likely to encounter wildlife than me given where I live and the places I drive to and from. If I lived in Geraldton the answer to the question "which bull bar should I have" would most likely be the same as his. In 15 years of having the ARB on my old Defender only once have I hit a roo and the Defender mainly did country driving in daylight.

The weight of the bar needs to be included in the vehicle's payload (GVW-unladen weight). The L663 110 5 seater payload allowed is 815 kg. A full steel ARB-style bull bar can weigh over 80kg. The new Defender protection bar weighs 65kg. So there is a 15kg advantage in carrying capacity. That's 15 litres of water or nearly 20 litres of fuel. So it's a trade-off.

Horses for courses [thumbsupbig]

Seriously though IF you don't need a bar then don't fit one But IF you do decide to fit a bar then go for the strongest one you can get as you only have to hit 1 roo and that bar will pay for itself , Hit a roo or anything that size in a flimsy bar then you may as well not have bothered fitting it because it Won't protect the car much at all[thumbsupbig]

[one_iota]

Horses for courses [thumbsupbig]
...a flimsy bar then you may as well not have bothered fitting it because it Won't protect the car much at all[thumbsupbig]

That this bar is flimsy seems to be the basis of your argument.

I beg to differ for the benefit of L663 owners who are considering this bar.

I have one fitted to my new Defender and it is 65kg of steel so far from flimsy! I also have an ARB on my old Defender to compare it with. So I think I'm able to speak with some authority. The full frontal protection is substantial so the radiator is well protected. You could argue that the low-down side protection is not well covered. But overall it will be significantly better than no bar if skippy gets in the way.[tonguewink]

[Eric SDV6SE]

I was speaking with JLR re their bar, they said it took a long time for them to get compliance here, especially with the monocoque design and the multitude of airbags and other safety systems on the vehicle. The rep is was speaking to seemed to agree that the lower areas arent as well protected, however having one is better than none.

(I had an ARB on my D4, never hit anything substantial in the 9y I owned it)

Enquiring about the cost, the LR rep said around 6k including fitment and LCT if you add it into the build.

I'm still searching, and happy to wait for a suitable ADR compliant (and insurance company) aftermarket design, or will fit a LR bar later and pay no LCT on it.

I agree on one thing, better to have one than none, but 6k for steel tube is stretching the budget a bit too far atm. Just need to be watchful I guess.

[one_iota]

.....but 6k for steel tube is stretching the budget a bit too far atm. Just need to be watchful I guess.

Shop around. One dealer wanted 30% more than another. Does Barbagallo have a monopoly in WA? To supply and fit this to the front end of this vehicle is not a simple bolt-on proposition. It's not just steel tubing. No one even the mighty ARB will have a cheap ADR-compliant solution otherwise we will have had it by now.

Don't be tempted to have it fitted before delivery. In NSW not only LCT but also stamp duty would have added a significant cost to me at the benefit of government revenue. Buy the Defender first and pay for the accessories once you own it.

[cjc_td5]

Shop around. One dealer wanted 30% more than another. Does Barbagallo have a monopoly in WA? To supply and fit this to the front end of this vehicle is not a simple bolt-on proposition. It's not just steel tubing. No one even the mighty ARB will have a cheap ADR-compliant solution otherwise we will have had it by now.

Don't be tempted to have it fitted before delivery. In NSW not only LCT but also stamp duty would have added a significant cost to me at the benefit of government revenue. Buy the Defender first and pay for the accessories once you own it.The Bunbury dealer is a separate business from Barbagallos, so might be worth checking prices there. They love swiping business off Perth too... [emoji16]

[DiscoJeffster]

I was speaking with JLR re their bar, they said it took a long time for them to get compliance here, especially with the monocoque design and the multitude of airbags and other safety systems on the vehicle. The rep is was speaking to seemed to agree that the lower areas arent as well protected, however having one is better than none.

(I had an ARB on my D4, never hit anything substantial in the 9y I owned it)

Enquiring about the cost, the LR rep said around 6k including fitment and LCT if you add it into the build.

I'm still searching, and happy to wait for a suitable ADR compliant (and insurance company) aftermarket design, or will fit a LR bar later and pay no LCT on it.

I agree on one thing, better to have one than none, but 6k for steel tube is stretching the budget a bit too far atm. Just need to be watchful I guess.

Lol. The dealers don’t know **** in my opinion. There is no difference to the LR bar to an ARB on an L300, latest Prado or whatever. It’s a process to follow. The Defender isn’t some magical unicorn never encountered. It’s not the first monocoque chassis to have an ADR compliant bar attached. Yes there’s a process to follow - their bar is nothing special.

Personally I think it’s rubbish but sadly it’s the best we can expect from a manufacturer and tbh I’m impressed they even bothered rather than leaving it to the aftermarket.

I’m however surprised that ARB or OL haven’t tried to take a hold here. I’m guessing the volumes aren’t high enough or Covid has impacted development, which wouldn’t surprise me, WRT the delay

[loanrangie]

Lol. The dealers don’t know **** in my opinion. There is no difference to the LR bar to an ARB on an L300, latest Prado or whatever. It’s a process to follow. The Defender isn’t some magical unicorn never encountered. It’s not the first monocoque chassis to have an ADR compliant bar attached. Yes there’s a process to follow - their bar is nothing special.

Personally I think it’s rubbish but sadly it’s the best we can expect from a manufacturer and tbh I’m impressed they even bothered rather than leaving it to the aftermarket.

I’m however surprised that ARB or OL haven’t tried to take a hold here. I’m guessing the volumes aren’t high enough or Covid has impacted development, which wouldn’t surprise me, WRT the delayIt's a lot different to a Toyota, unit body with all those vulnerable components right in the impact zone I'm not surprised no one wants to engineer a bar for them.

[one_iota]

It's a lot different to a Toyota, unit body with all those vulnerable components right in the impact zone I'm not surprised no one wants to engineer a bar for them.

I guess you are referring to the two intercoolers that are located in front of the front wheels.

[jon3950]

Some thoughts regarding those intercoolers.

Splitting an intercooler is not always the showstopper splitting a radiator is. The vehicle can often still travel in limp mode.

Any animal that only hits in that bottom corner not protected by the bar will either be relatively small or only hitting with a glancing blow. Either way I suspect in the majority of cases they would be deflected to the side and under the wheel.

If the animal is big enough to hit the bar, the tube will absorb most of the impact and also its angled design will deflect the animal to the side of the vehicle and reduce the impact on the bar.

Don’t forget there is already some fairly serious steelwork behind the plastic bumper. This bar is effectively just adding the top hoop.

Everything you fit to a vehicle is a compromise in some way and from what I have seen of this bar it actually looks like a pretty good design. It is not built like those silly chrome nudge bars and while its not the prettiest thing out there I would be happy to fit it to the front of my new Defender.

We all tend to get a bit blinkered in what we think things should look like without understanding the engineering that has gone into a design. None of us are vehicle engineers and sometimes we need to accept that the people who design these things might actually know a bit more about it than we do.

[scarry]

I guess you are referring to the two intercoolers that are located in front of the front wheels.

Which the L300 has as well,radiators for the water cooled intercooler set up.
If you look at a full bumper Bull bar for a 300,you will see the vents each side.

Defender,being a Monocoque design, is much more difficult to engineer a full bumper bull bar for,than traditional body on chassis design.
It is also a relatively low volume vehicle,and being a modern LR,very complicated.
So the investment in the R&D, to produce one, probably does not stack up as a viable business case.

Around $6K fitted is not that bad,a full bumper Bull Bar for a LC300,colour coded,fitted,will be up close to $5K,maybe even slightly more.
The one on our LC200 was just over $4K 2 years ago.

FWIW,the ARB bar on our D4,colour coded was less than $3K in 2014.Although i did know the guy at ARB at the time.And it was well worth the investment, saved us from a few show stoppers.

Weight wise,around 20KG is removed on a LC200,to fit a bar,so the net additional weight is very similar to the OEM bar on the Defender.

Agreed,the bar on the Defender is much better than nothing.
If a full bumper Bull Bar is needed,the defender is not for you,no good complaining about it,just move on.

[frantic]

A lot of passion there! [smilebigeye]

Fortunately, you along with others here are not being forced to have either the car or the bullbar. It sounds like neither is an appropriate answer to your driving needs whereas it is for mine. My old Defender with its ARB bullbar no longer suits my needs.

While we are getting opinions on this thread about the suitability of the LR bar nowhere have I seen or heard of any direct experience with this bar in an animal strike incident nor have I come across a qualified engineer's opinion. So all we can do is speculate and in my case hope that if I do have an animal strike it won't be catastrophic. edit: It will be much better than no bar!

As for aesthetics ugliness is in the eye of the beholder.

The problem is , the areas you can/will drive without needing proper protection is shrinking, not growing. I live about 1.5hrs south of you, and Deer impacts are common, same north of Penrith.
A deer/roo in an offset hit would make your vehicle immobile, to mine and others with older style Bull bars, its just a speed hump.[biggrin]

[one_iota]

The problem is , the areas you can/will drive without needing proper protection is shrinking, not growing. I live about 1.5hrs south of you, and Deer impacts are common, same north of Penrith.
A deer/roo in an offset hit would make your vehicle immobile, to mine and others with older style Bull bars, its just a speed hump.[biggrin]

Deers aren't currently a problem around where we travel between the big smoke and the Blue Mountains and Lithgow and further west, Certainly wombats can get in the way as well as the the occasional roo. Plenty of folk here travel in vehicles without protection.

Being immobilised is not a probable outcome given the bar I have and in spite of your opinion I think we'll be okay. [thumbsupbig] Thanks for your input.

[frantic]

Deers aren't currently a problem around where we travel between the big smoke and the Blue Mountains and Lithgow and further west, Certainly wombats can get in the way as well as the the occasional roo. Plenty of folk here travel in vehicles without protection.

Being immobilised is not a probable outcome given the bar I have and in spite of your opinion I think we'll be okay. [thumbsupbig] Thanks for your input.

[bigsmile] Deer are a growing problem, should be the start of your response
Feral Deer (https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/vertebrate-pests/pest-animals-in-nsw/feral-deer/feral-deer)

But contradicting your self is funny,[bigsmile] "plenty travel without", so why pay $5-6k for a thing you believe you don't need?
Immobilized is a 50% chance given the 2 intercoolers locations getting zero protection, but if your only doing main roads/ hwy work , that's not an issue.
Good luck with this if/when there is a large creature that gets in you way, hope its the 50% in your favor and your/your passengers are ok.

[one_iota]

[bigsmile] Deer are a growing problem, should be the start of your response
Feral Deer (https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/vertebrate-pests/pest-animals-in-nsw/feral-deer/feral-deer)

But contradicting your self is funny,[bigsmile] "plenty travel without", so why pay $5-6k for a thing you believe you don't need?
Immobilized is a 50% chance given the 2 intercoolers locations getting zero protection, but if your only doing main roads/ hwy work , that's not an issue.
Good luck with this if/when there is a large creature that gets in you way, hope its the 50% in your favor and your/your passengers are ok.

I have a rule here. When ever I'm quoted I try to reply. It's a matter of courtesy even though the reply might be brusque.

So in summary what you are saying is I shouldn't drive this vehicle where there might be a deer just in case something bad happens because I have bar that is no better than nothing. Are you recommending I should just stay at home or only drive to the train station or somewhere safe.

Please don't insult my intelligence. I've driven my old Defender to and through every state and territory in this wide brown land on good roads and bad. I've managed the risks. No difference to how this vehicle will be managed. Sure anything is possible but are those bad things probable?

Thanks for the lecture but you have no evidence or engineering to back your opinion. Outside AULRO there is a much bigger world. I've done a lot of research on this vehicle over the last year or two and I've not come across one example where the intercoolers have been a major factor in any collision with deer, moose, marsupials or anything else.

The bar I've chosen is precautionary not an absolute guarantee...nothing is.

[SimmAus]

I’m somewhat amused with the opinions of some on this forum.
Sure, share your experience, advice and opinion.
If someone makes a decision, they think suits their need; it’s their choice, their risk, their car and decision.
I drive a D4, no bull bar. Driven 1,000s of Kms off road, remote, rural. So far, not hit a thing. Lucky? Fortunate? Blessed by the Gerry McGovern design gods? I don’t know.
I won’t criticise anyone for fitting something they want, need or like…you could also be T Boned at a set of traffic lights by some drunk numbskull…life is unpredictable.

[Tins]

…you could also be T Boned at a set of traffic lights by some drunk numbskull…life is unpredictable.

In one of the most bizarre traffic accidents I've seen, a friend was killed this way by a freak inhaling aerosol.

[SimmAus]

In one of the most bizarre traffic accidents I've seen, a friend was killed this way by a freak inhaling aerosol.

Sorry to hear this. My condolences.

To keep this somewhat light hearted, and on topic… I bet the bull bar choice made no difference.

[Tins]

Sorry to hear this. My condolences.

To keep this somewhat light hearted, and on topic… I bet the bull bar choice made no difference.

Long time ago, but thanks. And no, none at all.

BTW, I was only agreeing with you about unpredictability. Not even ( insert symbol of belief system of choice here 🙂) could have predicted that particular event. Getting struck by lightning would be more likely.

[RANDLOVER]

I’m somewhat amused with the opinions of some on this forum.
Sure, share your experience, advice and opinion.
If someone makes a decision, they think suits their need; it’s their choice, their risk, their car and decision.
I drive a D4, no bull bar. Driven 1,000s of Kms off road, remote, rural. So far, not hit a thing. Lucky? Fortunate? Blessed by the Gerry McGovern design gods? I don’t know.
I won’t criticise anyone for fitting something they want, need or like…you could also be T Boned at a set of traffic lights by some drunk numbskull…life is unpredictable.

My experience has been similar, although I have hit the tail of a kangaroo that I'm sure damaged the headlight globe as it didn't work after that, headlight was fine though, and also drove/ramped over a kangaroo in the dark that had been hit and killed by another/other cars on a highway. I do slow down if I see wildlife, I remember flying down a dirt road one time, marvelling at how well the air suspension handles the bumps/corrugations, when I saw kangaroos alongside, and thought "hang on if one of those jumps out now..." so slowed right down. I've always thought if I do hit something when I get the front fixed I will get a bullbar, I like the Land Rover one, expensive I know, but I do think it is the nicest bull bar I've seen.

[Tombie]

You can also put it in the context of:

Prior to returning to 4wds I had a plethora of high powered street cars.

These did thousands of kilometres on highways between cities. Including Perth to Adelaide non-stop (fuel stops only), Adelaide to Brisbane multiple times non-stop, Adelaide to Sydney, Adelaide to Canberra and Adelaide to Melbourne (all return drives).

In all these trips the only impacts were a Galah, a cat, a fox and about 2000 Cane toads!

A recent trip in her ‘new’ RRS had me doing Brisbane to Whyalla through the night including the Cobar to Broken hill run!

No animal strikes, not even a close encounter.

It can really be a case of good or bad luck.

[JDNSW]

As I have commented before, I probably average around one roo per year, although it varies enormously according to the season (drought is worst). My son has had, I think, two cars written off by roos - and he does not even live in a rural area. During discussions with a panel beater a few years ago after I got run into from behind, he told me that about 60-75% of his work was roo damage. (My 110 has an ARB bar, my 2a an ADF one; neither has ever been damaged by a frontal hit with a roo - my 110 has been damaged by a side hit by a roo when I was almost stopped)

[Tins]

A recent trip in her ‘new’ RRS had me doing Brisbane to Whyalla through the night including the Cobar to Broken hill run!

No animal strikes, not even a close encounter.

It can really be a case of good or bad luck.

Lost count of the 'roos I got on that stretch. "Course, in a double there isn't much you can do except watch. Funny the number of goats there are through there, and never hit one, nor saw a dead one.

The bar on the Scania didn't give a ****, but a couple of roos jumped into the side and damaged an airline, which was helpfull.

Had to drive this awfull thing to Townsville once Got this from a cow. The one time I needed a "bull" bar ( they've always been roo bars to me ) the bloody thing missed. Don't look much, but the floor underneath was bent and I very nearly tipped the thing over. Took a while to get it clean as well... inside as well as out[bigsad]

183490

[travelrover]

Was refueling in Wilcannia in the late 70’s probably79 and this Kenworth came across the bridge with clouds of steam coming out of the radiator. When it stopped at the Shell you could see the legs of an emu sticking out (like a roadrunner cartoon) between the bull bar rails he had cleaned it up just on the Cobar side of town!

Talking about goats, I hit two between Tibooburra and Wannaring a couple years ago! Mother and kid. The mother had crossed the road but the kid stayed on the other side and she went back at the same time as the kid decided it wanted to be with mum. So splat right in the middle of the ARB bar & winch but no damage to the Defender.

[Tins]

Was refueling in Wilcannia in the late 70’s probably79 and this Kenworth came across the bridge with clouds of steam coming out of the radiator. When it stopped at the Shell you could see the legs of an emu sticking out (like a roadrunner cartoon) between the bull bar rails he had cleaned it up just on the Cobar side of town!




I call BS. In a roadrunner cartoon those would have been coyote legs...

[travelrover]

I call BS. In a roadrunner cartoon those would have been coyote legs...

Lol, fair point! Looked bloody funny to us but the driver wasn’t too happy.

[Tins]

Lol, fair point! Looked bloody funny to us but the driver wasn’t too happy.

I'll bet. On both counts. At least back then there was probably a bloke who fixed radiators... and windscreens.... in a corry shed. Not anymore.

[travelrover]

I'll bet. On both counts. At least back then there was probably a bloke who fixed radiators... and windscreens.... in a corry shed. Not anymore.

Yeah, the Shell there was a proper service station with workshop open 7 days in those days and you could get most things fixed. It’s gone now, there’s a liberty fuel stop there, but you would push on to Broken Hill if you weren’t desperate.

[Tins]

Yeah, the Shell there was a proper service station with workshop open 7 days in those days and you could get most things fixed. It’s gone now, there’s a liberty fuel stop there, but you would push on to Broken Hill if you weren’t desperate.

I'd say having a bloody great flightless bird through the rad out there would be pretty desperate. I imagine the feather explosion would have been spectacular. These days you'd just have to put your feet up and wait for a service truck.. or a tow, sometimes for quite a while.

[ChookD2]

How about 2 at once. The swerving ford in the mirror behind me dodging roo bits was amusing.


https://youtu.be/sLxg3-eNry4

[travelrover]

How about 2 at once. The swerving ford in the mirror behind me dodging roo bits was amusing.


https://youtu.be/RXTHYX4zxI8

Not a lot you can do there… except swear!

[Tins]

Not a lot you can do there… except swear!

Pretty sure he did...

[Tins]

How about 2 at once. The swerving ford in the mirror behind me dodging roo bits was amusing.


https://youtu.be/RXTHYX4zxI8

Love that you found the time for the air horns[bigrolf].

[ChookD2]

Not a lot you can do there… except swear!


Pretty sure he did...

Yep, sorry about that. Fixed

[travelrover]

Yep, sorry about that. Fixed

I thought it an appropriate and measured response! I would probably said a lot worse…

[ChookD2]

Love that you found the time for the air horns[bigrolf].

Probably more as a warning for the dude up my clacker, soon backed off while dodging roo bits. [bigrolf]

[Tins]

Probably more as a warning for the dude up my clacker, soon backed off while dodging roo bits. [bigrolf]

Yeah. Probably not much point doing the blinker flash thing about then. I'll bet he didn't dodge all of them[bigrolf]

Never understood why they sit so close. Much easier and safer to sit back a bit. Get a better view, and get up speed before crossing into oncoming road train land.

[one_iota]

Here's a view too chew on:

The truth about bullbars & 4WD safety (you&#39;re not going to like it) | Auto Expert John Cadogan - YouTube (https://youtu.be/6oHDJc5LFNY)

[SimmAus]

Here's a view too chew on:]

Oh Dear…time to get more popcorn.

[frantic]

Here's a view too chew on:

The truth about bullbars & 4WD safety (you're not going to like it) | Auto Expert John Cadogan - YouTube (https://youtu.be/6oHDJc5LFNY)

Lets just go back to the bible for quotes and info?
He's quoting a 12 year old report on 4 cars ,17years old(2006 lowlux) with cheapest supplier bars![bigsmile]
But i guess Toyota and BHP stopped using bars? ooops no, even the latest electric troopies have them!
Ohh but they also cover the corners, and depending upon which EV troopie pic you look at their either plastic fugly or an ARB steel.
Toyota Australia, BHP unveil new battery electric-converted Land Cruiser for underground mining use 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Converted EV - Paul Tan's Automotive News (https://paultan.org/2021/01/08/toyota-australia-bhp-unveil-new-battery-electric-converted-land-cruiser-for-underground-mining-use/2021-toyota-land-cruiser-70-converted-ev-2/)

Also ARB and TJM amongst other good manufacturers do impact tests to match up with crush zones and airbags,
Best Bull Bars | Fitting & Installation | ARB 4x4 Accessories (https://www.arb.com.au/bull-bars/)
Engineering ADR-compliant gear (https://www.whichcar.com.au/gear/engineering-adr-compliance-gear)

[scarry]

I am amazed he is called the "Auto Expert"[bigrolf]

[Tins]

Lets just go back to the bible for quotes and info?
He's quoting a 12 year old report on 4 cars ,17years old(2006 lowlux) with cheapest supplier bars![bigsmile]
But i guess Toyota and BHP stopped using bars? ooops no, even the latest electric troopies have them!
Ohh but they also cover the corners, and depending upon which EV troopie pic you look at their either plastic fugly or an ARB steel.
Toyota Australia, BHP unveil new battery electric-converted Land Cruiser for underground mining use 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Converted EV - Paul Tan's Automotive News (https://paultan.org/2021/01/08/toyota-australia-bhp-unveil-new-battery-electric-converted-land-cruiser-for-underground-mining-use/2021-toyota-land-cruiser-70-converted-ev-2/)

Also ARB and TJM amongst other good manufacturers do impact tests to match up with crush zones and airbags,
Best Bull Bars | Fitting & Installation | ARB 4x4 Accessories (https://www.arb.com.au/bull-bars/)
Engineering ADR-compliant gear (https://www.whichcar.com.au/gear/engineering-adr-compliance-gear)

Well, what would you expect? Cadogen is no more an "expert' than some random bloke at the pub. Only louder.

[ozscott]

Lets just go back to the bible for quotes and info?
He's quoting a 12 year old report on 4 cars ,17years old(2006 lowlux) with cheapest supplier bars![bigsmile]
But i guess Toyota and BHP stopped using bars? ooops no, even the latest electric troopies have them!
Ohh but they also cover the corners, and depending upon which EV troopie pic you look at their either plastic fugly or an ARB steel.
Toyota Australia, BHP unveil new battery electric-converted Land Cruiser for underground mining use 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Converted EV - Paul Tan's Automotive News (https://paultan.org/2021/01/08/toyota-australia-bhp-unveil-new-battery-electric-converted-land-cruiser-for-underground-mining-use/2021-toyota-land-cruiser-70-converted-ev-2/)

Also ARB and TJM amongst other good manufacturers do impact tests to match up with crush zones and airbags,
Best Bull Bars | Fitting & Installation | ARB 4x4 Accessories (https://www.arb.com.au/bull-bars/)
Engineering ADR-compliant gear (https://www.whichcar.com.au/gear/engineering-adr-compliance-gear)Bullbars are pretty important when you do a lot of outback travel or need a winch or live in Skippy country. But the idea that TJM and ARB sort things so there is no change in vehicle crash performance is doubtful. They don't actually crash the cars they make bars for, with bars on and of course it would be too expensive to do so. I recall when I put the TJM on the D2 (ADR compliant bar) the very very light alluminium accordion style crush cans came off and the very heavy steel plates with a few corrugations went in...no way that didn't change things. Now I know they get better at the simulations and computer assisted engineering over the years but I just can't see short of testing the bar on the given vehicle how they know for sure it will deform at the correct rate to trigger the bags and pretensioners etc correctly (and a tiny fraction out can be catastrophic). And then there are the changes to forces that effect the offset crash design - that is a given thinking about the bars that transfer the forces.

Now in the past I liked the idea of spreading the load over 2 chassis rails in an offset crash, but these days I wonder whether that is a good idea with the very clever new vehicle designs.

It's not to say I wouldn't get a bar if I needed it for roos and winch on a modern vehicle, but I would (and have for my modern ute) think very hard first knowing it's not all pros. Cheers

[ChookD2]

I am amazed he is called the "Auto Expert"[bigrolf]

Self titled me thinks. [bighmmm][bigwhistle]

[Tombie]

Bullbars are pretty important when you do a lot of outback travel or need a winch or live in Skippy country. But the idea that TJM and ARB sort things so there is no change in vehicle crash performance is doubtful. They don't actually crash the cars they make bars for, with bars on and of course it would be too expensive to do so. I recall when I put the TJM on the D2 (ADR compliant bar) the very very light alluminium accordion style crush cans came off and the very heavy steel plates with a few corrugations went in...no way that didn't change things. Now I know they get better at the simulations and computer assisted engineering over the years but I just can't see short of testing the bar on the given vehicle how they know for sure it will deform at the correct rate to trigger the bags and pretensioners etc correctly (and a tiny fraction out can be catastrophic). And then there are the changes to forces that effect the offset crash design - that is a given thinking about the bars that transfer the forces.

Now in the past I liked the idea of spreading the load over 2 chassis rails in an offset crash, but these days I wonder whether that is a good idea with the very clever new vehicle designs.

It's not to say I wouldn't get a bar if I needed it for roos and winch on a modern vehicle, but I would (and have for my modern ute) think very hard first knowing it's not all pros. Cheers

I can see how they can…

ARB for example - are given crash pulse testing data by the vehicle manufacturers. This is then fed into the test jigs - to meet requirements crash pulse must be maintained.

Remember alloy was replaced with steel, but so was the plastic etc. so everything changes and is accounted for.

Chassis zones etc are still also all unaltered - so it still folds the same behind the bar.


And as pointed out - all mine LVs still have ROPs of some type and Bars!!! I’m looking at over a 50 of them (LVs) at this very moment.

[Tombie]

Self titled me thinks. [bighmmm][bigwhistle]

Yep. Met him decades ago. Just an angry little man.
Lacking substance and has a huge (enormous) chip on his shoulder.

His channel is predominantly click bait

[ozscott]

I can see how they can…

ARB for example - are given crash pulse testing data by the vehicle manufacturers. This is then fed into the test jigs - to meet requirements crash pulse must be maintained.

Remember alloy was replaced with steel, but so was the plastic etc. so everything changes and is accounted for.

Chassis zones etc are still also all unaltered - so it still folds the same behind the bar.


And as pointed out - all mine LVs still have ROPs of some type and Bars!!! I’m looking at over a 50 of them (LVs) at this very moment.I see Mike. Thanks. How do they account for the differences in forces caused by the bar in offset crashes? They would have to make the bar so that it transferred no more force force than the original front of the vehicle. Be interested to see how that would be achieved.

Cheers

[Tins]

I see Mike. Thanks. How do they account for the differences in forces caused by the bar in offset crashes? They would have to make the bar so that it transferred no more force force than the original front of the vehicle. Be interested to see how that would be achieved.

Cheers


ARB assesses each vehicle's frontal crush characteristics and replicates the crush rate into the design of each air bag compatible bull bar and its mounting system. This achieves maximum possible vehicle and passenger protection without affecting the crash pulse.

Best Bull Bars | Fitting & Installation | ARB 4x4 Accessories (https://www.arb.com.au/bull-bars/)

[ozscott]

[/B]
Best Bull Bars | Fitting & Installation | ARB 4x4 Accessories (https://www.arb.com.au/bull-bars/)Probably just me not being an engineer or physicist experienced in the sort of physics involved but I cannot see how the building of the bar and crash cans for an offset crash can replicate exactly the standard vehicle in an offset test buy hey, sounds good that they say they can and as i have a BB on my D2 from TJM (who claim similar things) happy days. Cheers. PS do they claim to do the design to meet offset?

[DiscoDB]

I believe you will find the ADR 73/00 offset requirements only apply to passenger cars with a GVM less than 2.5t.

[frantic]

Probably just me not being an engineer or physicist experienced in the sort of physics involved but I cannot see how the building of the bar and crash cans for an offset crash can replicate exactly the standard vehicle in an offset test buy hey, sounds good that they say they can and as i have a BB on my D2 from TJM (who claim similar things) happy days. Cheers. PS do they claim to do the design to meet offset?
A D2 bar would have been designed using computers and tech over 25yrs old. What computer where you running in 1998/9 ? The internet was in its infancy, and dialup was the common method! To compare the abilities of a computer/program/physics based system from the mid 90's to now is funny to say the least.
From what I've heard , Toyota, GM, Ford release the outlines/ details and even send the final pre-release demo models to the larger aftermarket companies. like ARB/TJM etc so they have a selection of gear ready, (not just their stuff) and waiting when the new model Cruiser/ranga/colorado etc lands. This helps with sales as John may not want his new XYZ to look the same as Bob's with factory spec bits

[ozscott]

A D2 bar would have been designed using computers and tech over 25yrs old. What computer where you running in 1998/9 ? The internet was in its infancy, and dialup was the common method! To compare the abilities of a computer/program/physics based system from the mid 90's to now is funny to say the least.


Interesting. [emoji1787]Cheers

[JDNSW]

Computer capabilities today are vastly greater than that of 25 years ago - the cheapest phone you can get today has more processing power than a typical scientific supercomputer of 25 years ago. (Perhaps a slight exaggeration, but only slight)

However, neither the relevant physics nor the engineering design process has changed significantly. What has changed is that today it is a lot easier because the software is a lot more accessible, and would be run on a laptop, not a high end workstation. Which is not necessarily and advantage, except for speed of development, as this may have been used to reduce real world testing.

[chuck]

From what I've heard , Toyota, GM, Ford release the outlines/ details and even send the final pre-release demo models to the larger aftermarket companies. like ARB/TJM etc so they have a selection of gear ready, (not just their stuff) and waiting when the new model Cruiser/ranga/colorado etc lands.

Yes you are correct - you can now get factory fitted ARB gear on your Ranger or Everest.

There is no change in their safety rating & the gear was designed with both ARB & Ford input.

If fitted by Ford you even get the 5 year unlimited kilometer warranty.

[ozscott]

Vic Roads are not so sure of the protection to a vehicle in more than a moderate crash and nor in respect of vehicle safety systems. They presumably know of the state of computer development in the last 20 years and that the manufactures of bullbars have to comply with ADRs for bullbars and get the relevant info from vehicle manufacturers. Presumably also the Govt knows that engineers work in TJM, ARB etc. So, clearly it's not cut and dried. There is debate by people who ought to know. My point remains that you get one knowing that it may, may adversely affect your vehicle crash safety in some cases and may help in some more modest ones. I am not anti bullbar but Codogan makes some points worth considering even if you don't like the man. Cheers


https://www.google.com/url'sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/-/media/files/documents/safety-and-road-rules/vsi-s-october-2021/ptvh5189_stu_02895_vehicle-standards-information-1_v11_web_fa.ashx&ved=2ahUKEwjYjqqDqfr8AhVST3wKHZfUAA4QFnoECDYQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2rRRlX43AMo5ActlqcXQTi
183610

[Tombie]

Having seen some work LVs after some BIG hits both off road and on highway - I’ll take the barwork any day.

VicRoads major argument appears to be relating to pedestrian safety. If pedestrians pay attention it really isn’t a problem.

[ozscott]

Having seen some work LVs after some BIG hits both off road and on highway - I’ll take the barwork any day.

VicRoads major argument appears to be relating to pedestrian safety. If pedestrians pay attention it really isn’t a problem.Mike when I read it my sense was that they are concerned about pedestrian safety but their expressed concerns were also for vehicle crash safety (occupants). Anyway for my Disco 2 with a separate chassis I am glad for the bar. Cheers

[one_iota]

Having seen some work LVs after some BIG hits both off road and on highway - I’ll take the barwork any day.

VicRoads major argument appears to be relating to pedestrian safety. If pedestrians pay attention it really isn’t a problem.

In NSW Harold Scruby enters the debate....old ground well covered here and elsewhere. He's long been an advocate for bar banning but has broadened his purview.

Pedestrian Council of Australia - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedestrian_Council_of_Australia)

Some of the scariest moments I've had were when crossing the Sydney CBD on a Friday evening....roos had more road sense!

[one_iota]

Mike when I read it my sense was that they are concerned about pedestrian safety but their expressed concerns were also for vehicle crash safety (occupants). Anyway for my Disco 2 with a separate chassis I am glad for the bar. Cheers

To bring this back to the model-specific topic I suspect (hopefully) that airbag activation (occupant safety) amongst other factors in the L663 in a vehicle crash will not be compromised by the JLR protection bar....after all, it's engineered by them and not by a third party.

[ozscott]

To bring this back to the model-specific topic I suspect (hopefully) that airbag activation (occupant safety) amongst other factors in the L663 in a vehicle crash will not be compromised by the JLR protection bar....after all, it's engineered by them and not by a third party.Fair call mate. Cheers

[ramblingboy42]

the 663 with its bull bar still looks like a Mahindra

Mahindra may even look better.[bigwhistle][bigwhistle][bigwhistle][bigwhistle]

[shack]

Can you supply a photo please of the 663 that looks like a Mahindra, I'm intrigued...

[one_iota]

Can you supply a photo please of the 663 that looks like a Mahindra, I'm intrigued...

A touch of Mr Magoo I suspect. (no offence meant Rambling Boy...but you made yourself a target!)

Mr. Magoo - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Magoo)

[Hoity]

So what are the options for a bull bar as of now. Rhino have one? Factory bar? Anything like an Arb summit bar?

[jwb]

Those are the only 2. Too small a market for others to invest likely.

[ramblingboy42]

whoever designs one that looks good on the 663 will really have a winner.

nothing looks good on the 663 so far....

[4runnernomore]

whoever designs one that looks good on the 663 will really have a winner.

nothing looks good on the 663 so far....


Will this suffice?? Toro bull bar to suit, Land Rover Defender (https://offroadanimal.com.au/toro-bull-bar-to-suit-land-rover-defender-l663-2020-on/#gallery-6)

Apparently, according to their website they should be available around June this year. Love the toro bars OffRoad make.

so who is first in line for a preorder?

[V8Ian]

It doesn't look bad.

[Eric SDV6SE]

Will this suffice?? Toro bull bar to suit, Land Rover Defender (https://offroadanimal.com.au/toro-bull-bar-to-suit-land-rover-defender-l663-2020-on/#gallery-6)

Apparently, according to their website they should be available around June this year. Love the toro bars OffRoad make.

so who is first in line for a preorder?

I like that, and iirc, at 4k about 50% of what JLR wants to charge for the factory option....(un)fortunately, I'm saving for the ProSpeed Aero expedition roof rack first.

[scarry]

I like that, and iirc, at 4k about 50% of what JLR wants to charge for the factory option....(un)fortunately, I'm saving for the ProSpeed Aero expedition roof rack first.

After fitting and colour coding,i doubt there would be much change out of $7K.

I have seen that brand on other vehicles,not only do they look good,the fit and finish is also excellent,as good if not better than some i have seem from the big players.

[4runnernomore]

Will this suffice?? Toro bull bar to suit, Land Rover Defender (https://offroadanimal.com.au/toro-bull-bar-to-suit-land-rover-defender-l663-2020-on/#gallery-6)

Apparently, according to their website they should be available around June this year. Love the toro bars OffRoad make.

so who is first in line for a preorder?

Was looking on off-road animal last night and came across this. The latest 4x4 products from Offroad Animal - Page 2 (https://offroadanimal.com.au/new-products/?page=2#)

They have finished and released the bullbars. Two versions Toro ( full bullbar with hoops) and Predator ( hookless - bumper version only winch compatible). What does everyone think and has anyone invested yet?

[one_iota]

I have a standard LR bar.

191722


Had my first roo strike today!

Broad daylight and a fairly large beast.

Traveling at about 70km/h at the time of impact the standard LR Defender bar deflected the poor roo off to the side of the road with no damage the Defender or the bar.

[spudfan]

We do not have much bother with kangaroos on the roads over here. Instead we have deer. Being big they can do a lot of damage if hit. If only they would wear hivis reflective bibs it would solve some of the issues. Had a horse rear up in front of the Defender one night. Got stopped but the washing machine was in action when we got home....

[austastar]

Hi,
Hey Spud,
TikTok - Make Your Day (https://www.tiktok.com/@livingwithkangaroos/video/7368824908761074962?pid=video_embed&referer_video_id=7368824908761074962&type=video&referer_url=iframely.publishing.yahoo.net/oRc5ooW?v=1&app=1&img=1&lazy=1&refer=embed&embed_source=121374463,121468991,121439635,1214336 50,121404359,121477481,121331973,120811592,1208107 56;null;embed_share)
We need bull bars on the shopping trolleys here .
Cheers

[spudfan]

Big place. You could drive around in there! He knows his way around, I'd get lost...

[V8Ian]

Big place. You could drive around in there! He knows his way around, I'd get lost...
Many of us often do, related items seem to be located at opposite ends of the shop. That may be a ploy to encourage impulse buying.

[spudfan]

I don't do much "impulse buying." I do occasionally ask the Mrs on an impulse whether I can buy something or not....

[one_iota]

Hi,
Hey Spud,
TikTok - Make Your Day (https://www.tiktok.com/@livingwithkangaroos/video/7368824908761074962?pid=video_embed&referer_video_id=7368824908761074962&type=video&referer_url=iframely.publishing.yahoo.net/oRc5ooW?v=1&app=1&img=1&lazy=1&refer=embed&embed_source=121374463,121468991,121439635,1214336 50,121404359,121477481,121331973,120811592,1208107 56;null;embed_share)
We need bull bars on the shopping trolleys here .
Cheers

I was on my way back from Bunnings when I struck my roo!

[Narangga]

TuffAnt now have a bullbar available (from April)

Bullbar for New Defender 110/130 | TuffAnt (https://www.tuffant.com/product-page/bullbar-for-new-defender-110-130?utm_campaign=1e2ebfb9-c3c4-49a4-875f-494748b868d9&utm_source=so&utm_medium=mail&cid=52e2b797-915b-42ac-9d57-3a635ee431c2)

[Tombie]

Nice work

[grey_ghost]

TuffAnt now have a bullbar available (from April)

Bullbar for New Defender 110/130 | TuffAnt (https://www.tuffant.com/product-page/bullbar-for-new-defender-110-130?utm_campaign=1e2ebfb9-c3c4-49a4-875f-494748b868d9&utm_source=so&utm_medium=mail&cid=52e2b797-915b-42ac-9d57-3a635ee431c2)

Having a 90 - I wonder why they say it's for a 110/130 only... Surely that's not a mistake? What's the difference between a 90 and 110/130 ?

[Narangga]

I have no idea. The email I received only mentions 110/130 as does the website. You would have to contact them to ask why.

I note the LR have the same part number for the 90 & the 110 for the actual bullbar as part of bullbar kit (including cradle, sensors, crush cans and camera bezel).

[DiscoJeffster]

Having a 90 - I wonder why they say it's for a 110/130 only... Surely that's not a mistake? What's the difference between a 90 and 110/130 ?

The 110/130 has two extra doors? [emoji846][emoji2357]

Just email them and ask. I emailed them yesterday and they replied within a day. I queried if there were spotlight mounting holes/points and they said no as it could impact the sensors. I call BS on the reasoning, but the fact is there aren’t and holes/planning for lighting. They did point out the Stedi lightbar does fit behind it like in their photos as an alternative solution.

[Tombie]

The 110/130 has two extra doors? [emoji846][emoji2357]

Just email them and ask. I emailed them yesterday and they replied within a day. I queried if there were spotlight mounting holes/points and they said no as it could impact the sensors. I call BS on the reasoning, but the fact is there aren’t and holes/planning for lighting. They did point out the Stedi lightbar does fit behind it like in their photos as an alternative solution.

The latest Stedi light bar would legally fit in the cross bar.

[Eric SDV6SE]

Got the same email from Tuffant. Bar looks OK, not a fan of the hoops. At the moment it's the best looking one out there.

[Narangga]

Having a 90 - I wonder why they say it's for a 110/130 only... Surely that's not a mistake? What's the difference between a 90 and 110/130 ?

Latest email says 90/110/130 and the website just says 'New Defender' with the 110/130 removed now.