Bent Bull Bar

[Mikes defender]

After while taking my defender bush, the bull bar came into contact with a rock ledge (it was a bit taller than it looked from the drivers seat!!!)
6091
The fender came to a stop really quick and resulted in one side of the bull bar being bent 2inchs back and the winch mount buckling.
6090

Do bull bars bend back? My main concern is that a winch won't fit... How can i bend it back? Might have to go to town with the BIG HAMMERS!!

[Aaron]

Ive got no advice really. My oppinion is once it one its bent back it wont have the same strength.

But what i really want to say is.... That hurts!

[B92 8NW]

Maybe try making an insurance claim on it for a new one:D. Tell them a truck must have reversed into you whilst you were parked at woolies doing the shopping

[Tank]

After while taking my defender bush, the bull bar came into contact with a rock ledge (it was a bit taller than it looked from the drivers seat!!!)
6091
The fender came to a stop really quick and resulted in one side of the bull bar being bent 2inchs back and the winch mount buckling.
6090

Do bull bars bend back? My main concern is that a winch won't fit... How can i bend it back? Might have to go to town with the BIG HAMMERS!!
I would hook the end of the bull bar to something immovable (with a sling or chain). If you have oxy acetylene gear with a large heating torch, heat the buckled areas till red hot. Carefully have someone back it up while you keep the heat on and watch for when it's straight so you can signal the driver to stop, if you had your location posted in your details, someone here that lives nearby maybe able to help you, Regards Frank.

[Aaron]

If you were going to do that method Id use a hand winch so you would have more control.

I doubt you will be able to get it perfect again. Im not sure a safety device damaged to that extent can be fixed. Maybe im wrong?

[lokka]

It can be fixed the way tank advised tho id be removing it and seting it in a jig and use heat and a porta power then while its off get it reinforced so it dont happen again :D:D:D:D

[JDNSW]

After an accident to my 110 eighteen months ago, it seemed that a bullbar could not be found (one was eventually), and the panel beater proposed that the bullbar be repaired - he did not do this sort of thing himself, but he had a contact in the general engineering business who did.

The catch was that it would be more expensive than a new one, so was only used when a new one was not obtainable. (In my case the insurance company would have been paying anyway)

John

[Mikes defender]

Thanks for the reply's, the hand winch method sounds good. Want to get a winch soon, ill see if a winch still fits befor i do anything too drastic!!

have fun

mike

[awabbit6]

Hand winch has the potential to be very dangerous if the cable snaps.
I'd find a panel beater with a good chassis rig that can clamp the vehicle down and pull it back in a controlled way. A good panel beater can have that straight in no time. Might even be worth trying a TAFE college that teaches panel beating (if there is one close). They will have lots of gear and it makes a great student demo! - It doesn't hurt to ask!

[JamesH]

I hit a rock on a beach quite high up and severely damaged my bull-bar. It was bent back and gouged at the top bend. (see pictures in my gallery)

I had a farmer mate who was very handy with a welder and had a firm philosophy that things should be repaired rather than replaced. Given the quote to repair the car was $9000 I was not going to argue.

Short version: He and his son managed and did a wonderful job. A new piece of bar was inserted where the gouge was cut out and he used an inner sleeve for strength. That was the easy part...

Straightening the thing turned out be a saga that involved a very big tree lot of chains, not one but two Chamberlain tractors, one with a water tank. They tell me it was an interesting full days work for the both of them and they needed a third person to take pictures of a mammoth engineering event. When it was doe it fitted on the lugs like a glove.

In short unless you have heroically stubborn mates like mine with two tractors, chain and a Morton Bay fig, pay the $1100 and go to ARB.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/02/1002.jpg (http://www.aulro.com/app/showphoto.php/photo/599)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2008/01/455.jpg (http://www.aulro.com/app/showphoto.php/photo/598)

[feraldisco]

(gentle) application of snatch strap and tree works for me...:angel:

[locorr]

I used a tree trunk protector on mine, I didn't want any flex. Depends how strong your bar is but I'd try it before paying out money. If you get a winch in you could nudge up to a tree and winch to another tree with a turn buckle (forget there name) back to bar.

[Bigbjorn]

Any blacksmith will do this in no time. A decent boilermaker should also be capable.