D1 Smartbar on a D2

Tombie · 8th February 2010, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by LandyAndy

A plastic bullbar that looks reasonable.
Its best point is that the plastic has a memory and it will resume its original shape after impact.
Have seen their display at field days where they catapult a log on a trolley into a ute with the bar.Bar crumples then grows back as you watch.
IMPRESSIVE!!!!

Did you measure the distance of deflection? I wanted a good look and was quickly moved along - especially when me and the 3 engineer mates I had with me starting asking the 'wrong' questions...

Dont forget the trolley hardly has any mass or inertia when it hits the bar... And the actual speeds are very low....

Like I said earlier - great for urban low speed nudges...

If you're going highway speeds you need metal (steel) for real protection.

Remember - they make one mould and then can mass produce the bars, do you not think other manufacturers would follow suit as the cost savings are enormous over fabricating steel/alloy bars.

Just my experience/opinion... But dont expect proper protection from one.

**firefly** · 8th February 2010, 12:30 PM

I got a quote direct from them for $974 + postage.
No doubt steel is better overall protection, but I just need something relatively light as I travel 220kms each day for work and I'm sick of puckering up after a near miss with the roo's. I've read a heap of reviews from owners on other web-sites and they get the thumbs up for roo sized animals. Obviously if you're hitting cows, bulls or anything around that size plastic isn't going to get you home... but I still don't know anyone personally that has hit a cow...lots of roos...no cows.
I stand corrected on all smart bars. The ones for Commodores and Falcons don't get a very good review as they sit too flush to the car. This is to maintain the vehicles aerodynamics.

**Fluids** · 8th February 2010, 01:21 PM

Dad hit a cow ... two actually. Driving a commodore (NSW Farmers Assoc' area rep'), late at night, sealed country road, doing 100kmhr down an incline with a sharp pull up on the other side ... the headlights are pointing into the bottom of the dip so they don't light up the uphill side of the road infront ... as the car reaches the bottom of the dip and the headlights lightup the uphill side, there's 2 x cows standing side by side across the lane right in front of him (black cows too!) ... he takes them out (side on) BANG 1, 2 !! everything goes dark at 100kmhr and you can't go left or right becasue of the trees .... scooped their legs out from under them. 1 landed on (crushed) the bonnett and got wedged into the windscreen frame about 2" from dads face, while the other flew over the roof, landing above the back window, crushing the back part of the roof and flattening the boot to the back axle ...

The front of the car was flattened into the road ... took the bottom out of the engine which was punched into the road surface! Car looked like 2x 3/4 Ton weights were dropped on either end of the car. Dad was lucky to walk away from that one ....

Car was totalled ... as were the cows. I had to go rescue him ... not a pretty sight!

fwiw
Kev..

**cucinadio** · 8th February 2010, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by Urban Panzer

Whats a "smartbar" ?

cheers

msteen · 8th February 2010, 10:45 PM

My bar on my D2 looks very similar and is steel, not sure what model it is but it is a TJM and I will try post some pictures when I get a chance.

midal · 9th February 2010, 01:21 AM

Given that there was not a smartbar made for the D2, how would you stand with the crash can/airbag issue on the D2. There is only the smartbar for D1 listed on their site.

I would think the flexibility of the bar would have some effect on that.

There is a very recent post in the D3 section where a member hit a roo with his D3 and set the airbags off (not with smart bar) so it looks like roos can actually do it. Given that issue, it makes airbags, bullbars and smartbars a confusing issue.

Just interested re the smartbar impact rates .

Cheers
Mick

**firefly** · 9th February 2010, 12:00 PM

Im not sure either. I'll see if my insurer can set me straight and I'll get back to you.

Also poses a question about modifying or making your own bar? even a welded or clamped on bracket is a modification. By the letter of the law any modifications to a vehicles original structure (or certified components) requires an engineers certificate, this includes suspension modifications.

Just smart mouth a highway officer in your lifted disco and you'll soon find this out.

Tombie · 9th February 2010, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by firefly

Im not sure either. I'll see if my insurer can set me straight and I'll get back to you.

Also poses a question about modifying or making your own bar? even a welded or clamped on bracket is a modification. By the letter of the law any modifications to a vehicles original structure (or certified components) requires an engineers certificate, this includes suspension modifications.

Just smart mouth a highway officer in your lifted disco and you'll soon find this out.

Correct

**firefly** · 9th February 2010, 02:18 PM

I just spoke with a rep from my insurer, Allianz. With my ensurer fitting a D1 smartbar to my D2 will not effect my policy and the vehicle will still be fully covered. The rep added a notation to my policy re our conversation. She further stated that the only modifications that will effect the policy are anything that modifies the way the vehicle performs or handles like engine or suspension modifications.

Food for thought.

**justinc** · 9th February 2010, 05:45 PM

...And just to reiterate, YES they aren't as strong as a steel bar, BUT they are a hell of a lot lighter and personally I would prefer panel and radiator damage to structural damage IE chassis rail distortion etc. AND they are designed for MPS and SPS D1 SRS systems, the D2 is a SPS type and is essentially treated as the same design vehicle as D1 after 1996 in this respect AFAIK.

JC

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