Bull Bars/Nudge Bars for D4s

**Watpub** · 27th April 2010, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by tedndoi

If you go the expense of adding a Kaymar rear wheel carrier as I've done you can have Kaymar include a set of antenna brackets.

I had a Kaymar rear wheel carrier on my LandCruiser and to be honest began to feel it was a pain in the proverbial if you have to regularly get to the back of the vehicle. They are bloody fantastic if you need to get an extra wheel on the back, or as a step, or for carrying jerry cans, or even if you are worried about shunts from the rear.

But on my LandCruiser I had to bend down and undo the spring latch under the wheel then swing the wheel out of the way before I could open the rear door/window. It doesn't sound like much, but now with my temporary car (an old Pajero) before the D4 arrives, I really feel the difference not having this hassle makes. Unless you really need the Kaymar unit for the sake of the CB antenna I'd go with the windscreen option.

And thanks for the heads up George. Like you my HSE also has the surround camera. I hadn't even thought about the bull bar issue - perhaps ARB is designing it with the camera in mind and that's what's taking all the time!

Not likely...

Regards, Ron

**CaverD3** · 27th April 2010, 12:36 PM

Maybe Kaymar could make a front bar as well?

**gps-au** · 27th April 2010, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by CaverD3

Maybe Kaymar could make a front bar as well?

I would forever be grateful to them,

Considering the fit of the ARB on a D3 and the Kaymar fit at the other end...

**Watpub** · 27th April 2010, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by GeorgeK

Hi Guys,

I have an D4 HSE on order (ETA June) with the optional surround camera system. I suspect that the new bar when it eventually arrives will be no good for the front cameras and sensors. I think I'll miss out anyway.

George

Hi George,

The Prado 150 Kakadu also has a surround camera and sensor setup.

Speaking with ARB it appears that they have designed two bars for the Prado 150 - one for vehicles with cameras and sensors and one for those without.

Apparently for sensor-fitted vehicles the sensors are removed from the vehicle and installed into the bar. The front camera however is another issue. With the Prado the front camera is mounted in the grille. As long as driving lights and a winch box are not fitted to the bar there is no issue with the camera system. If driving lights are fitted there is a shadow projected onto the camera, while winch boxes tend to obscure the camera completely. The guy I spoke with couldn't advise me what the engineers are up to with the D4 - he said they've been "tight lipped".

Maybe my flippant remark in an earlier post about the engineers trying to design a bar for D4's with cameras wasn't that silly.

Regards,

Ron

**GeorgeK** · 27th April 2010, 09:40 PM

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your comments. I have the following to add:

WRT the UHF aerial. I know this is a small point but I currently drive an NP Pajero. My UHF aerial resides on the front bull bar and it acts as a vehicle height indicator in car parks. My Paj with the aerial is a smidge over 2m high and therefore despite what the height indicators of car parks display if my aerial strikes a pipe or some-such then I don't go in or reverse out. I would like to retain this functionality if possible.

Another issue is even if ARB do come up with sensor and camera fitting bull bar would they have the expertise to move the cameras? There are two of them at about number plate height.

I would like to fit a long range fuel tank and therefore the spare wheel needs to come out from under and onto the back. I've heard Kaymar are the best (maybe the only???) spare wheel carrier fabricator. The D4 HSE has a rear camera and sensors too. I have seen promo pics of the Kaymar rear wheel carrier fitted with rear sensors so that aspect should be OK. Does anyone have any thoughts about the efficiency of the rear camera with a spare wheel fitted?

I have been hassling ARB since Feb for a hint about bull bars. Maybe I'll hassle some more.

Cheers and sorry for the longish post.

George

**ADMIRAL** · 27th April 2010, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by rmp

Not really because the market isn't all that big. The Prado 150 market is much larger.

To clarify- I meant we have a good proportion of bullbar manufacturers in OZ, and if they cannot come to the party for us, we won't be getting much help from anyone else.

**ADMIRAL** · 27th April 2010, 10:12 PM

Originally Posted by GeorgeK

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your comments. I have the following to add:

WRT the UHF aerial. I know this is a small point but I currently drive an NP Pajero. My UHF aerial resides on the front bull bar and it acts as a vehicle height indicator in car parks. My Paj with the aerial is a smidge over 2m high and therefore despite what the height indicators of car parks display if my aerial strikes a pipe or some-such then I don't go in or reverse out. I would like to retain this functionality if possible.

Another issue is even if ARB do come up with sensor and camera fitting bull bar would they have the expertise to move the cameras? There are two of them at about number plate height.

I would like to fit a long range fuel tank and therefore the spare wheel needs to come out from under and onto the back. I've heard Kaymar are the best (maybe the only???) spare wheel carrier fabricator. The D4 HSE has a rear camera and sensors too. I have seen promo pics of the Kaymar rear wheel carrier fitted with rear sensors so that aspect should be OK. Does anyone have any thoughts about the efficiency of the rear camera with a spare wheel fitted?

I have been hassling ARB since Feb for a hint about bull bars. Maybe I'll hassle some more.

Cheers and sorry for the longish post.

George

Check out the FAQ's in the D3/D4 channel. There are quite a few options for rear wheel carriers apart from Kaymar, and as they mount through the bumper ( not replace it ) there is potentially less or no interference to sensors or cameras.

**Watpub** · 28th April 2010, 07:00 AM

Hi all,

For what it's worth I received a copy of ARB's Autumn newsletter (electronically) where they devote a fair bit of space to the Prado 150 bull bar and their overall bull bar development process.

Here's the link ARB 4x4 Accessories » News » Newsletters

If you look closely at the Prado bull bar in the pictures you can make out 4 parking sensors on the front. As far as cameras and frontal collision systems go this is what they say in the newsletter:

"The most appropriate ARB bar for your Prado will
depend on your specific vehicle model and its additional
extras, such as winch provision, the optional centre-grill located
camera, HID lights and anti collision radar. These
factors had to be taken into account during engineering,
resulting in five different designs for this vehicle."

They don't really say how they get around the problem(s). Towards the back of the sales-e-zine there's a response to a reader's letter which outlines how they go about developing a bar. I found it an interesting read.

Hope this is of use.

Ron

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