Thread: ARB bullbar - finally here!

Does anyone know if the ARB bar allows for front parking sensors? Couldn't see any in the photos.

The tow-point is below the ECB bar and is accessible.

Spoke to ARB man at the 4WD show in Perth today to find out why new bar would not fit HSE model. Apparently where the brackets mount on the vehicle, which they then bolt the bar to, needs to be slightly different to the other models.

He also advised there is a slight fitment issue with the new bars. There is an allowance made in the bar for vertical adjustment (up and down) but not horizontal (in and out). They were fitting up a D4 this week and ended up removing it as they felt it sat too close to the vehicle once mounted. They have advised HO of the issue and are waiting for some small mods to be made.

For those of us with a HSE, it will be after new year before we see anything.

Cheers

I was looking at the picture of the ECB bar on the D4 parked in a field and wondered what sort of "grass" or crop surrounded the D4?

I assume the "grass" was planted, but wondered what I was looking at.

From my perspective here in Western Canada, our concern is moose or deer on the road, and maybe mountain goats. While one does not have the luxury of selecting what one is going to run into, the ARB looks like it would handle a deer, but for a moose, I think the ECB might be the one to install.

All a good strong bumper tends to do is tip a moose off his legs; where he next goes can be unpleasant. If he slides up onto the hood, well ...

I almost think good headlights are the most effective protection.

Originally Posted by bbyer

I was looking at the picture of the ECB bar on the D4 parked in a field and wondered what sort of "grass" or crop surrounded the D4?

I assume the "grass" was planted, but wondered what I was looking at.

Its a wheat crop with grass weeds gone mad along its edge due to good rains.

Due to how the ECB bar is mounted (and maybe the ARB bar too), I wonder how much force it would withstand at the top of the bar. It is bolted to the front face of the chassis where the original metal bar was mounted and tied to the bottom of the tie rail using 3 small bolts that would sheer with enough force. Having the top bar absorb some of the force by bending would be preferable to sheering the lower bolts.

My D4 has HID high beams which now give very good road verge lighting, with the globe mountings modified to sufficiently overcome the faulty light design and get the beams down to road level. Reduction or prevention of impact is sometimes achieved with good lights.

That is a good looking field then. Amazing what a bit of rain can do.

I wondered what part of Australia that was? A few years back I was in Toowoomba on the edge of the Darling Downs and I noted the terrain looks somewhat the same - but it was dry when I was there, (~1969).

Interesting your comments on how the upper pipe guards are attached on both the ARB and the ECB.

I presume that is so one can purchase the bumper minus the topworks. That is common here as the pickup set are often after the brute look rather than the protection - either that or they have their vehicles jacked up so high that everything goes under.

Maybe however, the fastening process is OK as at least most kangaroos and deer are small relative to a moose or elk and the guys here who jack up their pickups are pretty much restricted to slow speed city traffic as their trucks are hardly highway worthy.

And yes, light in the verges or ditches is probably more important than straight ahead.

Just to add to the burgeoning choices, from talking to them at the Perth 4WD show, Opposite Lock are now making their own bar for both the D3 and D4. It's steel, winch compatible and allows for front fog lights and parking sensors. It's also priced around the $1800 mark.

Looks similar to the ARB bar - the front wheel arches are trimmed back.

Cheers,

Gordon

Originally Posted by bbyer

Interesting your comments on how the upper pipe guards are attached on both the ARB and the ECB.

I presume that is so one can purchase the bumper minus the topworks.

Sorry, I meant the way the whole bar is attached to the chassis. I wasn't assuming the ARB one attaches to the same lower points although I suspect is uses the same 4 (not 3) bolt holes that were used to hold the plastic bumper in place.

Edit: The lower bolts are NOT the plastic bumper bolts but 4 new larger bolts into previously-unused holes, 2 each side. Hence much stronger anchorage than I remembered.