New disco

For comparison, this is what happens without a bar when you hit a 1m tall wallaby at 80km/h:
http://users.tpg.com.au/rjones11/Kim...%20wallaby.JPG

Smash repair bill for all the bits was over $3k.

I now have an OL bar as well. No vibrations on rough road and well fitted. The South Sydney branch installs about 20 per year.

Cheers,
Rob

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Originally Posted by Graeme

What's your reasoning?

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Originally Posted by Graeme

My D2's alloy bar used a steel cradle bolted to the chassis rails so the bar material was irrelevant. I can't remember how my D4's winch-ready alloy ECB bar is setup so I'll have a look later.

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Not saying that you can't run a winch with anything other than a steel bar. I've seen a few set up as you have described for your D2 (and have even seen similar cradles behind plastic bullbar & original bumper) and they have worked without problem.

My point was that if buying a bullbar from scratch and intending to install a winch - you're better off buying a "winch ready" steel bar rather than having to add a cradle behind something else.

I've had a good run with alloy bars on both my D1 and D2 (no winch fitted to either). But I believe that the steel bar on my D4 is stronger than either of the alloy bars that I've had on Disco's - and feel more comfortable installing a winch in it rather than a cradle behind another bar.

Another advantage of steel is that I can weld things to it. :)

I know you can weld to alloy as well - I've had it done. But I can weld onto the steel one myself with gear that I've got in the shed at home - don't need to go out and pay someone else to do it for me.

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Originally Posted by BMKal

Another advantage of steel is that I can weld things to it. :)

I know you can weld to alloy as well - I've had it done. But I can weld onto the steel one myself with gear that I've got in the shed at home - don't need to go out and pay someone else to do it for me.

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That's great if you're the sort of person who does their own running repairs and mods. But the majority of people aren't, so what advantage is the extra weight of a steel bar to them?

I think a bit too much is made of "steel versus alloy" arguments in these conversations - they're all made to a compliance level (or should be), and most people will simply have a bar replaced under insurance after a strike. For those that really need them, I would think by far the more important point is how much clearance is there between the bar and the body?

Cheers,

Gordon

Our Land Cruiser ute at the farm (mums family's!) hits about half a dozen Roos a year, without the steel bar it would be in the smash repairs every time, the bar has a few bends and dings, but an alloy one would be destroyed after so many strikes. It's a primary producer and to have it off being fixed isn't viable.

Any car I drive for extended periods in the country will have a steel bar.

As to everyone whingeing about them damaging people, I noticed a lot more people think before walking in front of or cutting me off when I'm in a car with a bar!

Cheers
Will