LRA Plastic Bar

[davidgate]

I see LRA offer a plastic bull bar as an accessory on the Puma - I like its lightness and unobtusiveness but i can't see it stopping a roo going thru the radiator.

I guess it depends on where you travel - it would be kinder to a pedestrian but not much use in the far west.

Does anyone have any experience or opinions?

Dave G

[Tombie]

Experience = not around this one.

Opinion = Don't bother with plastic.

[isuzurover]

Isn't it just a plastic nudge bar?

[KarlB]

I don't know anything about a plastic bullbar for a Defender but I opted for a plastic OEM A-bar. I believe the material it is made of is polyamide (more commonly known as nylon). It is not completely rigid. I am reasonaly confident it will provide protection for the radiator in the even of a moderate animal collision. It is my understanding that part of their protective role relates to their energy absorption in an impact by bending and deforming. Its role in protecting the radiator hasn't been tested by me.

Cheers
KarlB

[Nero]

Had a older one on a ute many years ago with three plastic tubes they actually work better as they absorb the impact. If you want to prevent damage to your car completely you need a fair gap between the bar and the body work to give it room to move. The bumper replacement style roo bars as far as I know and usually only ever rated for impacts below 50kph the bar may withstand impacts above this speed but the chassis of the vehicle may not. For impacts above 50 kph you need the ones that mount from underneath and stick out a fair way these style will bend and be furked after any serious impact.

Been quiet a few years since I looked into it so things may have changed.

[Loubrey]

It is now 100% illegal in the UK to fit any barwork to the front of any vehicle that might not have had it as standard fitment. Pre-2002 you can still fudge your way through MOT (little later if the MOT man's your mate) with steel A-bars, but anything more aggressive than a tubular will get you a hefty fine in most areas of the UK.

The Landrover nylon A-Bar is "pedestrian friendly" in a slow speed collision and that is it's only purpose. EU legislation is working hard to make Defenders soft-roaders, and as the limited R&D on Defenders are EU based, the Southern Hemisphere inherit the same bumff.

As a rule A-bars are only cosmetic to fit lights and even a steel one will smash into your radiator on impact with anything the size of a chicken and upwards. Seen this happen often in rural UK with pheasants and the like.

Cheers!

(PS - For the few who might not know - MOT is the mandatory annual roadworthy check on any vehicle older that 3 years in the UK)

[juddy]

It is now 100% illegal in the UK to fit any barwork to the front of any vehicle that might not have had it as standard fitment. Pre-2002 you can still fudge your way through MOT (little later if the MOT man's your mate) with steel A-bars, but anything more aggressive than a tubular will get you a hefty fine in most areas of the UK.

The Landrover nylon A-Bar is "pedestrian friendly" in a slow speed collision and that is it's only purpose. EU legislation is working hard to make Defenders soft-roaders, and as the limited R&D on Defenders are EU based, the Southern Hemisphere inherit the same bumff.

As a rule A-bars are only cosmetic to fit lights and even a steel one will smash into your radiator on impact with anything the size of a chicken and upwards. Seen this happen often in rural UK with pheasants and the like.

Cheers!

(PS - For the few who might not know - MOT is the mandatory annual roadworthy check on any vehicle older that 3 years in the UK)

What about winch bars or snow plough mouning plates????

[KarlB]

What about winch bars or snow plough mouning plates????

I don't know about snow plough mounting plates but it seems to be a general consensus on the Defender2 Forum (Defender2) that winch bars, bullbars or what ever you want to call them are legal provided a winch is fitted. I understand that there is also a provision about having a [genuine] need to fit one and the snow plough issue could well fall under that provision. As to claims about pheasants and A-bars, I can only say some one on the Defender2 Forum was saying how his A-bar provide protection for his vehicle when a Volvo backed into him. Maybe it was only a toy Volvo; one smaller than a chook! (See Defender2 - View topic - A Bar on 10 plate)

Cheers
KarlB

[Loubrey]

Hi KarlB,

Not disputing the fact that the spongy airbag like quality of the contraption works very well and I actually like the look of it as well (I also drive a Puma 90).

My rant is actually aimed at the practical application of OEM accessories in the different countries the vehicles are marketed. England has very few large, fast moving furry creatures to protect the front end of the vehicle from. Most Southern Hemisphere countries do though and in South Africa LRSA have "adopted" Front Runner as approved accessories supplier and while the OEM bits are available, very few people seem to bother.

IMO, the reason we love our Defenders is that they arrive from the assembly plant with a character of it's own and each owner can modify theirs in an actual unlimited fashion. Never will I criticize a fellow Deefer owner's take on his own vehicle!

My last UK 90, a '98 Hard Top had a Scorpion Racing tubular winch bar with a A-Frame center section. I loved the look of it as well, but IMO not enough protection on the wings to contemplate long distance travel.

Cheers!

[jasonedu]

I tried to buy a bullbar while in the UK and was told by everyone I spoke to that they are illegal and are no longer be supplied (including ARB. ). MAde no difference if a winch was fitted or not - you just cant get them unless you dig one up second hand. This was for a 1993 model 4wd. You are OK if they were fitted before law was put in place.

The plastic A bar optioned with the new defender can actually be a winch bar as shown on this pic from the landrover site.

[IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/jason/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.png[/IMG]http://assets.config.landrover.com/v2jag/lr/au/l316/accoly_au_l316_vplpp0061.jpg

Its only a matter of time before this becomes the standard in Australia in my view.

I don't know about snow plough mounting plates but it seems to be a general consensus on the Defender2 Forum (Defender2) that winch bars, bullbars or what ever you want to call them are legal provided a winch is fitted. I understand that there is also a provision about having a [genuine] need to fit one and the snow plough issue could well fall under that provision. As to claims about pheasants and A-bars, I can only say some one on the Defender2 Forum was saying how his A-bar provide protection for his vehicle when a Volvo backed into him. Maybe it was only a toy Volvo; one smaller than a chook! (See Defender2 - View topic - A Bar on 10 plate)

Cheers
KarlB