best defender bullbar suggestions..

[digger]

looking at getting a bullbar made up by local fabricator for my '12 defender 110. He works with aluminium magnificently (builds boats trailers etc etc) as well as steel so thinking of ali at this stage (but good thick one!)

What I'm after are suggestions for bull bar design and features and reasons for/against these options if possible.

I would like to design a bar that fits nice on vehicle but will take a roo etc (within reason) as I dont believe I will be saved by the airbags!!

Looking at getting it made later in the year so lets start working on this now chaps (and gals!)


Will be on a fairly stock 110, but used for trips etc (mainly desert country etc)

I'd options like spotties, UHF (maybe even the autotune for the codan?) considered also..

All suggestions (and photos/links etc) appreciated...

cheers

[Sue]

I would like to design a bar that fits nice on vehicle but will take a roo etc (within reason) as I dont believe I will be saved by the airbags!!

That's good.. cause the Defenders don't have em.. airbags that is..

[ugu80]

as I dont believe I will be saved by the airbags!!

I think that bit's called sarcasm.

[ramblingboy42]

personally, I would go steel if youre wanting to take serious roo strike....my arb bar has taken several big hits which I dont think an ally bar would have sustained....especially on the corners.... its not just the bar itself but mounting bolt holes which stretch or deform and the bulk of a strong ally bar begins to look a bit obese. But you can get the mothers out and make them shine.

[digger]

That's good.. cause the Defenders don't have em.. airbags that is..

Sue,
None of my landies have had or do have airbags... it was an attempt at humour (even if, a poor one I will admit...)

[bob10]

Have you given any thought to having a roll cage fitted? Bob

[stickit]

Have a 2013 defender station wagon and wont a aluminium bar , not steel . Some one out there must be able to build me one !! They could take the design off a ARB or TJM alloy bar . Anyone now who , were or why not ?

[newhue]

Have a 2013 defender station wagon and wont a aluminium bar , not steel . Some one out there must be able to build me one !! They could take the design off a ARB or TJM alloy bar . Anyone now who , were or why not ?

because they fail. Generally alloy is ok for light work, but smash a 60kg roo at 100km/h and its all going through the radiator. The strength just doesn't match steel. When you see those big alloy ones on trucks, go over and have a look how think the alloy is, and they are 4 or 5 posts. If you applied the same thickness to your defender the alloy bar would way perhaps 5kg less than the steel, but cost twice as much to build.

[newhue]

Digger, not sure about the top part, but have a look at a Norforce Bbar. They have a whopping steel C section that just goes across the front like the original bumber. Designed to cope with stumps in grass, high lift jacks, and the occasional air lift. It's a solid and perhaps over engineered piece of work. They also carry a high lift on it as well but down low.
From what I have seen the whole raised wing for approach angel is a load of marketing crap unless you do a lot of rock. Distance of main cross bar in relation to wing is far more important.
Are you looking to add a winch.
If your thinking of alloy perhaps 10mm may work as a substitute, I think the Norforce is 6 or 8mm steel

[debruiser]

apparently steels is something like 3x the strength of ali for a given thickness. But ali 3x thicker is still something like 1/2 the weight, I think.... check specs from your ali worker he should know or call someone like Metaland and ask them.

I went for an A frame tubular bar, less weight but still protects the vital innards a bit... yes I know the lights will get smashed and the wings will be stuffed... but I dont' have to buy beefed up suspension to carry the bar around and I dont have to buy extra diesel to move it either.

Good luck on your mission! Keep us all posted, I'm keen to see different ideas and designs... sick of seeing the same old crap everywhere