Thread: airbag compatible bullbars

Originally Posted by maxfacta

G'day all,

I have just bought a 94 Vogue SE (upgraded from a good ol' 89) And am wondering about bullbars. I think I am going to be stuck with the crappy genuine bar that fits with the original bar. I think this is my only option as ARB, ECB & TJM don't make an airbag compatible bar. Although an American website has an ARB bar listed that it says is compatible - ARB say this model is not suitable. Has anyone got any ideas as I hit at least one roo per year and I'm not too confident in the original equipment. I'm pretty sure that the ARB will actually fit but the problem is that it might delay the deployment of the airbags or they may not activate at all. I normally wouldn't worry about this but there may be insurance implications in the event of a bingle. My gut feeling is to buy the ARB bar, fit it and have the same protection I've had for the last 12 years of driving older Rangies with the added bonus that the airbags might deploy and give an extra bit of protection. Various roos and a little bongo van that I T-boned in my '86 Rangie can vouch for the protection a bagless rangie provides for its occupants - my then 4yo son said with a giggle straight after the crash that, "The rangie crashes good Dad!".

Any advice would be appreciated - feel free to tell me I'm mad for buying a '94 model too!

Max.

Im not sure if Im right but in NZ we have the same rquirement, the concern is that with a after market bar the designed grumple area of the vehicle is over ridden by a solid bar which will set the air bag of to soon and injure rather than protect. There is a plactic type bar in Aussie thats air bar compatible & think its called Smart Bar, dunno how it would go on a roo.
Regards Ray

For the roos I'd retain the original bar and install some animal alerts onto it, not the electric ones the $20 ones that work you can get them in truckstops. IME the do actract birds, unfortunately only feathered ones. Driving slower helps as well.


On a 94 has that got crush cans or a sensor on the gearbox to activate the airbags?

What about a D1 front Bar? They must be available with airbag compatability? Would that fit?

Originally Posted by dobbo

For the roos I'd retain the original bar and install some animal alerts onto it, not the electric ones the $20 ones that work you can get them in truckstops. IME the do actract birds, unfortunately only feathered ones. Driving slower helps as well.


On a 94 has that got crush cans or a sensor on the gearbox to activate the airbags?

Thanks Dobbo, I looked at a '94 with a factory 'brushbar' and I wouldn't expect it to survive hitting a stiff breeze let alone a roo which is my usual trick. Mine has just got the standard bumper. As for the roo alerts, I know the ones you mean. I had them on a Rodeo I owned and never hit a roo on my usual roo hitting road (this may just have been good luck). A mate had them on a Crumbledore and told me that while travelling at approximately 140kph in the NT with them fitted he came accross a mob of big reds lounging in the middle of the road. They didn't seem a/ too bright, b/ too energetic or c/ to care about him wanting to use the road and continued to lounge causing him to brake fairly heavily to avoid breaking his car into tiny pieces. I was told that unless you drive a Lambhorgini, Porsche or similarly aerodynamically designed supercar that the noise of your car cutting through the air actually drowns out the supersonic tone emitted by the roo whistle.

As far as the crush cans or sensors question goes, it seems to have both! It has crush cans on the front (behind bumperettes) and has a sensor mounted either side of the radiator. I might be wrong but are crush cans connected electrically to the SRS system or are they simply concertina type extensions on the front of the chassis rails hidden behind the bumperettes? My mate has a D1 with a bar and it seems to have the concertina mounts but I haven't checked whether it's got the sensors like mine

ARB will not mount their non airbag '86 to '93 winch bar on my car (although they're happy to sell it to me). The same bar is SRS compatible according to an American resellers website!!!

Thanks again

Originally Posted by Silverone

Im not sure if Im right but in NZ we have the same rquirement, the concern is that with a after market bar the designed grumple area of the vehicle is over ridden by a solid bar which will set the air bag of to soon and injure rather than protect. There is a plactic type bar in Aussie thats air bar compatible & think its called Smart Bar, dunno how it would go on a roo.
Regards Ray

Thanks Silverone,

Yes, they sound good but seem to flex alot. The ARB rangie bar fits close to the body so if the ECB SmartBar fits in the same spot and flexes I could see it damaging the front of the car. After having said all that I just remembered that they only make one for the Disco.

Thanks again.