behind the tiller of a half-
rusted FJ45 might disagree,
for a lot of people the
aesthetics of a bullbar place
pretty highly on the want list.
But it’s important to know
the key differences between
designs before plonking the
credit card on the counter.
Most popular bullbars are
essentially based off a lower
bumper replacement in plate-
steel, plate-aluminium or
roto-moulded plastic. These
will generally offer mounting
options for accessories such as
winches, driving lights, bash
plates and aerials. They’ll
provide reasonable protection
for low-height impacts andinterfere minimally with the
overall design of the vehicle.
Jason Lock from Uneek4x4:
“Looking at the styling of the
latest vehicles, why would you
hide the bold OE design with
a farm gate?” This stand-alone
style has been hugely popular
for Australian companies like
Uneek4x4, Rhino4x4 and TJM
on our Loaded Lux build.
Further protection can be
added in the form of posts
or hoops. A single centre
hoop can provide additional
protection for a radiator
and engine in the case of
an animal strike, while
three hoops will protect the
entire frontal area including
headlights. The post-style
bullbar is a variation of thethree hoop
design, but with additional
room for larger driving
lights.
At the opposite end of the
scale are tube bars such as
the XROX. Popular for their
simple design and incredibly
low weight, tube bars offer
little protection for animal
strikes on the wings. However,
they provide unsurpassed
ground clearance and
approach angles required
for rock crawling and tight
technical tracks. “[They
provide] a great approach
angle and are generally more
aggressively styled,” said Sara
Smith from Opposite Lock.
Common in rural areas,
five-post bullbars push theother way, and are popular
for people willing to sacrifice
off-road ground clearance for
increased frontal protection.
Much like the material
selection, the basic look of
the bullbar is only half the
picture. Quality bullbars often
have extensively designed
mounting systems to spread
the load through the chassisCrash-testing an
ARB bullbar on a
Ford Ranger.Opposite Lock bar
(left); TJM bar in the
works (right).944 http://www.4X4australia.com.auGEAR BULLBAR GUIDE