and substantial bracing
to absorb impacts evenly
wherever they strike.
“[With our bars] all the
loads from winching and
kinetic recoveries are directed
equally into the chassis rails
without compromising the
airbag compatibility. By not
sending the winch loads
through the airbag crumple
zones TJM can provide
incredible strength in the
mountings, while reducing
load on the chassis rails
thanks to minimal overhang,”
Laura Hayes from TJM said.
THE DEVIL’S IN
THE DETAILS
YOU may have noticed a
common theme in this article:
The way a bar is screwed
together is more important
than the sum of its parts or
how shiny the colour-coded
powdercoating is. This is
because it’s pretty tricky to
get a bullbar right, but bloody
easy to get it wrong. Bullbars
are a massive investment,
and if they let you down even
once it’s all a waste. So here’s
a thorough checklist to make
sure you’re getting exactly
what you need:
K=3A7BAC7BG=C@<332A
There’s no use fitting a five-
poster cattle grate when
your 4x4 spends its life on
local tracks.
K7@0/51=;>/B70:3&67A7A
flat-out not negotiable. If
your 4x4 has an airbag, the
bullbar needs to be certified
as airbag-compatible.
K$1=;>:7/<B<G =3
Blow can weld together a few
sections of plate-steel, but
will the bullbar meet relevant
$AB=AC7BG=C@;=23:
K)7::7B47BG=C@
F
Manufacturers are notorious
for changing minor things
throughout the life of a
vehicle, so ensure the bar
you’re buying fits the 4x4
you’re driving.
K)7::G=C@/113AA=@73A
47B7443@3<B0/@A1/<6/D3
allowances for different
accessories. Ensure the bar
you’re buying will fit the
winch and driving lights you
intend to run, with provision
for other accessories like sand
flags and aerials.
K)7::5@=C<21:3/@/<1303
/4431B32=<B;/93G=C@
4x4 worse off-road for a few
extra country-pub points.
However, if you’re racking up
thousands of kays of red dirt
roads where animal strikes
are a very real occurrence
and you rarely head into anytechnical terrain, a loss
in off-road ability could
be justified against
increased strength and
passenger protection.
K=3A7B6/D3
@31=D3@G>=7<BA
Getting bogged will
eventually happen,
so don’t be stuck
scratching your head
looking for recovery
points that don’t
exist.
K)7::G=C@
/113AA=@73AE=@9E7B67B
High-lift jacks don’t work
without high-lift jacking
points.
K=G=C<332B=
;=274GG=C@
F
%=;3
bars require cutting
frame horns, relocating
washer bottles or
cutting the
OEM bumper.
K)7::G=C@
F
E=@9:7937BCA32B=
Modern 4x4s have a
swathe of gadgets
including impact
prevention systems,
headlight washers
and front parking sensors.
Make sure there’s provision
for them in the new bar.
K)7::G=C<332B=;/7<B/7<
7B 4G=C:=/B63@=CB7<3The way a bar is
screwed together is
more important than the
sum of its parts or how
shiny the colour-coded
powdercoating is
96 http://www.4X4australia.com.auGEAR BULLBAR GUIDE