maintenance, a polished bar
that requires up-keep should
be way down your wishlist.
K /< 7B 03 @3>/7@32)7::
a minor bingle put you up
for the cost of a whole new
bullbar, or can it take a few
9<=19A
I HEARD
THAT’S ILLEGAL
THE 4x4 industry has changed
drastically in the last 20
years, with annual pushes for
tightened regulations (and
almost as many successes). In
the eyes of the law there are
a few major reasons why, with
the first and no doubt largest
reason being safety. Years ago
you were lucky to walk away
from a low-speed collision
without a steering wheel
stuck through your chest. Now
crumple zones and airbags
are all designed to keep you
in one piece in the event of an
accident, and it’s something
bullbar manufacturers take
very seriously.
For a bullbar to be sold and
fitted to a modern vehicle it
needs to meet the Australian
Design Rules that were
relevant when the vehicle was
built. The good news is that
if you’re behind the wheel of
a 20-year-old vehicle, you’re
home free as there were no
rules or laws regarding bullbar
designs until the late ’90s. If
your 4x4 has rolled off the lot
in the past two decades, things
get a little more complicated.ARB
http://www.arb.com.auIRONMAN 4X4
http://www.ironman4x4.comOPPOSITE LOCK
http://www.oppositelock.com.auSMARTBAR
http://www.smartbar.com.auTJM
http://www.tjm.com.auUNEEK 4X4
http://www.uneek4x4.com.auSPECIAL
THANKS
There are a few no-brainer
rules in there including no
forward-facing tabs, rod
holders or accessories. Sharp
edges and burrs are also
on the chop list, as are bars
that cover stock headlights- although indicators and
park lights are allowed to be
relocated into the bar.
The bar also can’t restrict
your view out past 11
metres, which puts a stop to
excessively high bullbars. They
also can only lean forward up
to nine degrees (or 75mm)
and any step-ups larger than
100mm have to be with hoops,
not posts.
New bullbars need to be
fitted with a compliance plate
that states not only who
made it, but what vehicle it’s
designed for and that it has
been tested to comply with
ADRs for that model. If the
vehicle has airbags fitted,
crash testing needs to be
undertaken and noted on the
compliance plate.
So where does that leave
B63>C<B3@)3::>CBA7;>:G
one-off bars are essentially
illegal without testing, even if
they’re accurate to the
millimetre. OEM 4x4
manufacturer bars all comply
and, in most cases, won’t affect
B63 "@/B7<5<2E7B6
large manufacturers changing
their designs to suit years ago,
and doing the crash testing to
back it up, it’s an even playing
field.Uneek 4x4 bullbars
are 100 per cent
Aussie made.988 http://www.4X4australia.com.auGEAR BULLBAR GUIDE