

The same poorly designed mounting system (and lack of proper testing) may result in vehicle damage through everyday use due to lack of sufficient clearance between the bullbar and vehicle. “Properly designed and meticulously tested TJM Frontal Protection Systems ensure airbag deployment when necessary as well as prevent unnecessary activation.”Īlbert added: “Poorly designed mounting system may not handle winching loads well and cause damage to the bullbar and/or vehicle. “When a bullbar that doesn't comply with relevant ADRs or hasn’t been tested to be airbag-compatible is installed on a vehicle, the safety of all occupants are at risk due to the chance of airbags not being deployed when required, as well as the possibility of costly repair bills if airbags deploy incorrectly when not required,” Albert Swanepoel, TJM’s Vehicle Protection Category Manager, told us. We use the best material and equipment to make our bullbars. Ironman 4x4’s product director, Adam Craze, reiterated that point: “We have them tested in Australia for the safety components and also out on the tracks to ensure they work the way we know they need to when in use.

That’s the key thing to remember when umming-and-ahhing over whether to cheap out on a crappy bullbar: will it do the job it’s designed to do? There are many, many negatives to a poorly designed, developed and manufactured bullbar, including the fact of non-ADR-compliant hardware and accessories.”
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Opposite Lock’s general manager, Adam O’Sullivan, concurred: “Before an Opposite Lock (OL) bullbar can be released to the public, it must first pass through a series of complex design, build, test, safety and production phases. “If the vehicle chassis mounts are made to a price point, as opposed to a function point, then that’s where the problems start.” “If you were to have an accident, the bar’s not going to perform the way it should,” Sampson continued. One of the most important things is how the bar is attached to the chassis, and whether airbags will still deploy at the same rate. Steve Sampson, ARB’s product manager, explained: “A lot of the differences won’t so much be on the parts you see of the bar, as the outer appearance of the bar will look similar.


While an el-cheapo bullbar may look like the real thing on the outside, appearances can be deceiving. It may save you a few bucks in the short-term, but it’ll come back to bite you on the arse in the long run. YOU may think picking up an eBay special will save you a few pennies, but you’d be wrong. Get the right one and you’ll have a bullbar that not only does the job, but looks the goods as well. A good bullbar will also provide a great base from which to attach other essential off-road kit – winches, light bars, LEDs and antennas.Ī by-product of a bullbar, but an aspect important to many off-roaders, is the aesthetic enhancements a top-quality unit affords.
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WHY install an aftermarket bullbar? Two main reasons: protection and convenience.Ī quality bullbar will afford the front of your vehicle (and all of the important mechanical bits) superior protection from kamikaze animals and wayward drivers, but it will also protect in dense scrub when truly off-road on the hunt for an elusive, out-of-the-way campsite.ĭepending on the type fitted and what it’s made of, a good-quality bullbar will absorb the majority of impacts and protect the bits of the car that matter – namely the radiator and cooling system.
