Bull Bars

Would a bull bar have helped?




https://www.4runners.com/threads/why-such-a-so-poor-crash-rating.8653/#post-77243

 

The first time I heard of the use of a sacrificial structure was back in 1973, in reference to a Mercedes Benz 450SE (incidentally, the pinnacle of Mercedes quality. IMHO.) Mercedes used the term “crumple zone” in their literature.

 

No and that's the point that they aren't force multipliers. That would not have been any worse considering that all parts (both fenders/hood) are destroyed. A bull bar would not have made the damage any worse. All those parts are getting replaced regardless.

 

True. Bull bars and beefier front bumpers are most useful to provide some front end protection from animal strikes. Very popular for deflecting kangaroos in Australia.

 

I have a bull bar. I like my bull bar. It has helped me twice when some idiots tried to back into me in parking lots. Will it save my front end in a higher speed crash? Probably not. But in a higher speed crash my factory front end will most likely be toast anyways. Get a damn bull bar if you want one and like the look of it!

 

The effectiveness of bull bars is completely dependent on design and execution. I know ARB designs theirs to work with the vehicle collision system. The problem I see with most is they aren't high enough, at speed you'll sweep the legs out from under the critter and your hood will still take the brunt of the impact.

They add considerable weight, have potential to do more damage to your own vehicle or anything you might hit, and make pedestrian crashes much worse for the pedestrian.

In rural areas where deer might be a problem on unlit roads, there is a reason to have a bull bar. But if the animal is tall enough to clear your hood, it wont stop it from coming into your hood. That said, many improve approach angles and come with additional spots to mount accessories. So even if the crash aspect is debatable, there is still a valid reason to have one.

New cars aren't designed to disintegrate, they're designed to crumple. Big difference. In the old days they'd stick a thick chrome bumper and call it crash protection. It worked at slow speed collisions, but at faster speeds this hard point would transfer more energy into the vehicle and make it worse for the passengers. Now they crumple to absorbed the energy and make it more survivable.

Someone said earlier that the guys at 4wd 24/7 don't use bull bars- what? They do, here's one, I think they even call it a "bull bar" in some of their videos.

 

If only I had a TSS & MTM camera friendly bumper/bull bar installed before this wild creature wanted to attempt suicide it would have helped minimize the damage. I said minimize.

It went directly into the radiator and moderately damaged everything else (hood, lights, right apron and all that plastic). The radiator and all of its parts took the major brunt of the hit. All but two airbags went off.

The metal bumper could have helped prevent the airbags from going off and the bull bar prevented the thing from severely impacting the grill.

Subtract the labor and part cost of the radiator area and air bags my repairs would have been much simpler and cheaper.

 

Have you seen THIS video ? from TJM factory.. they slam a huge weight into the bar to show where it takes the shock and barely folds in,

 

Not bad at all! You will note that my original comment referred to "most of them" though. The TJM product would appear to be an exception to the rule.

 

I'd highly recommend XPELs Clear shield film. It really is the best in the business but also the most pricy. Wont stop damage if its a hard hit but wont have scratches if its a bump.

 

The confusion is with how the words “bull bars” are defined. In the US , bull bars generally mean thin tubing with a simple L bracket installation. Nothing like a full crash tested system shown in the linked vid.

Prices will pretty much tell you what’s what. If it’s a few hundred dollars and you can install it without a hydraulic jack, then it’s for relatively superficial protection.

 

Try this.

 

In the old days the distinction was brush guards vs. bull bars.
Brush guard: lighter and thinner. Protects the paint from brush, and the radiator from punctures by branches.
Bull bar: heavier. Stout enough to protect from animal strikes, and even enough to push a stalled vehicle off the road (like you might find on law enforcement vehicles.)
Full steel plate bumpers are in a category of their own.

 

Lexus is one step ahead of you.

 

GX460, a 4-Runner in a tuxedo.