Either are a waste of money and fuel, in my opinion.
Cheers,
Peter
Radar said
11:27 PM Aug 10, 2015
Hi, I am in favour of a replacement bar myself. A it give me somewhere to hang my aerial for CB and phone, then a real good set of driving lights.
Also good for hanging the towel on in the sun, but primary to give the front some protection from unwanted animals hitting the plastic front.
Our crew cab ute is mainly used for towing the caravan on extended trips away from the coast where there is always the fear of finding wandering animals.
If we were using our car for local work over the next 6 years I think I would wait to see how the future panned out as you might change your mind several times.
Its nice to have a plan but the car is more a now thing as a few of our friends found out when retiring of late including us, brought the car leading up to our retirement spent time and lots of money making it just right for when we did retire but when we got to use our cars for the reason we spent the money we found we were not enjoying our cars and the 3 of us all have updated to new ones, basically stock as we got them from the dealer with a few extras and loving every moment of it.
6 years ago I said I did not want to go over seas after 4 trips now I find I am going again 2015, and again 2016 with fares booked, so it can be a bit challenging trying to plan ahead that far.
Hope this helps to think your way threw this problem, nudge bar now maybe and a full bar in 6 years on your next car. Ralph
Dougwe said
05:11 AM Aug 11, 2015
Welcome to the gang BigBee, enjoy here and out in the playground.
IMO, a nudge bar is just that, nudge me and I might be ok however if you BANG into me I might not be so lucky. Go the big beast in the beginning.
Desert Dweller said
05:59 AM Aug 11, 2015
Earlier this year we bought a new Nissan Navara. There was around $100 difference between a decent nudge bar & a bull bar, we went for the ''big beast''.
We do lots of real ''off road'' work.
Don't forget to fit a snorkel, GPS, UHF, dash cam & any other ''fashionable toys'' that are in vogue otherwise you could find yourselves on the ''outer'' at happy hour.
Redlander said
06:42 AM Aug 11, 2015
I agree with Radar. 6 years is a long time and things do change. I would wait until you have decided on what van you will purchase and then decide on a final outfit of the tug.
All accessories to the tug add additional weight.
Oh! and welcome to a great forum.
Cheers
Hey Jim said
06:49 AM Aug 11, 2015
Hi big dee,
Unfortunatly I have to live and work in the rat race for now,
I allways think ahead, The wildlife don't unfortunately. I do lots of night driving and would not be without both bull and side bars.
Jim
03_Troopy said
09:22 AM Aug 11, 2015
A bullbar saved the front of my Troopy a couple of months ago when I hit a cow out near Wilcannia. With the little damaged I sustained, I was able to continue on my trip and have not long got the vehicle back with a brand new shiny ARB bar fitted. Good insurance as far as I'm concerned, and wouldn't drive out west without one. And it's not only at night time they can save your bacon, up through Western QLD on our way back there were heaps of roos on the roadsides with the odd pig as well.
Bruce and Bev said
10:38 AM Aug 11, 2015
We went a nudge bar - primarily to stop people backing into us or us driving into them. We have a policy of not driving in the country at night, so don't have lights on it - just two aerials (one UHF and the other a Telstra phone.
Ive seen vehicles with bull bars which have hit a cow or similar and the vehicle is a write off (and Im talking a heavy "oh what a feeling" 4x4). Often smaller animals when hit will be thrown up onto the bonnet and smash the windscreen.
If you go either, make sure it is a solid item - not a piece of decorative chrome to show off at the happy hour lol
Also check which is cheaper - a manufacturers or after market (like ARB) bar..........
PeterD said
11:56 AM Aug 11, 2015
My truck came with a nudge bar as part of the promotional accessories, if it did not then I would have been looking at one of these (click on the pictures for larger ones.)
No matter what you hit if it's going to bend it then the airbags will more than likely activate and your going nowhere in todays modern vehicle . if you hit hard something has to give and it could well result in a bent frontend
I run a nudge bar just to carry the spot's and Two way ariel wouldn't stop much in the way of animal impact and the spot lights I have never used in anger Came with the vehicle as a promo a good thing as there is only plastic to hang anything on with a late model Pathfinder
Nomes said
05:35 PM Aug 11, 2015
Your tractor probably cost more than my new ute with a nudge bar.
I've never driven a tractor, but I like looking at them, bare bones with style.
I put my nudge bar on because I live in an area where everyone is tail to nose parking and to mount the Ariel, I'm unlikely to be 4x4 drivng.
Cupie said
05:41 PM Aug 11, 2015
I find my bull bar very handy when bumping into the brick entry to my garage ... trying to give me maximum room on one side. Also good for nudging the workshop wall to let me know that I am far enough into the garage to allow me to shut the door.
It was also of great value when I tail ended a tiny Nissan Micro in the rain last year. I got a new bar & the very sad little micro got a ride 'home' on a tow truck.
Flicked a wallaby back into the scrub at Exmouth & the same to a Wedge Tail Eagle around Ceduna. No damage to the Patrol either time.
Its most important function is to allow me to slide the kayaks up onto the roof racks.
Oh yes, it also mounts the spot lights that I have never used in >10 years. But it does look wicked.
-- Edited by Cupie on Tuesday 11th of August 2015 05:44:46 PM
Baz421 said
06:45 PM Aug 11, 2015
03_Troopy wrote:
A bullbar saved the front of my Troopy a couple of months ago when I hit a cow out near Wilcannia. With the little damaged I sustained, I was able to continue on my trip and have not long got the vehicle back with a brand new shiny ARB bar fitted. Good insurance as far as I'm concerned, and wouldn't drive out west without one. And it's not only at night time they can save your bacon, up through Western QLD on our way back there were heaps of roos on the roadsides with the odd pig as well.
Agree with Bob (Troopy) but you don't say what you intend to do ie drive at night etc so why spend $ for lights you wouldn't necessarily use. Plenty of roos, goats and wombats where we are Burrendong Dam.
Saw heaps of dead wombats on road from Wellington to here (about 30K).
We have a full bull bar and no driving lights as we don't drive at night also. We also don't have airbags so if we wack something hard hopefully we'll be able to drive the same as Bob.
Radar said
08:58 PM Aug 11, 2015
Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
Either are a waste of money and fuel, in my opinion.
Cheers, Peter
A waste of fuel, no I don't think so, I am doing similar to a couple of others and better then one of the some model as mine. The bar is very smooth and blend in to the car.
Waste of money, well can't argue with that, time will tell.
Hi All
Im new to this.
Just bought myself a Mitsubishi Challenger 4wd with the view of Retiring in 6 years or so,
then hooking up a Caravan and joining you all on the road.
Im not sure whether to just throw a "Nudge Bar" on the front with driving Lights
or go the Full Bull Bar.
Can anyone give me some advice please...
BigDee
My view is - unless you are doing a bit of off-road stuff .
I would just have a "nudge bar" . BUT , a decent nudge bar.
to give you an idea , when I put this on my old tractor , I bend it in 2" to make it fit.
AND tighten it up , without an extra pair of hands . yes it looks pretty , pretty useless.
Cheers,
Peter
Hi, I am in favour of a replacement bar myself. A it give me somewhere to hang my aerial for CB and phone, then a real good set of driving lights.
Also good for hanging the towel on in the sun, but primary to give the front some protection from unwanted animals hitting the plastic front.
Our crew cab ute is mainly used for towing the caravan on extended trips away from the coast where there is always the fear of finding wandering animals.
If we were using our car for local work over the next 6 years I think I would wait to see how the future panned out as you might change your mind several times.
Its nice to have a plan but the car is more a now thing as a few of our friends found out when retiring of late including us, brought the car leading up to our retirement spent time and lots of money making it just right for when we did retire but when we got to use our cars for the reason we spent the money we found we were not enjoying our cars and the 3 of us all have updated to new ones, basically stock as we got them from the dealer with a few extras and loving every moment of it.
6 years ago I said I did not want to go over seas after 4 trips now I find I am going again 2015, and again 2016 with fares booked, so it can be a bit challenging trying to plan ahead that far.
Hope this helps to think your way threw this problem, nudge bar now maybe and a full bar in 6 years on your next car. Ralph
IMO, a nudge bar is just that, nudge me and I might be ok however if you BANG into me I might not be so lucky. Go the big beast in the beginning.
We do lots of real ''off road'' work.
Don't forget to fit a snorkel, GPS, UHF, dash cam & any other ''fashionable toys'' that are in vogue otherwise you could find yourselves on the ''outer'' at happy hour.
I agree with Radar. 6 years is a long time and things do change. I would wait until you have decided on what van you will purchase and then decide on a final outfit of the tug.
All accessories to the tug add additional weight.
Oh! and welcome to a great forum.
Cheers
Hi big dee,
Unfortunatly I have to live and work in the rat race for now,
I allways think ahead, The wildlife don't unfortunately. I do lots of night driving and would not be without both bull and side bars.
Jim
Ive seen vehicles with bull bars which have hit a cow or similar and the vehicle is a write off (and Im talking a heavy "oh what a feeling" 4x4). Often smaller animals when hit will be thrown up onto the bonnet and smash the windscreen.
If you go either, make sure it is a solid item - not a piece of decorative chrome to show off at the happy hour lol
Also check which is cheaper - a manufacturers or after market (like ARB) bar..........
My truck came with a nudge bar as part of the promotional accessories, if it did not then I would have been looking at one of these (click on the pictures for larger ones.)
Have a look at these videos - SmartBar Bull Bars - SmartBar - Head Impact Criteria (HIC) Pedestrian Safety Test - the second one is made using a bar for your wagon.
I run a nudge bar just to carry the spot's and Two way ariel wouldn't stop much in the way of animal impact and the spot lights I have never used in anger Came with the vehicle as a promo a good thing as there is only plastic to hang anything on with a late model Pathfinder
I've never driven a tractor, but I like looking at them, bare bones with style.
I put my nudge bar on because I live in an area where everyone is tail to nose parking and to mount the Ariel, I'm unlikely to be 4x4 drivng.
I find my bull bar very handy when bumping into the brick entry to my garage ... trying to give me maximum room on one side. Also good for nudging the workshop wall to let me know that I am far enough into the garage to allow me to shut the door.
It was also of great value when I tail ended a tiny Nissan Micro in the rain last year. I got a new bar & the very sad little micro got a ride 'home' on a tow truck.
Flicked a wallaby back into the scrub at Exmouth & the same to a Wedge Tail Eagle around Ceduna. No damage to the Patrol either time.
Its most important function is to allow me to slide the kayaks up onto the roof racks.
Oh yes, it also mounts the spot lights that I have never used in >10 years. But it does look wicked.
-- Edited by Cupie on Tuesday 11th of August 2015 05:44:46 PM
Agree with Bob (Troopy) but you don't say what you intend to do ie drive at night etc so why spend $ for lights you wouldn't necessarily use. Plenty of roos, goats and wombats where we are Burrendong Dam.
Saw heaps of dead wombats on road from Wellington to here (about 30K).
We have a full bull bar and no driving lights as we don't drive at night also. We also don't have airbags so if we wack something hard hopefully we'll be able to drive the same as Bob.
A waste of fuel, no I don't think so, I am doing similar to a couple of others and better then one of the some model as mine. The bar is very smooth and blend in to the car.
Waste of money, well can't argue with that, time will tell.
Opinion can change.
Still undecided, so I suppose I will keep thinking about it.