Tow Vehicle Bull Bars

Bull Bars or Frontal Protection Systems (FPS)

What should I consider when buying a bull bar?

The use of bull bars on a motor vehicle is often a controversial topic as there are various studies completed on their effect in the event of a collision with another vehicle, a pedestrian or an animal.

The University of Adelaide’s Centre of Automotive Research (CARS) found in a study in July 2006 that metal bull bars fitted to vehicles increased the risk of serious injury to pedestrians.  The study was on thirteen bull bars and five models of 4WD vehicles but there was no comparison of any bull bars or nudge bars on say station wagons or family sedans. 

When selecting a bull bar consideration should be given to what you want to use it for, whether you wish to add a winch later and if the bull bar is air bag compatible.  The bull bars normally have integrated indicator light and CB or UHF aerial and driving lights fitments.

Bear in mind all these accessories add weight to your vehicle and along with dual battery systems and long range fuel tanks can get you close to the GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass)  See article on GVM

Check your state or territory Department of Transport or Road Transport Authority website as there are often standards to be met to comply with any vehicle modifications and accessories such as those relating to bull bars, roof racks, bike carriers, fishing rod holders, accessory guages, long range radio antennas and DVD screens.

Steel bull bars - are heavier than the alloy or polyethylene bars and plastic bars are lighter still.  Steel bull bars can be powder coated to match the vehicle. Weight may be an issue with the addition of winches and lights and a steel bull bar will handle the weight of a winch more than an alloy bar.  Winches cannot be mounted to a polyethylene bar.

Polished alloy bull bars can require a lot of polishing to maintain their bright sheen.  Another issue with alloy bull bars is they can reflect light back from the driving lights so you may need to place black tape on the rear of the bull bar to prevent this or have it powder coated.  On the plus side, alloy bars and polyethylene bull bars don’t rust whereas steel bull bars may if the paint is damaged.

For the family sedan or station wagon a steel bull bar may not be suitable due to its weight so a polymer bull bar or nudge bar may be just what you need.

Polymer bull bars or nudge bars – these are like a plastic bull bar made from materials such as polyethylene and are designed to act like a spring and deflect thereby making them more ‘pedestrian friendly’ with studies showing they ‘may’ offer a pedestrian some degree of protection.

The plastic or polymer is more deformable through careful design utilising low-modulus plastics combined with energy-absorbing polymer foams that are generally injected into the tubes. 

For example, Smartbar (Team Poly owned by the Hills Group) have designed an airbag compatible, polyethylene bullbar or frontal protection system (FPS) to protect your vehicle from animal strikes and impacts with other vehicles.  The Smartbar is manufactured from polyethylene with a hollow internal structure that provides a cushioning effect that absorbs the impact and minimises the forces that cause injury or damage.  The Smartbar springs back to its original shape in all but the most extreme impacts.

The manufacturer states:-
‘Compared to the cost of most aluminium bars smartbar offers an immediate saving, and while some steel bars may initially be cheaper fitting a smartbar soon pays back the investment. Being lighter than metal bars smartbar means both lower fuel consumption and reduced front-end tyre and suspension wear ... plus, of course, the vehicle can carry more load.

Most importantly of all however, smartbar’s unique ability to effectively absorb impacts and bounce back in to shape means not only a big reduction in crash damage but a long service life and none of the downtime and expense of replacing damaged metal bars’.

Smartbar have models to suit vehicles such as Nissan Patrol GU4 with winch and Toyota Landcruiser 70 series and 100 series with winches.

Nudge Bars

Nudge bars can be made of aluminium, polycarbonate or steel tubing.  They are often used on sedans, city based 4WD’s or soft off-roaders.