Kangaroos and bullbars

Hi ya Marcus,
Yeah unfortunately I have come to greif with a roo at above mentioned speeds. Ok it goes like this, Steel, obviously is much stronger and so therefore will stand a greater impact. However it should be mentioned that steel bars are to this date NOT airbag compatable. So the question is now, does it need to be? If the answer is yes then move on to Alloy; If no then steel is probably your baby, ok say you choose alloy, then is weight a problem, yes! Then move on to a smart bar; If no go back to Alloy. Get the picture? Horses for courses, which one will do the job for you with out too much compromise. Frankly IMO, If your going fast enough when you hit a roo it doesn't really matter cause there is going to be serious damage anyway. The only difference with having the bar and not having one is with the bar you will probably be able to drive the car still. Without it, then it isn't going anywhere. People will tell you lots of stories about which one is best but when it all boils down to it, your going to buy what suits your needs the best, right. I have an Alloy one and it serves me for the purpose for which I intended it for. It holds my winch and guards against animal strike at med to low speeds and is still airbag sensitive for larger impacts with other vehicles. I will bet you a beer though that someone else will have a different opinion.
Bean.

I concur with the above answer as well. It really depends on what kind of vehicle you are going to put it on. Mine doesn't have airbags. Which is the way I like it. So I put a big heavy alloy one on and it has worked great. I haven't heard of anybody hitting anything with a plastic one, but I couldn't imagine it being to strong.

Agree with all of the above in theory except the fact about steel and airbag compatibility. My disco TD5 has airbags and I have a TJM steel BB fitted. Both TJM and ARB make a Airbag compatible BB. Heavier than alloy, but cheaper and stronger.

I hit one in around 97 in my Rodeo with a crappy profile bar (it came with it) and it bent back to the bonnet, and did save a lot of damage though. nice shiny chrome bar it was, that weak we bent it straight again by standing on it pulling at the bar....

Get something solid... Goes without saying that if its not solid it bends. Get one thats a good distance from the bonnet/lights etc so if it does bend it has room to move before it damages things unlike them cheap crappy things on Ti Patrols the shiny chrome ones.. Lean on them I think it could hit the bonnet..... then $$ damage.

I got an ARB winch bar, and IM happy with it lots!

Marcus, alloy or steel are available to suit air-bag cars. Your choice will revolve around style and functionality to support accessories, re winch, driving lights, antenae's etc. It also has to look right too. Up to you. What most people forget is that a proper bull bar will progressively colapse back into the panel work, as part of it's function to absorb the shock of impact, and so panel, bonnet and grill damage is preferrable to a smashed radiator. Keeping the radiator intact, enables you to continue driving to the nearest town to effect repairs.

Marcus,
I drive a GU Patrol with a genuine Steel bar (made by ARB for NIssan) and it IS airbag compatible (at least it has a sticker that sais so).
Last year, just out of tibooburra towards Broken Hill, I was doing 110kms/h on the bitumen section (that road has patches of dirt and patches of bitumen).
As I came over the crest, an emu run in front of me without giving me time to even hit the brakes...
I hit it full on in the middle of the bar, the car leaped up and landed as the emu run under, the head flew over the top...
I pulled up and found that the bar was intact, had a scratch where the emu hit and the number plate and steel holder were embedded into the air slot...
If I would have had an allow bar, it would have bent, no bar would have rendered the vehicle useless as it would have damaged the radiator.
I would not fit anything other than steel now....
Will

Toyota Alloy Estate bar on Prado
80Klm roo dead centre lots of fur etc no damage
" left front " " " "

probably not much help, but they do work must have plenty of clearance on body
Cheers

Gday Marcus
hti 4 roos with my hilux steel bar3 across the bar 1 in the drivers side front guard & across the bonnet 60 kmh with only damage to the front guard & bonnet that was afew years ago now ,all of the above is good advise so fit what complies with your type of car,might be worth checking with your insuirance company to see weather they cover airbag replacment if roo bar is fitted especialy in low speed colision as this may have some beering on your decission
regards Bruce

I lived at Tibooburra for 3 years - most people have the metal bars out there because they work - I hit roos at around 100 with no damage at centre of bar and another at side of bar slight bend - these were big reds though (work 4WD). My own sedan had an alloy bar I was doing 130 my wife said emu - I said I can see it - then oh #%&# not that one - hit the brakes and hit it about 110 - nothing left of emu and as I hit it on the left hand side of bar it bent back into guard & grill - though it was a solid old XA falcon (72 model) - so I could continue on. Go the metal one then if you want a winch you will not need to buy a cradle (which you need with an alloy).

marcus the sibject is covered well by the above and i would like to add one more thing get the best pencil beam lights that you can afford so you see what is there to hit at night and have a break around sunrise and dusk the worst times.driven 1000ks in the bush and never hit anything except a horse that slipped on the bitumen as i lined up to go behind him in a tire test car at 140 kph .

Well no one speaking up for the " plastic " smart bar?
Have been a passenger in an 80 series fitted with a tjm alloy bar,hit a roo just on dusk at 60/65 klm /hr right hand front ,damage bill came to $2500.00+ new bar.
Hit a emu in a Jackaroo Rigout model ,{ came factory fitted with steel bar } front dead centre , 95/100 klm/hr. Tow job home, $3800.00 damage, lots of $ in 92.
Have a "smart bar" on our Ford Explorer,weighs 50% less than original chromed steel and plastic bumper bar,cost less than alloy or steel bar,
Hit a roo 3 weeks after fitting, 65/70 klm/hr left hand front , top rail bent inwards to almost touch bonnet, nil other damage,bar returned to normal shape in next to no time.
And contrary to popular belief ,provision is made for extra lights and aerials.
My 10 cents worth, 2 cents are,nt worth anything any more :)

Marcus,
We have a GU wagon with the original Nissan winch compatible steel bar and we hit a roo at about 80km, it hit the right side of the bar result:
Roo dead, indicator lense in the roobar smashed and it is air bag compatible.

Just a side note you can not buy the lanses seperately you have to buy the whole light assembly $65 later and two try's at it Nissan got it right talk about a rip off.

I have a 60 series fitted with a ARB steel bull bar. Hit a big grey near Cunnamulla at about 100ks on left side of bull bar. The only damage I sustained was one demolished left spotlight and the other spottie fell out of its lense holder and was hanging by the wires due to the shock. The impact threw the roo 30 feet sideways into the scrub. Have seen a GU nissan hit a sheep with a factory alloy. It smashed the whole centre of the bullbar and the spotlights were pointing to the stars. Go STEEL.

Marcus, hit a "boomer" on our road at 80k's, dead centre, drop-kicked him 40 foot. Alloy bullbar 1, boomer 0. The bar pivoted on it's mounting bolts. Loosened bolts, bar back in line, tightened bolts, good as new. Dragged him home for the dogs to have a chew.
SK