Smartbar bullbars.

Hi there. I fitted a Smart Bar to my Prado a couple of years ago, and it's been useless - I haven't hit anything yet! (well, except for a few very small animals). Mine was a factory second bullbar, fitted myself - no dramas, except that, even tho it is plastic, it is still quite a lump, and of course quite large. You need a jack or three, but I did it on my own.
I was impressed with the performance testing done on them, and I also liked the light weight, meaning that I didn't have the same worries about over-loading the front suspension.
Fit was good (everything lined up reasonably well).
The design of the Prado unit showed they did their homework on approach angles etc.
So yes, I am happy still, and I have still to experience a real test, and truly hope I never have to!
I read heaps of comments before I bought, and it ended like a Engel vs Waeco fight, with most people either totally in favour or completely against, mostly based on pure prejudice ( "how can a piece of plastic be any good?")
I suspect the front end of your Hilux is in the similar class to the Prado, so you may share my desire not to hang a huge steel bullbar on it without the readies to add a winch, beefed up suspension etc.

Yes, but the Smart Bar is just perfectly right to mount not only an HF aerial, but also a sand flag, and a couple of doozey spots. What more could you ask? You may even be able to order a colour-coded bar.
I am biased, because I picked mine up as a factory second for around $750. Let me tell you, the factory seconds are not seriously 'second', just blemished etc.

I've had two on two Pajeros. Fitted the second one myself. Never hit anything so cant comment but am very happy with the fit / finish. The original gloss black one scratched up quite a bit but the current grey rough finish one does not show anything up. Good mounts for spotties & aerials, good approach angle and well shaped around recovery points etc.

Pat

Gidday Rodge

These bars are quite good, but have their limitations. I once impacted with three teenage roos and the bar protected the car without damage.

However, there’s a bit of difference between that, and a full grow Boomer.

Heading up the ladder, if you hit an 800Kg animal at speed (such as cattle) you can pretty much expect your rectum to say gidday to your eyeballs.

I’ve got a steel bull bar fitted on the car, but still make an effort to be camped before dusk. So I think it's more about common sense, rather than the different types of bull bars.

Regards

Kim

Recently fitted one to a landcruiser trayback. Very happy with it so far. Live in an area with small to medium roos. No hits so far. Live in a village where every man and his dog has a steel bar so there is a bit of interest in how it goes after a few roo hits.

I did a lot of research and talked to a lot of people who had hit roos and it came down to this for maximum roo protection.

If the vehicle frame is strong enough most recommended a steel bar.
If the vehicle frame was not strong enough most recommended a smartbar.
No one recommended aluminium.

Now it is a matter of opinion as to when a vehicle frame is strong enough. I did some google searching on chassis cracking and came up with interesting results. This was a lot more common than I had thought and it seemed that at least in part steel bars with winches were a contributing factor. Overloading was another. I was looking for info on the V8 cab chassis landcruiser and found it did not have this problem so it can handle a steel winch bar but an awful lot can't without potential side affects.

In my case I was not that interested in ultimate roo protection. I was after a reasonable measure of protection from roo strikes but also wanted a less lethal bar in case of pedestrian strike and I wanted to minimise weight gain on the vehicle - particularly out beyond the wheels. The smartbar does this. The others don't.

Rodge


Wife's Uncle worked for NT Govt., and had smart bars fitted to all 4WDs used by that dept. They performed well and he swears by them.

Has them on his Toyota.


Tjilpi

I fitted one to my Patrol in 2003 and as I recall, nearly got laughed out of town. Still looks pretty much brand new (a couple of bush pin stripes on the sides)and has done the job just great. Last time I looked the paint is not peeling and it's not rusting. That goes for my Lightforce 170's as well that were also apparently cr%p when I bought them back in 2000. Neither of them rattled off in the GRR or up at The Cape

OT

i have one on my lc100 and also on my previous lc80. last year hit a lge emu at speed and apart from a bent numberplate and 150 metres of feathers there was no marks to the car. i think the fact that it bends a little helps to absorb the shock. the emu recovered before my wife and i and trotted off shaking its head

Many thanks for all the comments. It appears they are effective in limiting damage in many situations. Now to convince myself to hang a 40kg Smartbar on the front of the new vehicle when I have survived many years without any front protection.
Cheers. Rodge.

All new NSW Police Pajeros are fitted with Smartbars with winches.