I get it: many folk simply don’t want a bullbar on their vehicle and that’s okay. Be it for cost, aesthetics, extra weight, not believing it necessary, or whatever other personal reason there may be, they are all valid reasons.
For my 4WDs, I’ll always install a bullbar, if possible, for several reasons: some functional reasons and some purely for aesthetics.
I recently faced yet another bullbar purchase for a newly purchased, second-hand HiLux 4WD. No, my HiLux is not a crash ‘n’ bash 4WD, nor a rock hopper, bush basher, or any other mistreated machine. It’s a long-distance tourer, a weekend escape vehicle, a family vehicle, and a daily runabout all rolled into one.
BULLBAR PREREQUISITES
There is a host of points to consider when shopping for a bullbar. Some shoppers will go no further than their favourite brand. Some are influenced by whatever their local dealer sells, others by price, colour, aesthetics, features, or what their mates tell them.
The internet makes researching products easy, right down to finding a photo of your exact model vehicle with the exact bullbar you are considering. There’s little left to the imagination.
When it came time to equip my 2013 Dual Cab Hilux with some frontal protection, I considered all of the above plus more. My off-road considerations took precedence over sheer good looks, but hey, I wanted a great-looking bar if possible – understanding that beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
I wanted upswept wings to enhance approach angles; I didn’t want to scrape rocks and mounds as I negotiated my way offroad. The barwork needed to have a somewhat aggressive and modern stance, but not Mad Max-style.
The bar had to be winch compatible, include rated recovery points or at least accept bolt-on versions, include hi-lift jacking recesses, have driving light mounts that accommodate decent-sized lights, and include low-mounted fog lights if possible. To be able to accept or include additional underbody protection plates, it must have at least one, preferably two antennae tabs – one for my UHF antennae and the other for the occasions I need a sand flag. This was a must, as I didn’t want to have to add additional bolt-on tabs if possible.
Regarding the fitting of a winch and fairlead, being able to cover that fairlead with a flip-up numberplate holder would be grand, if just for looks.
Of course. Any bar that would grace my HiLux would need to be airbag-compatible and ADR-approved; there’s no point in fitting anything less than legal to stay on the right side of the law and insurance companies.
Many don’t consider how much of the bar can be seen from the driver’s seat. Yep, I want to be able to see both the left and right hoops just poking above the bonnet line. That gives me a great idea of how close I’m getting to rocks, logs, and other offroad protrusions, and it helps to avoid ‘touch parking’ other vehicles as I reverse park into a tight parking space.
As for colour, I’d be happy with plain ol’ black, but any bar can be colour-coded if needed, albeit at an extra price. Following on with the colour, the whole bar needs to look good. Obviously, what I think looks good could be different to everyone else, but there are some bars out there that look simply crap, in my opinion.
Then there’s the almighty price tag. Yep, I know you get what you pay for, but if I can save a few bucks on a decent, quality bar, that would give me more fuel money to get out and explore or more leftover dollars to buy more accessories!
DOWNSIDES
Yes, there are downsides to fitting a bullbar, regardless of what type of vehicle you drive.
Weight. That’s right, the weight of any bullbar is going to affect your steering, braking and suspension.
The weight of your chosen bar will be somewhere in the vicinity of 30 to 60kg, plus any other extras you may add, like side rails, a winch and driving lights. So, if you’re going down the bullbar route, you’ll have to consider a suspension upgrade as a minimum – suspension that will not only maintain your original ride height, or higher, with higher-rated springs. Plus, your shock absorbers will need upgrading to control the added weight being thrown around, for compression and rebound. Best bet is to go for a complete suspension upgrade kit, which covers not only your bullbar, but the van or trailer you’ll no doubt be hauling around our great country.
Potentially, you’ll increase the wear and tear of the front end of your vehicle, but, in my opinion, it’s worth adding that bar.
TICKED ALL MY BOXES
Having researched many bars, returning to Aussie Offroad’s website and drooling over its Rockarmor GT bullbar, I’d made up my mind. It ticked every single point on my wishlist, including a pair of bolt-on rated recovery points. I noted A few extra inclusions: a recessed LED lightbar mount, which I’m unlikely to use, and an angled (which often means reinforced or stronger) main bar section. While not qualified to state how much more rigid these angles might make the bar, I’m positive they will outperform a flat metal design.
Side rails/brush bars to protect the front guards and rock sliders to protect the sills were also available, but I didn’t want either for now. Perhaps I’ll change my mind the first time I bend the OE alloy side steps.
From the photos and seeing the fitting of the driving lights, I noted they protruded a little from the steel bar’s protection. This was not ideal, but it was not a game-changer, given everything else about the bar looked spot on. Yes, smaller lights would be more protected, but larger-diameter lights were what I wanted to fit.
Given all the other bars I’d seen online and in person, I was confident I’d found the perfect bar for my HiLux. Fast forward from fitting and a few drives around town and in the bush, I’m as happy as Larry with my choice. Time will tell how well it holds up to my seaside location and exposure to salt air and harsh sun, although it is billed as being E-coated and powder-coated, so that should keep the rust away. Hopefully, it doesn’t happen, but in the unfortunate event of an animal strike, I also hope it doesn’t get too bent out of shape and saves my HiLux.
From my initial on and offroad driving, the bar is sturdy and doesn’t shake or vibrate on rougher tracks at speed.
The final proof that I’ve chosen the right bullbar is that whenever I walk away from parking the HiLux, I look back to see how great it looks, and it gives me a little smile every time.
MY BULLBAR INFORMATION
No sales pitch from me, but this is the bar I ended up choosing: the Rockarmor GT Bullbar to suit an N70 HiLux. Price: $1799. Not that I’d do it, but a no-hoop version costs $1499.00. Other vehicle models are available.
The optional brush bars and rock sliders are $299 and $649, respectively, although package deals make them cheaper.
More info: www.aussieoffroad.com.au
MARK’S WISE WORDS
For me, finding the perfect bullbar involves balancing function, aesthetics, and features while considering legalities.
If you can tick all these off your wishlist, you’ve nailed your perfect bullbar for your vehicle and your situation. As for whether you need it or simply want it… sorry, but I can’t help you there.
