Bull Bars- Steel or Alloy?

Probably right but I've seen plenty of hugh trucks with alloy barsRosco

Mark
Hard to say. Like most things though, I guess its a compromise and its up to the individual as to where they draw the line.

Question though, have the new air bag regs had any impact on steel bars? Sorry for the pun.

RegardsThis 4WD stuff is addictive,
time consuming & expensive.

Hi Mark

i would recommend steel over alloy any day
I have a Tjm type 15 alloy bar on my GU (came on the car) they are a great looking bar but absolutly bleep weak bent mine going up a sand dune!
On previous vech had an Arb bar which was great knocked over a few roos without even a sratch would have killed the alloy bar and prob the radiator and head light.
Its upto your personnel needs

Cheers

I got rid of the alloy bar that was on my 80 when I bought it and put on a steel one....
It was all nice a sparkly when I bought it...within a few weeks it had tarnished and needed a buff....bugger that....I've got better things to do than polish my bar...!! :-P
Cheers

i have a steel bar on my hilux
recently had an accident with the rear of another car -$2500 damage done to his and the bar just had some paint taken off.

On muddy track 4 years ago and braked - no response, steered no response, hit a big stinkin tree at about 20km/h - took paint off, nothing else. Just get the heavier coils if you're worried about weight on the front.
regardsNice southerly coastal fishing trip someday.
Chris

Mark
Check out Irvin Bullbars in Midalnd (www.Irvinbullbars.com.au) as they make great looking Aluminium bars that have that polished look. I'll be getting one soon.
After what seems like a lifetime in the Pilbara I can tell you I've seen some horror damage to alloy bars and wouldn't touch them with your money let alone mine.
My steel one actually got pushed back far enough to damage around indicators etc before springing back to almost it's original position.Allyn
Some days we are the flies; some days we are the windscreen.

Mark, hardly anything to add to the comments above.

I have talked to truckies who have had alloy bars and one told me never again will a Valiant driver drive under the front of his truck. Was a bad experience for him obviously. Decent steel was then the only choice.

Have noticed with the bars we have had on farm 4bys that there are bars and bars. Alloy looks nice til it has lost its shine ar had the bingle. Steel bars are not all the same either. Some have trays under the main bumber that bend too easily and/or push back into the body work. (have an idea someone pushed a bull with it)

I don't look at alloy now

Have you thought about a plastic one?

Don't kno about them but i've herd they bounce back into shape and would be light as well.

Does anybody else kno bout these?

looking from another angle. We have an alloy bar on the Jack. Recently we did the Anne Beadell Hwy. Metal fatigue at the welds and a lack of bracing saw it fall off due to the corrugations (and that was before it got bad!!!) It has in it's history 2 big hits on big roo's so this probably helped contribute to the problem. It showed no visible damage to either of these.

Anyway, got to Coober Pedy and no-one could weld it up! No aluminiun welders in town. I was amazed at this. So we had to miss the Oodnadatta track and head down to Pt Augusta to get it fixed (plus another 'minor' problem). So.....had it been steel it probably would not have cracked as easily and it could have been welded anywhere, even by myself with a couple of batteries and welding gear right on the spot. PhilG can attest to seeing my bullbar atop our camper trailer. sigh.

SKMost human problems can be solved by an appropriate charge of high
explosive."